Ole Miss Rebels Move Up In AP Poll Following Auburn Victory

Ole Miss continues to climb up the boards following another SEC victory.

Ole Miss might not be in the driver's seat for the SEC West crown, but at least it remains in the hunt for first place. 

The Rebels moved up one spot in the latest AP Polls, debuting at No. 12 for Week 9. Ole Miss picked up its third consecutive SEC conference win Saturday, knocking off Auburn, 28-21, at Jordan-Hare Stadium. 

The Week 4 loss to then-No. 13 Alabama continues to look better by the day as the Crimson Tide remain undefeated in conference play following their victory over No. 19 Tennessee. The Rebels (6-1, 3-1 SEC) look poised as the third-best team in the conference entering the closing days of October. 

On paper, it means nothing when representing the West in Atlanta for the SEC Championship. Should Alabama continue to win, it would claim another division title thanks to the Week 4 victory. 

Still, Ole Miss does have an ace in the hole: a Week 5 home win over LSU. The No. 15 Tigers travel to Tuscaloosa to take on Alabama on Nov. 4. A victory for LSU would actually catapult Ole Miss into the top spot for the West should it continue to win out. 

Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin celebrates a pass interference call as Auburn Tigers take on Mississippi Rebels at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023. Mississippi Rebels defeated Auburn Tigers 28-21.   :: © Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK

Saturday's win came with its fair share of flaws, but Kiffin compared this season to the 2021 campaign under Matt Corral. Not all is perfect, but a win keeps optimism alive in Oxford. 

The Rebels fell 42-21 to Nick Saban the Tide in Week 4, but managed to rattle off seven more wins to finish 10-2 on the regular season, a first in program history. Ole Miss represented the SEC in place of Alabama and Georgia in the Sugar Bowl as the highest-ranked program. 

Georgia, which was idle this week, remained at No. 1, while Michigan and Ohio State were steadfast at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively. Alabama jumped back into the top 10 for the first time since its Week 2 loss against Texas, debuting at No. 9. 

Penn State and Oregon State finished just ahead of the Rebels at No. 11 and No. 12, respectively. Ole Miss could make a case for top-10 status next week when it plays host to Vanderbilt. 

Kickoff from Vaught-Hemingway Stadium is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT.