There isn’t much time for deep soul searching in Oxford. Because there is still football to be played.
Ole Miss, coming off one of its biggest wins in program history two weeks earlier — a 28-10 win over then-No. 3 Georgia — fell at unranked Florida 24-17 on Saturday. The loss threw a major wrench into the Rebels’ (8-3, 4-3 SEC) College Football Playoff hopes and dreams.
The Rebels outgained the Gators (6-5, 4-4) by 120 yards but had uncharacteristic lapses in crucial moments. Ole Miss receivers dropped six passes, according to Pro Football Focus, and committed a season-high three turnovers. Senior quarterback Jaxson Dart entered the game having thrown just four interceptions but, after a nearly flawless start to the afternoon, threw interceptions on Ole Miss’ final two drives with a chance to tie the game. Ole Miss went 3 for 14 on third down, failed to convert a pair of fourth-and-short attempts and did not score a single point in its three red zone trips.
“I don’t really know how to describe it right now,” Dart said. “Put a lot of time, put a lot of effort in. And it sucks when you just lose these games.”
There is little opportunity for Ole Miss to lick its wounds, though, as Mississippi State (2-9, 0-7) comes to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium Friday for the annual Egg Bowl. The game kicks off at 2:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on ABC. The Rebels won last year’s meeting in Starkville 17-7, and the road team has won each of the last three meetings between the teams.
How Ole Miss handles its crushing defeat to the Gators has yet to be determined. And it wasn’t something Kiffin or his players had given very much thought to as of postgame Saturday.
“We’re just in today. It’s going to be really challenging, just today,” Kiffin said. “So I (haven’t) gotten to tomorrow yet. There was a lot at stake here, and a lot of disappointed players, coaches in that locker room. … There’s the playoff line, and you kind of know where that is a little bit. A third loss doesn’t get you there.
“ … (It’s) almost NFLish. Get knocked out of the playoffs, still have a game to play. But, obviously this is an important game. But we’ll get that tomorrow.”
While there is still football left — several ranked teams fell Saturday in addition to the Rebels, and there is still the final week of the regular season and conference championships to be sorted out — Ole Miss is no longer in the driver’s seat of its bid for the CFP. Ole Miss has a 6.2% chance to make the playoffs now, according to ESPN’s Power Index.
Though their fate is no longer in their hands, Dart made it clear he wants to end his final collegiate season with a bang.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” Dart said. “I have assumptions, but I … really just want to finish the year off the right way.”
