For the first time in school history, the 11-1 Ole Miss Rebels are College Football Playoff-bound as they earn an opening round home game at Vaught Hemingway Stadium, where they will host Tulane in a rematch of earlier in the year. Ole Miss dominated the first meeting with the Green Wave 45-10; both teams have faced adversity since. The second meeting has the potential to be an instant classic as both teams have overcome so much but also turned into juggernauts that have run through the remainder of the season, with Tulane coming into the College Football Playoffs as the champions of the American Conference with an impressive 11-2 overall record. 

Although a College Football Playoff, the Ole Miss Rebels will likely be a double-digit favorite over the Green Wave, the Rebels can’t afford to look ahead, as Tulane has turned into a completely different team on a mission since losing to Ole Miss in September. Tulane did it once in the New Year’s Six stage when they upset USC in the 2023 Goodyear Cotton Bowl, when they stunned the Trojans 46-45. This go-around will be a lot different for the Green Wave as they have one of the best coaches in John Sumrall, who recently accepted the Head Coach job at Florida. 

For the Ole Miss Rebels, the bid to the College Football Playoff is the moment that many across Rebel Nation have been waiting for, as the moment they finally bust down the door with a seat at the table of the elite. These last few weeks for Ole Miss have been trying, but to hear the Ole Miss name called on the Selection Show is a moment that will go down in the lore of Ole Miss football for generations to come. 

This will also mark the start of the Pete Golding era in Oxford, fit with a celebration that will last for the week and a half leading up to it. With all the noise not focused on the team these last few weeks, the spotlight is now on the guys as they prepare for the matchup with Tulane on Saturday, the 20th. Since taking over as Head Coach, Coach Golding has made sure the spotlight is on the guys on the roster rather than him, even going as far as turning down an introduction, making sure the guys are the highlight while he takes a step back to showcase his team. 

Ole Miss and Tulane will get underway on Saturday, the 20th, with a kickoff slated for 2:30 on TNT. 

Photo Credits- Ole Miss Football on X