Ole Miss avoided embarrassment as several ranked teams lost in upset Saturday

Every season, there is that one college football Saturday where the underdogs have their day. That day in 2024 could have been yesterday, and one of the best in history, headed by Vanderbilt, humiliated No. 1 ranked Alabama. It's the first time Vandy has beaten a top-five team in 63 attempts.

Ole Miss was also a team on upset alert, but they handled their business with ease, beating South Carolina 27-3. Five other teams in the top 12 did not handle theirs, with Tennessee, Missouri, Michigan, and USC.

Ole Miss to move back into the top ten of the AP Poll?

The Rebels were ranked No. 12 before this weekend's games, dropping six places after the Kentucky loss. The three teams ranked ahead of them, Michigan, Missouri, and USC, all lost on the road, and the Big Ten pair now has two losses on the season.

First of all, yes, I expect Ole Miss to jump above at least two of them and potentially be ranked at No. 10. Second, it could now be possible that three losses could get you a playoff spot. I'm not saying it's a guarantee, but after 5-6 games, there are several top teams with one or two losses.

There is still a long way to go in the season. Still, with much more demanding schedules thanks to the removal of divisions and conference realignment, it is a genuine possibility we will see more two- and three-loss teams over unbeaten and one-loss teams.

Ole Miss has another tough road game against LSU in Week 7, a game they will have to win to keep their playoff hopes alive. With Georgia and Oklahoma at home and Arkansas on the road still to come, every game is a must-win to stay ahead of the curve.

If the shocks continue, the college football regular season could end in a wild way, something we hoped the 12-team playoff would bring. It would be nice if Ole Miss were going into the Egg Bowl with just one loss, away from the carnage of last weekend.