Report: Ole Miss QB Spencer Sanders ruled ineligible for Peach Bowl

It appears as if the college career of Spencer Sanders is over. According to Rebel Yell Hotline, the Ole Miss quarterback has been ruled ineligible for the Peach Bowl against Penn State due to academic issues. After transferring into the program this past offseason, Sanders will go out without making a real impact in Oxford.

Jaxson Dart has been the guy for Ole Miss all season after winning the job coming out of fall camp. He was the guy for Lane Kiffin during 2022 as well but some outside help was brought in via the NCAA transfer portal. Sanders was thought to be the main competition while only having one year of eligibility remaining.

Of course, Dart wound up being the starter and never looked back. Ole Miss was one of the best offenses in the SEC and won 10 games in the regular season for just the second time in program history. Dart will be returning for the 2024 season as well, setting up incredibly high expectations for the Rebels.

Sanders wound up playing in nine games, completing 19 of his 29 pass attempts. He totaled 278 passing yards and threw three touchdowns — all of which came against nonconference opponents Mercer and ULM.

Ole Miss liked Sanders for his dual-threat ability but he did not have too much of a chance. Just 45 rushing yards were gained on 11 attempts.

Now out of eligibility in the college game, Sanders can begin to work on preparing for the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft. Sanders is not listed in the top 10 quarterbacks in Mel Kiper’s latest big board.

Ole Miss to be down a quarterback heading into bowl game

For the second time in the Kiffin era, Ole Miss is playing in a New Year’s Six game. The first came against Baylor in the Sugar Bowl, resulting in a loss against the Big 12 Champions. Penn State did not quite have the success the Bears did back in the 2021 regular season but still finished 10-2.

Dart is coming back to Ole Miss for another season, meaning he will play in the bowl game. Sanders being ineligible just means the usual backup will not be available. Walker Howard will likely take over the role, spending all season as the third-string quarterback.

The Peach Bowl will take place on Dec. 30, with kickoff scheduled for noon ET from Atlanta. It’s another great opportunity for Ole Miss to shine on a national stage.