The Ole Miss Rebels‘ season in NCAAF definitely ended on a high note, especially after their victory over Duke and subsequent Gator Bowl triumph. Despite this, head coach Lane Kiffin is aware that the Transfer Portal had an impact not only on his team but also on that of their opponent, at a crucial moment in the tournament’s final stretch.
On December 9th, the transfer portal window officially opened, allowing several players to change teams in search of new opportunities or perhaps more prominence in other programs. For the HC, the issue isn’t necessarily the loss of players, but rather the timing of their decisions to leave.
“I think it’s a really broke system that’s got to be fixed,” Kiffin said to the press. “To have the portal (open), and we lost guys going into the portal, a couple of starters that went into the portal that would’ve been playing, so it kind of affected us as much as (Duke), especially with their quarterback situation.”
The Rebels had to face the Gator Bowl without two of their starters, both of whom decided to seek new destinations through this controversial move within College Football. Right tackle Micah Pettus, who committed to FSU, and defensive back Jadon Canady.
Jaxson Dart #2 of the Mississippi Rebels celebrates after being named MVP alongside Head coach Lane Kiffin (R) after the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl against the Duke Blue Devils at EverBank Stadium on January 02, 2025 in Jacksonville, Florida.
“That’s why I was proud of our offense, that was a really good defense that caused a lot of problems and didn’t have any opt-outs,” Kiffin also added. “So for them not having their quarterback didn’t have anything to do with whatever it was, 589 yards of offense. That was our offensive players playing really well against a really good defense with a tough scheme. So I was really pleased with that.”
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Kiffin sends a clear message to the CFP Committee
The strong performance of the Rebels throughout the season led many to believe their spot in the playoffs was secure. Unfortunately for them, that ultimately did not happen. After securing the win over the Blue Devils, Lane Kiffin spoke with the press and once again made his stance on the situation clear.
“Glad the way our guys played today,” Kiffin told ESPN’s Taylor McGregor. “The quarterback played really well, the defense did. They made a statement to a committee that left them out that, ‘Hey, here’s an ACC team that won nine games,’ and came out and played extremely well. I think that was really important for them to come out and make a statement like that.”
The hope of having Dart for one more year
Jaxson Dart had a standout performance on Thursday when his team finally secured a decisive victory over Duke. Just days earlier, the talented quarterback had declared himself eligible for the upcoming NFL Draft, though his coach still hopes to have him for one more year on the team.
“I love him, except for on that last play there when he checks to a pass play he’s not supposed to do, so he’s got to learn a little bit of class there,” Kiffin stated to the press. “But other than that, I love this guy. He’s awesome. You never know. Nowadays, people file waivers. Maybe he’ll be back next year.”
