A Look at the Rebels’ New Year’s Six Bowl Possibilities

OXFORD, Miss. – Heading into this weekend’s conference championship games, the bowl destination for Ole Miss is still up in the air. What we do know is the Rebels have finished the regular season 10-2, marking the first time in program history the team has won 10 regular-season games.

This puts Ole Miss in line for a New Year’s Six bowl game, and here are the leading possibilities for the Rebels and two are familiar.

CHICK-FIL-A PEACH BOWL

When: Thursday, Dec. 30, 2021

Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta

Ole Miss Peach Bowl record: 1-1
Dec. 31, 1971: No. 17 Ole Miss 41, Georgia Tech 18
Dec. 31, 2014: No. 6 TCU 42, No.9 Ole Miss 3

First game: Dec. 30, 1968 – LSU 31, No. 19 Florida State 27

Best game: 2020. Georgia kicked a field goal to take a one-point lead over Cincinnati and added a safety on the final play to conclude a dramatic comeback to beat the Bearcats 24-21.

Ole Miss and the Peach Bowl: This is the most-likely destination for Ole Miss. It is expected that Georgia will be able to easily handle Alabama in the SEC title game. That would leave UGA undefeated and the top-seed in the College Football Playoff.

Alabama would have its second loss – the same number as Ole Miss – but the Tide would have the tiebreaker having defeated the Rebels in the regular season.

Possible opponents: Pittsburgh, Wake Forest

Chances for Ole Miss to go to the Peach Bowl: 75 percent

ALLSTATE SUGAR BOWL

When: Jan. 1, 2022

Where: Caesar’s Superdome, New Orleans

Ole Miss Sugar Bowl record: 6-3
Jan. 1, 1953: No. 2 Georgia Tech 24, No. 7 Ole Miss 7.
Jan. 1, 1955: No. 5 Navy 21, No. 6 Ole Miss 0
Jan. 1, 1958: No. 7 Ole Miss 39, No. 11 Texas 7
Jan. 1, 1960: No. 2 Ole Miss 21, No. 3 LSU 0
Jan. 1, 1961: No. 2 Ole Miss 14, Rice 6
Jan. 1, 1963: No. 3 Ole Miss 17, No. 6 Arkansas 13
Jan. 1, 1964: No. 8 Alabama 12, No. 7 Ole Miss 7
Jan. 1, 1970: No. 13 Ole Miss 27, No. 3 Arkansas 22
Jan. 2, 2016: No. 16 Ole Miss 48, No. 13 Oklahoma State 22

First game: Jan. 1, 1935 – Tulane 20, Temple 14

Best game: Dec. 31, 1975: Alabama’s defense stops Penn State’s Mike Guman from going over the top on fourth-and-goal from the 1 to preserve the Crimson Tide’s 13-7 win.

Ole Miss and the Sugar Bowl: The chance for Ole Miss to earn a Sugar Bowl berth depends on the outcome of Saturday’s SEC Championship.

Ole Miss needs Alabama to upset Georgia or play well enough to impress the playoff committee to slip into the top four and get the Crimson Tide into the playoffs.

That would open a spot in New Orleans for the Rebels as the Sugar Bowl selects the highest-ranked SEC team that is not in the CFP playoffs.

Possible opponents: Oklahoma State, Baylor

Chances for Ole Miss to go to the Sugar Bowl: 20 percent

PLAYSTATION FIESTA BOWL

When: Jan. 1, 2022

Where: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Ariz.

Ole Miss Fiesta Bowl record: 0-0

First game: Dec. 27, 1971 – No. 8 Arizona State 45, Florida State 38

Best game: Jan. 1, 2007. Upstart Boise State uses the hook-and-ladder play to score a last minute touchdown to send the game into overtime against Oklahoma. In the overtime, the Broncos score a touchdown to pull to within one point and decide to go for two. Ian Johnson took the ball on a semi Statue of Liberty play and ran into the end zone for a 43-42 BSU win.

Ole Miss and the Fiesta Bowl: Although we are hearing there is a chance Ole Miss could play in the Fiesta Bowl, a  lot of dominos would have to fall for that to be the case.

Possible opponents: Notre Dame, Cincinnati, San Diego State

Chances for Ole Miss to go to the Fiesta Bowl: 5 percent

(Feature image credit: Josh McCoy, Ole Miss)