On Thursday, No. 6 Ole Miss was in for a rude awakening when they lost to No. 10 Miami 31-27 in the College Football Semifinal. As a result, an SEC team will not be represented in the national title game for the third straight season.
Furthermore, it marked the most extended absence of an SEC team in a national title game since 2003, per Brett McMurphy of On3Sports.
It marks the culmination of a tumultuous season for Ole Miss. The apparent reason was the abrupt departure of head coach Lane Kiffin, just right before the playoffs began. Nevertheless, the Rebels perceived it and made it all the way this far.
Altogether, they finished the season with a 13-2 record and a 7-1 SEC record. From 2000-2003, the SEC team didn't play in the national championship. In 2003, LSU defeated Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl before sharing the national title with USC, which won the AP title. That moment became one of the most controversial in college football history under the heavily criticized Bowl Championship Series (BCS) format.
The SEC had a team play in the national title game from 2015 to 2022. From 2006-2012, the SEC had won seven consecutive national championships. Additionally, the SEC won 13 out of 17 national champions during that 2015-2022 stretch.
In recent years, Ole Miss has emerged as a viable football program. During the 2023 season, the Rebels finished with 11 wins under Kiffin. In the process, they won the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
Altogether, the program has won three national championships (1959, 1960, 1962). In 1960, they had to share it with Minnesota. Additionally, Ole Miss has won six SEC conference championships (1947, 1954, 1955, 1960, 1962, and 1963).
