The Ole Miss Rebels found themselves in an odd spot on Saturday. It’s not a bye week, but they weren’t playing as the rest of the country took to gridirons to clash for key spots in the postseason picture.
That’s because Ole Miss is playing Oklahoma on Sunday. Flight issues forced the SEC to reschedule the game to the unusual Sunday time slot of 1 p.m. ET, 12 noon Central in Norman. And it means the College Football Playoff picture already took some twists and turns before Ole Miss even plays.
The Rebels were ranked No. 19 in the rankings put out this past week, and it’s still a 12-team field this year, so they certainly can’t lose to Oklahoma on Sunday.
A win, though, would keep Ole Miss in the picture, thanks in part to four key outcomes on Saturday.
Ole Miss College Football Playoff Chances Helped by 4 Scores
Ole Miss began getting help on Friday night.
That’s when Deion Sanders’ Colorado Buffaloes stunned the No. 14 Houston Cougars in an upset. The loss knocks Houston entirely out of CFP contention, and with them having been ahead of Ole Miss, it would help the Rebels move up if they beat OU.
So too does Florida’s win over Kentucky in Lexington. That’s bad for the Wildcats, who entered the day ranked No. 11 but will no longer be there after the defeat. They should remain ranked, but they likely will have less of a chance than Ole Miss if the Rebels win out.
Another helpful result? Indiana’s win over USC. The No. 9 Hoosiers beat the No. 18 Trojans in Bloomington, and there’s no way USC gets to the CFP now — they were ranked behind Iowa, but their bubble has burst.
And then in a shocker, Arkansas routed No. 17 South Carolina, 34-6. The Gamecocks were another team chasing an at-large bid and probably needing a strong finish. Instead, they threw up a stinker.
That’s likely four teams Ole Miss will move ahead of if the Rebels beat OU on Sunday.
Ole Miss Schedule
Ole Miss, as mentioned above, plays Oklahoma on Sunday in a must-win game for the Rebels.
They then have their unusually placed non-conference game against Wofford at home on Nov. 21.
Their last test will come on Friday, Nov. 27 — Black Friday — home against Mississippi State.
If the Rebels win out, and get some help above them, they’ve got a chance.
Potential losers in the final couple weeks that would help Ole Miss include Tennessee, Indiana, BYU, Texas Tech, Iowa, Oregon and Ohio State. A few of those teams might not be catchable, but Ole Miss is going to have to run down at least a few to have a chance.
4 Results Helped Ole Miss College Football Playoff Chances Before Sunday Game