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Poll Position: Ole Miss sinks in latest rankings following loss to Arkansas

11by:Jake Thompson•11/20/22•

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Ole Miss slipped slightly in latest round of Top 25 rankings. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

Ole Miss is at a point of the season where there is some deep need for quiet reflection and chatting with itself in the mirror after Saturday’s loss to Arkansas.

With one more game left in the regular season which happens to be on very short rest against Mississippi State on Thursday along with the Lane Kiffin rumors, it was not the best of weekends.

Sunday added a little more salt in the wound with the latest round of rankings via the Associated Press and USA Today AFCA Coaches Polls. As expected Ole Miss took a tumble but maybe not as far down the proverbial hill as many expected.

After taking it on the chin in Fayetteville on a cold Saturday night, Ole Miss (8-3, 4-3 Southeastern Conference) has dropped three of its last four games. Despite that the voters were not too harsh on the Rebels, whether its because they know how could this team could be or the rest of the Top 25 is weaker in the bottom half.

Related: Lane Kiffin would be smart to spurn Auburn and remain at Ole Miss. Let us explain.

Whatever the reason, Ole Miss stayed inside the Top 20 of both polls with a chance to still finish with nine wins.

The Rebels slid five spots in the Coaches Poll to No. 19 while they dropped six spots to No. 20 in the AP Poll.

Tuesday will bring about the latest College Football Playoff rankings and expect the Rebels to take a similar fall. The Rebels’ CFP ranking has closely mirrored its rankings in the other two polls all season.

On Thanksgiving Ole Miss has the opportunity to win its third straight over in-state rival Mississippi State (7-4, 3-4). A win would probably do wonders to keep the Rebels in the running for a decent bowl berth back in Florida, though a loss might have them heading to Nashville and the Music City Bowl.

As if Egg Bowl week did not provide enough drama and fireworks on its own, the cloud over the Ole Miss program that is Lane Kiffin and Auburn rumors continues to linger.

Kiffin did not do much to put water on the flames after the game on Saturday when asked to confirm reports Ole Miss athletics director had presented a new contract extension.

So entering Egg Bowl with an Ole Miss coach’s future in limbo feels very much like the 2019 season, which actually caused for Kiffin to come to Oxford in the first place. Though this year the circumstances are completely different.

Here are the full Top 25 rankings in both the Associated Press and Coaches Polls.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

  1. Georgia
  2. Ohio State
  3. Michigan
  4. TCU
  5. Southern California
  6. LSU
  7. Clemson
  8. Alabama
  9. Tennessee
  10. Oregon
  11. Penn State
  12. Washington
  13. Notre Dame
  14. Utah
  15. Kansas State
  16. Florida State
  17. UCLA
  18. North Carolina
  19. Tulane
  20. Ole Miss
  21. Cincinnati
  22. Oregon State
  23. Coastal Carolina
  24. Texas
  25. Central Florida

USA TODAY AFCA COACHES POLL

  1. Georgia
  2. Ohio State
  3. Michigan
  4. TCU
  5. Southern California
  6. LSU
  7. Alabama
  8. Clemson
  9. Oregon
  10. Penn State
  11. Tennessee
  12. Washington
  13. Kansas State
  14. Utah
  15. Notre Dame
  16. Florida State
  17. North Carolina
  18. UCLA
  19. Ole Miss
  20. Tulane
  21. Cincinnati
  22. Oregon State
  23. Coastal Carolina
  24. Texas
  25. UTSA

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