Over the course of this offseason, whenever I've thought about this week that we've just begun, I've always taken myself back in time to this past December.
Yes, I was there a little over a month prior to listen to Lane Kiffin talk about what it takes toactually compete for a SEC championship and then a national championship by proxy. However, I didn't think much of it in the moment... until something was actually done about it a month later.
December comes around, and all the sudden, people were talking as if Ole Miss was going to be playing in a national championship right then and there, instead of a Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in reality. Why did it feel like that? Was it the nation's No. 1 ranked transfer portal class (that was still growing by that time)? Was it the idea that Jaxson Dart, Caden Prieskorn, Jared Ivey, Tre Harris and others could come back for a final ride? Was it the fact that there was a 12-team College Football Playoff around the corner? Or... was it all the above?
I remember the week leading up to the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl very vividly. I left for Atlanta right after finishing up Christmas with my family so I would leave no stone unturned when it came to Ole Miss coverage. I remember before the very first press conference we had, I ran into one of the writers from our fellow Penn State 247Sports team site.
After introducing ourselves in person for the first time, I remember the very first thing he asked me was about next season. Mind you, my beat was about to play his beat days after this conversation happened. I paused in that moment and forgot that I was actually there for a New Year's Six Bowl Game that could give Ole Miss its first ever 11-win season.In that moment, it occurred to me that people outside of our tiny Mississippi bubble were taking notice of what was going on with Lane Kiffin's program.
So after Ole Miss dismantled Penn State 38-25, I had to catch a flight that night so I could get back in time to cover Ole Miss basketball roughly 16 hours later. Before I left, I went to that same Penn State writer I was chatting and collaborating with that week to wish him safe travels and thank him for working with me throughout the week. Then came a couple words that made me pause again:
"See you in the Playoff! First round is on me when we get there."
I paused again.
That exchange has sat with me ever since.
It took maybe 24 hours afterwards to finish up everything from that game before going all-in on 2024 from there until where we currently sit today. For the most part, it's been a hamster wheel for me most of those days. Why? Well, you have to do your job in analyzing, conducting interviews, talking to sources, evaluating what others are saying, forming our own opinions and whatnot over the span of eight months.Let me tell you, that was a long damn time for me. Why?
At times, I felt like writing about how good Ole Miss is expected over and over to be felt very repetitive on my end. It got to the point where I literally asked someone who used to cover Nick Saban at Alabama what it felt like to be writing about the same thing over and over. We've definitely tried to nit-pick and find some things to question. But for the most part, either most of those questions were answered or there was nothing to shake a stick at rather than pure speculation.
This is where Ole Miss appears to be right now — the best it's looked on the surface since the JFK administration.
I wrote another column with a similar headline right before fall camp began. Yes, there was a lot of doing, in addition to all the talking. However, none of that was done with a game or championship on the line (technically speaking). That's why I felt like I had to write a follow-up column this afternoon. Yes, Ole Miss looks like a bigger, faster, stronger, more confident and closer team. But again, Ole Miss is 0-0 as we speak.
Less talking and more doing. Finally, we'll be getting that starting this weekend against Furman.
As someone who grew up in Oxford and subjected to the Rebels everywhere I turned, I've never seen a more anticipated football season in my lifetime. Not even remotely close. I'm fortunate enough to be in the position to cover this season from start to finish.
It's game week, ladies and gentlemen. Sit back, relax and enjoy the show. Might want to get your popcorn ready, though.
Kickoff this weekend is slated for 6 p.m. CT and can be streamed on ESPN+/SECN+ or listened to on the Ole Miss Radio Network.
