Ole Miss football to face ACC team Duke in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl

Ole Miss learned their bowl destination earlier. They are heading to the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, the fourth time they will have competed in Jacksonville, the last time being in 1991 against Michigan.

The Rebels will face Duke from the Atlantic Coast Conference, who finished the season 9-3 with losses to Georgia Tech, Miami, and SMU. It will be the first time the two programs have met on the football field.

Fifth bowl game in five years for Ole Miss under Lane Kiffin.

Ole Miss knew they were heading to a bowl game, keeping Lane Kiffin's streak going. Kiffin has reached a bowl game in every season as head coach of the Rebels. Kiffin is 2-2 in bowl games, tied it up with the impressive Peach Bowl win over Penn State in 2023.

A win over Duke would give Ole Miss a ten-win season, the third under Kiffin, which is something not to be sniffed at. It will be a challenging game, with the Blue Devils losing by one point against ACC runners-up and playing team SMU earlier in the season.

The Rebels could look very different, with NFL-bound players usually opting out to save themselves from injury heartbreak. Some players still like to play, something we will learn closer to the time. It may give us the opportunity to see players such as quarterback Austin Simmons play a full game, looking to be the starter in 2025.

The game is scheduled for Thursday, January 2, at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida. Kick-off will be at 6:30 p.m. CST.