Early 2025 Season Predictions: How Many Wins Can Ole Miss Expect?

In a season that was meant to be defining, Ole Miss football fell short of its expectations in 2024. Still, there was plenty of good for Lane Kiffin. A home win over Georgia and another bowl win were some highlights. One momentum swing in favor of Ole Miss against Kentucky, LSU, and the Rebels would have been in the playoffs.

Ifs and buts, however, aside from missing out on the playoffs, it was another double-digit winning season. The Rebels will face every SEC team they did in 2024, this time with a reverse schedule, so Georgia is in Athens. They also have nonconference games against Georgia State, Tulane, The Citadel, and Washington State. It's a decent schedule for another run, but this year, they have lost a hell of a lot of starters.

All the changes to the roster, including a new quarterback, make it challenging to have a strong prediction for the number of wins this team can expect. If we go on with the small sample size we saw from the expected quarterback starter, Austin Simmons, the Rebels should be good at the position.

The defensive front was the difference in 2024, and the Rebels have lost many of those guys. However, it may still be a productive bunch. Coming out of the early weeks of spring practice, Lane Kiffin seems happy with all areas aside from the defensive back positions. Something he may look to improve on once the spring portal opens.

Looking at the roster, I would say Ole Miss can quickly obtain eight wins and maybe a few more if everything clicks. Four wins will come from nonconference play, all being played at home, but Tulane and Washington State won't be a pushover.

The Rebels could be 4-0 in the first four games, with Kentucky on the road and Arkansas in Oxford. LSU at home will be tough, but I'm not as convinced as the media are that they are in for a turn in their fortunes under Brian Kelly. So that would be a 6-0 start with a win in Oxford, possibly 5-1.

Say Ole Miss is 5-1, and with The Citadel to come, they would need two wins from five to get to eight. South Carolina and Florida are both at home. They should win one of those, and I wouldn't rule out both. Winning the Egg Bowl in Starkville is never easy, but looking at last season's results and what they have done this season, Mississippi State doesn't look like a threat.

Eight wins should be a comfortable target for Ole Miss, but this team could surprise a few when nobody expects much from them in 2025.