QB Jaxson Dart: Ole Miss Rebels 'Absolutely' Have Momentum Ahead of Peach Bowl vs. Penn State

Ole Miss Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart can sense the momentum around the program ahead of his team's matchup against the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Peach Bowl.

OXFORD -- The No. 11 Ole Miss Rebels are in the midst of bowl prep for their matchup against the No. 10 Penn State Nittany Lions later this month, and the momentum around the program is palpable to the players.

The Rebels have won 10 games so far this year, made strong moves in the transfer portal, and they have gained multiple pledges from key playmakers who are returning to campus for another year of eligibility next season. Oh, and to cap it all off, they are preparing for a New Year's Six game in the Peach Bowl on Dec. 30.

Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart was made available to the media on Wednesday, and he states that the momentum around the program can be felt inside the Manning Center as well, and that only adds fuel to the fire in the hunt of securing an 11-win season for the first time in program history.

"Absolutely," Dart said. "I think when you're on the verge of doing something that a school has never done before and you're playing at a really high level as a team, I think that definitely catches the national eye. Coach [Lane] Kiffin and all our coaching staff make this a really exciting place to be. It catches a lot of people's eye, and a lot of people want to come here."

Nov 23, 2023; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart (2) shares the Egg Bowl trophy with fans after defeating the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports / © Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

Specifically on the subject of the transfer portal, Dart believes that Lane Kiffin and company have made Ole Miss an attractive place for some of the top talent in the country. With some of the visitors who have (or are planning to) come to campus, it's hard to argue against that assessment.

"Even if they weren't really aware of Ole Miss when they were being recruited out of high school, I think everybody is now," Dart said. "It's a great place to be, and there's a lot of excitement and momentum here."

Then, of course, there's the bowl game itself. Ole Miss has now earned four New Year's Six bowl bids since the term was coined in the 2014 season, and being able to play in a moment like this is a big deal to the team's quarterback.

"I've always wanted to play in a game like this, always wanted to play in a really big bowl game," Dart said. "You want to end things the right way, and for the guys that are coming back, it carries a lot of momentum. It's a great opportunity for us as a team to see how far we've come and finish this thing off the way we want and the way we worked this whole offseason and season for."

'Focused on the Bowl Game!' Jaxson Dart Hasn't Officially Made Decision on Return to Ole Miss

Dart himself has not officially stated whether or not he plans to return to Ole Miss in 2024, stating that right now, he is solely "focused on the bowl game."

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