The Ole Miss Rebels‘ regular season in the NCAAF has come to an end. With their victory over Mississippi State, Lane Kiffin‘s squad claimed the Egg Bowl and now await what’s next for the program in the immediate future. Jaxson Dart, the star QB of the team, knows the potential of his group and made it clear that they are just as competitive as anyone in the playoffs.
The Week 13 loss to the Florida Gators made it more difficult for the Rebels to secure a direct spot in the playoffs. However, after yesterday’s victory, it was QB Jaxson Dart himself who made it clear that his team deserves a place in the next stage.
“We’re the team that showed that we can beat anybody,” Dart stated to the media, regarding why Ole Miss deserves a Playoff spot. “And my pitch is, you know, you look at — you look at the conferences, you look at the strength of schedule, obviously, we slipped up some games that we definitely were not supposed to do, and that’s going to bite at us. But, you know, I definitely think, without a doubt, we’re one of the best teams in the country.”
Dart even went as far as to suggest that they ask Kirby Smart for his opinion on the matter: “I think you can go around and ask any coach that same question. You can go ask Kirby Smart what he thinks. Yeah, I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I know that if we get a shot, we’re gonna make a run at it, for sure.”
Ole Miss Rebels quarterback JAXSON DART (2) congradulates defensive tackle JJ Pegues (89) who took a direct snap and rushed for a touchdown Ole Miss win over Arkansas at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium.
After their 26-14 victory over Mississippi State, the Rebels finished the regular season with a record of nine wins and just three losses. Under Lane Kiffin’s leadership, they were undoubtedly one of the most solid teams throughout the season.
see also
NCAAF News: Deion Sanders’ Colorado offensive line bolstered for 2025 as 4-star OT commits
Lane Kiffin shared his thoughts on Dart
The success of the Rebels this season is not only due to the talent on the roster but also to the strong human connection within the team. The bond that Lane Kiffin and Jaxson Dart have built throughout the season has driven both to give their absolute best
“The quarterback, you know, he’s just — he’s awesome. There’s a way you want your son to be, that’s what you want to have,” Kiffin said regarding Dart, via his postgame press conference. “Complete team player. Doesn’t care about stats, anything. He could care less that, you know, he threw 143 yards today. We saw the way he ran. His emotion at the end of the game. Just tried to help him keep it together. Because he cares, man. He cares about this team, he cares about this university.”
Kiffin also added: “That didn’t happen a lot in college football anymore, if you look around. So, this guy’s special. I hope people appreciate him. Yesterday, (he) became the all time leader, passing Eli [Manning], in the history of the school, and the most wins in the history of the school for a quarterback. So, I’m sure there’s appreciation, but I hope everybody has appreciation for what they watch with this guy, and how he plays the game.“
“The guy’s playing with a bad ankle the whole time too. … That’s a lost generation, whatever, in college football. That guy’s passion, that guy — that guy plays the way that like, (former Ole Miss quarterback turned Associate AD for Player Development) Tom Luke talks about this rivalry. You know, the way he talks about how it used to be and how much — Tom won’t drive him a room rental car. Will not. Won’t step foot in one, won’t let anyone give him a ride in one. Like, that’s how Jaxson Dart plays the game. So, he’s just really special,” he concluded.
Ole Miss Head Coach Lane Kiffin vistits with starting quarterback Jaxson Dart (2) during pre game warm ups prior to NCAA football game action between the Ole Miss Rebels and the LSU Tigers at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, LA.
The special greeting from Eli Manning
During Friday’s game against Mississippi State, Jaxson Dart passed Eli Manning to become the Rebels’ all-time leader in passing yards. Manning took the milestone in stride, and during an Ole Miss timeout, the broadcast featured a message from the former New York Giants quarterback.
.@EliManning congratulates Jaxson Dart on breaking his @OleMissFB passing yards record 👏
It’s worth noting that Manning played for Ole Miss from 2000 to 2003 and was the Rebels’ starting quarterback for his final three seasons. When Manning left Ole Miss, he held the program’s career records for passing yards (10,119), touchdown passes (81), and passer rating (137.7).
