Jaxson Dart: Ole Miss 'absolutely' deserves New Year's Six bowl game
Jaxson Dart and the Ole Miss Rebels finished an impressive campaign with a 10-2 record following their win in the Egg Bowl.
While they won’t be in the College Football Playoff, a spot in a New Year’s Six bowl game could be on the table for the Rebels. Following their season finale, Dart elaborated on why he believes Ole Miss would certainly be deserving of the honor.
“Yeah, absolutely. I personally think that our two losses came from the best two teams in the whole country, on the road in very hostile environments. It’s something that we can’t really control, but you look at the rankings and I feel confident that our team can go in and compete with anybody in the country,” Dart explained. “Like I said it’s out of our control, but I think we’re in a good spot for it.”
Additionally, Dart’s coach Lane Kiffin shares his quarterback’s belief. Kiffin made his pitch following Ole Miss’ win in Starkville, where they won 17-7 over Mississippi State. He didn’t make a long one, though, as he knows it’s going to hold little weight to the committee.
“I’m not going to go on a very long one. Because, one, I call all my coach buddies and it doesn’t work. They all do it and they start at, like, midseason,” Kiffin said. “They’re not going to listen to me and say, ‘Oh! That’s a good point that Coach Kiffin made – we’re going to move them up! Put them in the New Year’s Six!’”
Moreover, Kiffin’s reasoning is focused on Ole Miss’ two losses, similar to what Dart said. Winning double-digit games is quite the accomplishment that they posted in Oxford this season.
Even so, it’s the fact their two losses came against their conference’s best and two of the nation’s, specifically on the road, why he believes their resume is as good as anyone else’s that’s under consideration.
“I think this one’s a pretty good argument where you went 10-2, super hard schedule,” explained Kiffin. “Even your non-conference? People, for the most part, played well. But your two losses are at Alabama and Georgia – the two going to the SEC (Championship), playing as well as anybody in the country, at their places.
“I’d like to see the other 10-2 people end up 10-2. I would doubt their losses are going to be harder ones than those two places to play. Georgia is about 30-0 in their last 30 games. And Alabama has lost two in their – whatever it has been – last 52 home games. Analytics? That has got to be the two hardest place to win right now.”
Alas, time will tell if Ole Miss makes it to a New Year’s Six bowl game, but Jaxson Dart, Lane Kiffin and company are certainly deserving of the honor.