Josh Pate predicts an SEC Championship Game without the Georgia Bulldogs

At last week's SEC Media Days, we saw plenty of talk when former Alabama head coach Nick Saban dropped his SEC Championship Game prediction. Leaving out the Crimson Tide after being head coach there for 18 years clearly showed he would not be biased as he transitions to analyst.

Another SEC Network analyst, Benjamin Watson, predicted Ole Miss to face Georgia, while Greg McElroy picked an Alabama-Texas SEC Championship Game. On his Late Kick Show, Josh Pate went in a different direction yesterday.

Pate left out Georgia and Alabama, predicting we would see Ole Miss-Texas in this season's SEC Championship Game. Pate then detailed why he is high on the Rebels this season.

""Both Texas and Ole Miss are well-rounded and dependable teams. I think Ole Miss defensively will come into form and be as well-rounded a product as we've seen them be under Lane Kiffin. It's a must-win moment this year. I think there's pressure, but pressure they can deliver upon.""

- Josh Pate speaking on his show.

We know Lane Kiffin will label it rat poison, but Josh Pate has been an analyst who takes emotion out of his feelings about certain teams and predictions. This speaks volumes about what Kiffin and his staff have done with this team heading into the 2024 season.

Josh Pate names one Ole Miss player that will perform well in 2024

Josh Pate did not stop at complimenting Lane Kiffin and the Ole Miss defense; he suggested that one player would be critical for the Rebels this season.

Pate said that he expects Ulysses Bentley IV to be a star in this offense, suggesting that he would be a player who leads the team to success. With Quinshon Judkins transferring out, Pate suggested that fans were concerned, but Bentley IV will fill the void left by Judkins.

Finishing off talking about Bentley IV, Pate said many fans won't know his name right now, but they will during the 2024 season.

He also predicted that Texas would beat Ole Miss in the SEC Championship Game, but either way, that prediction would still get the Rebels to the College Football Playoffs.