'We Have a Goal to Do Better!' Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss Rebels Aim For Strong Finish in NY6 Bowl Game

The Ole Miss Rebels are looking for a better New Year's Six finish than they had in the 2021 season.

The last time the Ole Miss Rebels were in this position, things went poorly.

At the end of the 2021 season, the Rebels were 10-2 and earned a berth in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. After an early injury to quarterback Matt Corral in that game, Ole Miss was unable to establish anything of substance on offense, and it fell flat on its face in a 21-7 loss to the Baylor Bears.

Now, the No. 11 Rebels are once again 10-2, and they have earned a berth in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. Ole Miss has an opportunity to win 11 games in a single season for the first time in program history, but in order to do that, it will have to take down the No. 10 Penn State Nittany Lions.

Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin looks up at the scoreboard during a time out in second half of the Egg Bowl at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Miss., Thursday, Nov. 23, 2023 :: © Barbara Gauntt/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK

This is not just another game for head coach Lane Kiffin and company. A win in this game would establish momentum heading into the advent of the 12-team playoff in 2024, and it would also mean a great deal in the recruiting landscape.

"I think it does matter," Kiffin said on Sunday. "As I said, we're in all day today and after this announcement in recruiting meetings with kids and families. That's pretty neat to say, two of the last three years, to be in New Year's Six bowls. 

"Obviously we have a goal to do better this time around and finish off and have the first 11-win season in the history of the school. Any time your players are having success on the field and doing well helps you in recruiting."

There are a lot of parallels between this year's Rebels and the 2021 bunch. A New Year's Six berth, a quarterback who wears No. 2, and a chance for school history are all factors once again in this postseason bout.

Rebels Open as Slim Betting Favorite vs. Penn State in Peach Bowl

Ole Miss opened as a slim favorite over the Nittany Lions on Sunday, but the Rebels will have to execute one more time to put the finishing touches on a historic season.

The Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta is scheduled for Dec. 30 at 11 a.m. CT, and the game will be televised on ESPN.