3 bold predictions for the Ole Miss offense heading into the 2024 season

With the college football season just over a month away, it's talking season. We saw that all this week at SEC Media days. with more still to come.

Ole Miss is one team receiving plenty of talk. Most of that is what Lane Kiffin would call 'rat poison.' Maybe he will say the same if he reads these three bold predictions for the Rebels' offense. Let's be honest; he's probably not reading them.

1. Jaxson Dart to pass Eli Manning as program leader in passing yards

Everything points to this Ole Miss offense being electric in 2024, especially in the passing game. Quarterback Jaxson Dart showed exactly what he is capable of when he aired it out last season, going over 350 passing yards in three games.

Heading into his fourth and final season before declaring for the NFL Draft, Dart has 6,338 passing yards for Ole Miss in his two previous seasons. He sits at No. 5 in the rankings, and unless something keeps him off the field, he will finish above Chad Kelly and Matt Corral. Could he go a step further and be No.1 after the 2024 season is over?

Dart needs 3,782 passing yards to pass the great Eli Manning's record of 10,199 passing yards. If he can have 418 more yards than he had in the 2023 season, the No. 1 spot is his, and not many would be betting against him to do it.

2. Four wide receivers have over 600 receiving yards on the season

Ole Miss had three wide receivers go past 700 yards last season: Tre Harris, Jordan Watkins, and the now-departed Dayton Wade. Can they have four different receivers pass over 600 yards this season?

Head coach Lane Kiffin talked about keeping a stacked room of pass catchers happy and sharing the production. If Deion Smith makes it onto campus before the season starts, the Rebels will have four talented pass catchers and the rest behind them on the depth chart.

Tre Harris, Antwane Wells, and Jordan Watkins should all pass 600 receiving yards comfortably if they stay healthy. Deion Smith also has the talent to do the same. If this passing attack gets into full swing, and Jaxson Dart has another 3,000+ passing yard season, we could see this happen.

3. Offensive line to allow 15 sacks or fewer

Only 16 college football teams allowed 15 or fewer sacks during the 2023 season. Only one SEC team, Georgia, was part of that select group, which allowed 13. This shows how hard it is to protect your quarterback in the SEC.

Last season, the Ole Miss offensive line allowed 27, ranking them No. 76 in the nation. Despite some poor protection, the Rebels had to deal with many injuries, with offensive linemen playing out of position.

In 2024, Lane Kiffin and offensive line coach John Garrison strengthened the group via the transfer portal. Diego Pounds, Nate Kalepo, Julius Buelow, and Gerquan Scott were all brought in and weighed well over 300 pounds. Nick Saban said at SEC Media Days that Ole Miss can compete with the best in the trenches.

Behind the new players, the Rebels have much better depth. It would be a massive surprise to see Ole Miss allow the same number of sacks in 2024 as they did in 2023. Twenty or under would be great, and under 15 would help this team achieve its goals.