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Ole Miss Football: Realistic Expectations For The 2020 Season

By Daniel Skipper

OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI - SEPTEMBER 07: Snoop Conner #24 of the Mississippi Rebels runs with the ball during a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on September 07, 2019 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI - SEPTEMBER 07: Snoop Conner #24 of the Mississippi Rebels runs with the ball during a game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on September 07, 2019 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /
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Ole Miss football fans are looking forward to seeing the Rebels in action this fall but we have to realize it may be a tough season.

Ole Miss football will begin the 2020 season September 6th when they face Baylor in Houston, Texas. The Rebels will have a new head coach who is a great one. Lane Kiffin has proven himself to be not only a great coach but also a great recruiter and has a very good roster to kickoff the Kiffin Era in Oxford. Our expectations for better days ahead are justified and it will get better but we have to be realistic.

While the Rebels have a great new coaching staff and are loaded with talent we can’t overlook the fact the Rebels also have a very tough schedule. Within the first five games coach Lane Kiffin and the Rebels will face Baylor in the season opener and then have Auburn, LSU and Alabama. Week two the Rebels will face Southeast Missouri which will be the only gimme game. Facing the gauntlet of the SEC West early will be tough, so what are realistic expectations?

Cautious Optimism

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Its a new season and a different coach. What we will and can really expect remains to be seen but we know the Rebels will have a wide open offense and an aggressive defense. We’ve seen what Lane Kiffin is capable of as a head coach at Florida Atlantic, USC and Tennessee and what he was responsible for as offensive coordinator under Nick Saban at Alabama.

So, what can be a degree of success for Ole Miss in 2020 for Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss? Naturally, we want to win every game but we have to recognize this is a new team with a new staff and, of course, a new system. Also, we must keep in mind there will be a shortened preseason as a result of the Covid 19 pandemic.

Coach Kiffin and his staff will have a lot to do in a short time. Success for Ole Miss football in 2020 will hinge greatly on how much the players can absorb prior to facing Baylor in the season opener. The Baylor game is also key for the Rebels to make a strong start. A win in Houston would be a confidence boost for Kiffin and his young team.

As stated earlier, four of the Rebels first five games will be rough. Should the Rebels be able to stay healthy and win three of their first five then it would set them up well for the remaining seven games. Looking at the final seven contests we can expect at least four wins.

The Rebels will travel to Nashville, College Station and Fayetteville with the other four games being played in Oxford. Vandy, UConn, Arkansas, Georgia Southern and Miss State should be wins for Kiffin and the Rebels. The Rebels will likely see a 7-5 record which could be even better. Only time will tell.

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Ole Miss football is sitting in a great spot with a very good coaching staff and loaded with great young talent and Rebels fans are looking forward to a program changing season. It should be very interesting to see how much the Rebels can improve from the 2019 season in a short time frame. The season begins September 6th so Rebels fans don’t have long to wait. Please be sure to follow OHT on Twitter and check us out on Facebook for the latest Ole Miss football news and updates updates. Stay safe and Hotty Toddy!

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