OXFORD, Miss — With 31 days until Ole Miss begin their highly anticipated season, the Ole Miss Rebels kicked off fall camp on Wednesday morning in Oxford.
The upcoming season won't be like any other as the college football playoffs are set to expand to 12 teams, which opens up a pathway for the Rebels to make their first playoff appearance in program history.
The Rebels are predicted to finish fourth in the SEC and be a top 10 team in the nation.
"We do, for the first time since I've been here, look like a real team," Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin said. "That doesn't mean we're going to be any good."
"It doesn't matter how talented of a team you are, or how many stars or where you show up in the rankings," Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart said. "The only thing that matters is what shows at the end of the season, we've just got to fall in love with the process."
Last year, the Rebels finished the season with 11 wins for the first time in their 129 season history.
The Rebels' offense was ranked in the top 15 nationally for both scoring and total offense and led the nation with the fewest turnovers in seven. They return 27 players on offense, including two-year starting quarterback Dart.
"He's massive, just his confidence, his swagger and his leadership," Ole Miss offensive lineman Jeremy James said. "Every time he's back there, we know that there's a chance something special is going to happen."
Ole Miss will start making its case for a playoff spot on Saturday, Aug. 31, when they host Furman University.