Is Ole Miss Football's Defining Game in the 2024 Season Kentucky?

The 2024 schedule for Ole Miss is favourable if they want to reach the college football playoffs. Is the first SEC game of the 2024 season the most defining for the Rebels?

Ole Miss has Georgia, LSU, and Oklahoma on its schedule, with all three teams projected to be among the top-25 preseason teams. With those games coming in the second half of the season, 247Sports has pointed to the Kentucky game as a defining one for the Rebels.

Why is the Kentucky Game Seen as Defining for Ole Miss in 2024?

Kentucky is the first SEC game on Ole Miss's schedule in 2024. It follows four out-of-conference games against weaker opponents and the toughest a road game at Wake Forest in week 3.

Ole Miss is poised to field a starting team of new faces on both sides of the ball. The Kentucky game will serve as a test, indicating where the Rebels stand as a team in the early stages of the season. Lane Kiffin has expressed his confidence in this being one of the best rosters he has coached. The 2024 season is the time for them to prove it on the field.

If Ole Miss loses the Kentucky game, it will be an uphill battle to get into the college playoffs. Their three most challenging games are Georgia, LSU, and Oklahoma. If they drop two of them, they are likely still a good bet to make the playoffs. Losing early to Kentucky would be a knock against their chances with the committee.