Lane Kiffin might want to double-check his weather app because the storm clouds over Oxford are getting thicker than a Mississippi summer. Last season was all sunshine and rainbows with a 10-win run, but that SEC grind doesn’t let anyone chill for long. And with the Rebels’ off-season looking like a bad episode of Survivor, you can bet folks around Oxford are getting a little jumpy. So what’s got everybody sweating?
Well, let’s just say the 2025 season’s looking like a coin flip between glory and disaster. See, Ole Miss has been churning out wins, sure—10-win seasons back-to-back. But making the playoffs? They’ve been knocking on that door harder than a broke college kid trying to get into a frat party. And when you think the script’s about to flip, CBS analyst Brandon Marcello jumps in with some wild optimism that’s got everybody from Oxford to Birmingham raising eyebrows.
On March 22nd, Brandon Marcello from 247Sports slid onto Matt Moscona’s After Review podcast and dropped some wild optimism about Ole Miss’ chances for 2025. And boy, Brandon Marcello wasn’t even shy about it. “I have—we’ve been fooled twice by them, right? Thinking that they’re going to be a playoff team and, um, listen, I’m a—I’m a fool. Uh, I’m going to fall for ’em again. I’m going to do it.” Yeah, you heard that right. Marcello’s out here acting like Ole Miss is some bad ex he keeps taking back. Why? Because Lane Kiffin’s got this way of working the transfer portal like it’s his personal shopping spree. They call him the Portal King for a reason. And honestly? It’s kind of working.
The Rebels’ 2023 season was all gas, no brakes—starting 7-1 and hitting the No. 10 spot in the CFP rankings. Jaxson Dart was slinging the ball like he had a grudge against defensive backs. The man completed 64.5% of his passes for over 2,000 yards, throwing 14 touchdowns and running for seven more. Not bad for a guy who looked like he just got off the set of Friday Night Lights. But the problem? Ole Miss couldn’t close.
The latter part of the season had them falling apart like a cheap lawn chair. And it only got worse in 2024. They rolled in with a No. 6 preseason ranking and started off strong, but by the time they lost to Kentucky (bottled the playoff ticket here), LSU, and Florida, the hype was officially dead. Sure, they stomped Georgia 28-10 and wrecked Duke in the Gator Bowl, but nobody’s throwing parades for that.
Marcello’s still waving the Ole Miss flag, though. According to him, “Lane Kiffin is the portal king for a reason, and they once again reloaded there. I do wonder about the defensive line—you can’t just lose guys like Walter Nolen and Princely Umanmielen and expect everything to be okay. But you got Suntarine Perkins coming back, who had three and a half sacks.”
The guy’s calling Ole Miss a mini-Alabama or Georgia. Which, I mean, cute comparison and all, but reality check: They’re not exactly knocking Bama off its throne anytime soon. Still, he might have a point about their ‘reload’ game.
Can the Portal King Keep Ole Miss Dreaming?
Marcello’s optimism isn’t just hot air—Lane Kiffin’s been doing his thing in the transfer portal like a man possessed. With 18 players gone to the NFL or hitting the transfer portal, you’d think the Rebels were about to crash and burn. But Kiffin’s been flipping this roster faster than Gordon Ramsay in a kitchen meltdown. Key pickups include Patrick Kutas from Arkansas, a beastly 6’5”, 313-pound offensive lineman out here looking to be the new rock of the Rebels’ O-line. On the defensive side, they’ve snagged Princewill Umanmielen, little bro to Princley Umanmielen, coming from Nebraska, ready to terrorize QBs like it’s his day job.
And speaking of terror, the Rebels picked up Jaylon Braxton, another Arkansas product, to add lockdown talent to their secondary. Kiffin’s offense scored major points with Luke Hasz, a versatile tight end, and Harrison “Trey” Wallace, the wide receiver who carried Penn State’s passing attack last year with 46 receptions for 720 yards and 4 TDs. These guys aren’t just replacements; they’re weapons.
Marcello even laid out why this could be the Rebels’ big break. “Also, I’ll say this—their schedule is pretty conducive to having another 10 or 11-win season this year. They have to go on the road to Georgia and Oklahoma this year. But guess what? They don’t have to deal with the likes of Alabama or Texas on the schedule this season.”
So, what’s the final verdict? Ole Miss’s schedule for 2025 is like a damn rollercoaster. The Rebels start with a warm-up against Georgia State before hitting SEC play hard. Their season’s make-or-break moment? Back-to-back road games at Georgia and Oklahoma. But here’s the kicker—no Alabama or Texas this season. The Rebels could sneak into the playoffs like a dude cutting the line at a nightclub if they just handle business.
But here’s the thing: Lane Kiffin’s squad is built like a house of cards. You got Austin Simmons stepping in at QB. The offensive line isn’t looking that pretty, even after the addition of Patrick Kutas. They got 2 tackles coming back. And Ulysses Bentley IV can be a beast, but the man’s got to stay healthy for once. Either way, Ulysses Bentley or Logan Diggs have to step up now, like Quinshon Judkins’s 2023 season; if not, it’s bye-bye playoffs.
It’s all or nothing for Ole Miss in 2025. Marcello might be sipping the Kool-Aid, but Kiffin better hopes it isn’t spiked with disappointment. Cuz right now, all eyes are on Oxford. And the Rebels better bring the heat or end up colder than a January morning.
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