ATLANTA – A year ago in Dallas, Ole Miss took the stage at SEC Media Days as one of the darlings of the college football world, coming off the first 11-win season in program history and as a consensus top-10 preseason squad.

At 2025 SEC Media Days, things have a bit of a different flair.

The Rebels are coming off their third double-digit win season in four years, capped off by a dominant showing against Duke in the Gator Bowl. Behind veterans like quarterback Jaxson Dart, wide receivers Tre Harris and Jordan Watkins and defensive linemen JJ Pegues and Jared Ivey, the Rebels finished ranked in the top five nationally in both scoring offense and defense and narrowly missed out on the 12-team College Football Playoff. Ole Miss’ three losses came by a combined 13 points, including a matchup at LSU in which it didn’t trail in until the final play.

The Rebels return just four starters from last year’s team, however, and outside expectations are quieter than they were a year ago. But that doesn’t mean sixth-year head coach Lane Kiffin doesn’t like what he has in 2025.

“I think having so many new players is exciting,” Kiffin said Monday. “To have returning players to step up and then add veterans … is exciting. We return all of our coaches … which is unique. That part’s great … A lot of work to do with the players, and that’s exciting.”

Among the three players at media days representing the Rebels were redshirt sophomore quarterback Austin Simmons. Simmons, who has already completed his undergraduate degree, will replace Dart, the program’s all-time leader in wins by a starting quarterback, passing yards and total offense. Ole Miss’ other two representatives were junior linebacker TJ Dottery and junior wide receiver Cayden Lee.

“I remember watching this when I was in high school and in middle school. So, it’s surreal to be here right now,” said Lee, who had 874 receiving yards last season. “So, I’m just taking it all in. It’s amazing. I’m like a fan, to be honest.”

Ole Miss has made a bowl game in each of Kiffin’s previous five seasons and has undergone a similar rebuild before; following the 10-win 2021 campaign, the Rebels lost key players like quarterback Matt Corral and defensive end Sam Williams and proceeded to win a combined 29 games over the next three seasons.

Though Ole Miss lost its share of heartbreakers last year, there is something to be said for emerging victorious against powerhouse teams like Georgia. The key to that type consistency within the program, Kiffin said, is talent on the field and within his coaching staff.

“I think those usually are the key factors there of playing really well. This last season we led the SEC in scoring offense and defense. That’s really unique to do. I think that to me shows how good that team was,” Kiffin said.

“We played 13 games; won ten of them by double digits. Not one of those games was really close. And then we went 0-3 in one-score games. That does to me show how far we’ve come as a program to be able to have games like the Georgia game or going to South Carolina and have a game like that.”

Ole Miss starts its 2025 season Aug. 30 against Georgia State.