By-Kenny Warner
Ole Miss 2025 Football Preview: A Program at a Crossroads
The Ole Miss Rebels have long hovered on the edge of national relevance, flirting with breakthrough seasons but ultimately falling just short. Despite winning 10 games for the third time in four years, the Rebels still can’t seem to find the consistency needed to reach the next level. Last season provided a golden opportunity: a signature win over Georgia vaulted them into the national conversation, yet they still fell short of a coveted College Football Playoff berth. With quarterback Jaxson Dart—now the program’s all-time leading passer—departing, the window for a major leap may have closed, at least for now.
The 2025 Rebels return just five starters overall, and while the cupboard isn’t entirely bare, the challenges are significant. Nowhere is that more evident than on offense. Only three starters are back on that side of the ball, and the offensive line, in particular, is a major concern with four starters departing. That’s a tough blow for a program trying to break in a new quarterback.
Taking over under center is Austin Simmons, a talented but largely unproven signal-caller. Simmons has flashed potential in limited action, but mastering Lane Kiffin’s complex, fast-paced offense is no small task. The good news? Kiffin is a master at tailoring schemes to fit his quarterback’s strengths, and he’ll likely simplify the game plan early to ease Simmons into the starting role.
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The receiving corps will also look vastly different in 2025. With most of last year’s production gone, Kiffin turned to the transfer portal, landing Penn State transfer Harrison Wallace and Oklahoma’s De’Zhaun Stribling. Both bring experience and size, and they’ll complement returning wideout Cayden Lee, one of the few holdovers from last season. Still, the group as a whole has much to prove before it can be considered a strength.
While the offense reloads, the defense is undergoing its own transformation. Believe it or not, Ole Miss boasted the second-best scoring defense in the nation last year and was home to what many considered the best defensive line in college football. That unit set a school record with 52 sacks, an astonishing number. However, only standout edge rusher Suntarine Perkins, who contributed 10.5 sacks, returns from that group.
To help fill the void, the Rebels added edge rushers Princewill Umanmielen from Nebraska and Da’Shawn Womack from LSU via the portal. Both come with high expectations, but they’ll need to deliver quickly. Additionally, prospects from the 2024 recruiting class, including Will Echols and Jamarious Brown, could step into larger roles—but as of now, they’re still untested.
Even with a veteran quarterback and dominant defense last year, Ole Miss couldn’t punch its playoff ticket. Now, with so much turnover, expectations are more tempered. Realistically, the Rebels are likely to bounce in and out of the Top 25 throughout the season.
One factor that plays in their favor, however, is the schedule. Outside of a tough road trip to Georgia, the slate is fairly manageable, with most of the better opponents visiting Oxford. If this team gels quickly and Simmons develops into a capable leader, there’s a path to another 9- or 10-win season. Still, given the roster turnover and key losses on both sides of the ball, a step back feels more likely in 2025.
