Rebels' Deantre Prince Focused On Making History And Ending Things 'The Right Way' in Peach Bowl

Senior cornerback Deantre Prince has been a part of many different defenses as an Ole Miss Rebel, but this year's unit could be the one that makes program history.

With Early Signing Day in the past, it is time for the No. 11 Ole Miss Rebels to get focused on the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl on Dec. 30 in Atlanta, as they have a shot at capping off the 2023-24 season on a historical note.

A win over the No. 10 Penn State Nittany Lions will grant the Rebels their first 11-win season in program history - a feat many would have deemed impossible entering the regular season due to Ole Miss' daunting schedule. 

The Rebels are on the precipice of history, however, and senior cornerback Deantre Prince expressed how much it means to him to finish the season off the right way during his recent media availability. 

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"It means everything," Prince told reporters. "When I left and came back, I wanted to prove that I could be that corner for them. It's very important to me to be a part of this great defense that we have and make sure that we end things on the right note."

Prince appeared in all 12 games for Ole Miss as a true freshman in 2019, but spent 2020 playing for Northeast Mississippi Community College before returning to Oxford for the 2021 season. In four seasons with the Rebels, Prince has recorded 144 total tackles, six tackles for loss, one sack, six interceptions, 27 pass breakups, and two forced fumbles.

Prince has had the opportunity to witness the differences between an Ole Miss defense with and without coordinator Pete Golding, and explained what has improved the most in a years time. 

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"I'd say [there's] more focus and more leadership," Prince said. "A lot of guys are taking accountability for their actions, taking accountability into learning the plays, and making sure the young guys know the plays as well.

"We're only as strong as our weakest link, that's something that we knew when [Golding] came in that we needed to build this defense on."

Kickoff between Ole Miss and Penn State is set for 11 a.m. CT in Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and the game will be televised on ESPN.