Ole Miss selected to finish fourth in the SEC by media, six players named Preseason All-SEC
After a week in Dallas presenting their cases during the Southeastern Conference Media Days, the media is not totally sold on the preseason expectations for Ole Miss.
While viewed as one of the upper echelon teams this season in the SEC the Rebels were picked to finish fourth in the regular season standings in the preseason media poll, earning 2,783 points.
Georgia was picked to win the regular season SEC title, receiving 3,330 points and league newcomer Texas picked to finish runner-up with 3,041 points. The Bulldogs were heavy favorites to win the SEC Championship in Atlanta over the Longhorns. Ole Miss fourth in that as well with four points, just behind Alabama’s 12.
The line between third place and fourth place was just over 100 points with Alabama just ahead of Ole Miss with 2,891 points.
On Monday Lane Kiffin was still big on keeping the proverbial ‘rat poison’ at bay and this preseason poll released on Friday will help with that. Ole Miss is expected to be a preseason Top 10 team come next month’s polls, if not contending for a Top 5 spot.
“There is plenty of noise out there that means nothing, and plenty of teams over the years in all sports have been ranked high and haven’t played well and been ranked low and played really well,” Kiffin said. “None of that means anything.”
Outside of the overall standings projected the Rebels saw six players earn Preseason All-SEC honors, which were also voted by members of the media who attended this week’s Media Days.
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Between both the First Team offense and defense Ole Miss was presented by three players. Wide receiver Tre Harris, tight end Caden Prieskorn and defensive lineman Walter Nolen earned First Team recognition.
“We understand there’s a lot of expectations on us this year,” Harris said on Monday. “But at the end of the day we understand that everything that we worry about, we can only control what we can control. And we all are just worried about the guys inside of the facility. We understand that each and every day we have to get better. That’s the main goal trying to get better every single day and trying to get the best possible expectations as possible.
Three other Rebels made the All-SEC Preseason Second or Third Teams. Running back Ulysses Bentley IV was named Third Team running back. On defense Jared Ivey was named Second Team defensive lineman and Princely Umanmielen was named Third Team All-SEC.
Jaxson Dart was not named among the three quarterback slots on the All-SEC teams. Georgia’s Carson Beck was named First Team followed by Texas’ Quinn Ewers (Second Team) and Alabama’s Jalen Milroe (Third Team)
