Jaxson Dart preparing for final game as Ole Miss QB, focusing on making memories and reaching 10th win: ‘It’s been an honor wearing this jersey’
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OXFORD, Miss. – Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart never hesitated when asked if he would play in the Gator Bowl. “Of course. No, of course,” the senior quarterback said. “There’s no doubt in my mind that I had coming in [to the game], I was going to play in it and I’m going to play to it to my full extent.”
For Dart, the Jan. 2 matchup against Duke isn’t just another game. It’s one last opportunity to lead No. 14 Ole Miss, chase a 10th win on the season, and take the field with his Rebel teammates before closing the curtain on a record-setting college career.
A year ago, current Duke head coach Manny Diaz was the defensive coordinator for Penn State, who matched up against Dart and the Rebel offense in the 2023 Peach Bowl. The Rebel signal-caller believes the matchup from the end of 2023 will help with preparation while also giving props to one of the best defenses in the ACC.
“I think they lead the country in like takeaways and tackles for loss. They’re a very elite defense; coached very well…We played Penn State last year, so pretty familiar with it [the system]. They do a lot of really good things, and they got a lot of really good players, so they’re an elite defense for sure.”
~ Dart on the Duke defense
The Blue Devil defense is ranked second in the ACC in scoring defense, allowing the fewest amount of passing yards per game and also tied second in sacks with 41 on the season through 12 games.
Although it will be a tough task against the stellar Duke secondary, Dart is just 167 yards shy of Chad Kelly’s single-season passing yards record of 4,042 yards set in 2015. Dart was asked if he keeps up with where he stands in terms of records.
“I never even thought about it. You know, there’s times where they would come in and I’m like, ‘well, I had no idea I even broke that one.’ I’ve really just been out there just having fun playing. There’s like a little talk about it among the coaches, but it’s never been a thought for me going into the games.”
~ Dart on breaking Ole Miss records
The Rebel signal-caller has broken plenty of Ole Miss records and left a legacy for those to follow, but Dart is trying to cherish the moments he has left with his teammates and coaches before worrying about records and goodbyes.
“I’m just really living in the moment right now. I’m just trying to take advantage of just being with my teammates and really just soaking it all in. I’m just going to be where my feet are and I’m sure those emotions will come on it.”
~ Dart on staying in the moment
🎯@JaxsonDart | #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/FoNxxwlpr4
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) December 30, 2024
Following the conclusion of the Gator Bowl, the Rebel offense will move into a new era and Jaxson Dart will move on to his NFL career. The senior Rebel will play in one final collegiate game, being one of five senior FBS quarterbacks to accept a 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl invite.
Officially Accepted! QB Jaxson Dart @JaxsonDart from @OleMissFB is headed to the 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl #HottyToddy 💪 #BestOfTheBest #TheDraftStartsInMOBILE™️@JimNagy_SB @PaniniAmerica #RatedRookie pic.twitter.com/tAK8xvbU4o
— Reese’s Senior Bowl (@seniorbowl) December 28, 2024
“Yeah, I’m really excited for it. It’s going to be a great time to showcase my abilities, be in front of the NFL coaches and whatnot, and really just learn the systems and how it works. I’m really excited for it and can’t wait to take advantage of the opportunity.”
~ Dart on playing in the 2025 Senior Bowl
The 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl will be played on Saturday, Feb. 1, in Mobile, Alabama. Dart will be joined by other senior Rebels Jared Ivey, Trey Amos, Princely Umanmielen and Caden Davis.
Dart is ranked the sixth-best quarterback in the 2025 draft and 55th overall in the latest Bleacher Report Big Board. With everything still ahead of him, Dart believes he can boost his stock in other ways than just his play on the field.
Rebel Nation♾️ 🤟🏼 pic.twitter.com/t9lvQt0sWS
— Jaxson Dart (@JaxsonDart) December 27, 2024
“Well, I think that I’m going to make some ground up in my interview process, and I feel really confident in myself going into those. Then at the same time, I’ve been a starting quarterback in college football since I was a freshman, at 17-18 years old. I have a lot of tape, and there’s a lot of tape for coaches to go through. I feel like my product has been on display for the past four years.”
~ Dart on taking the step to the next level
When asked if the Gator Bowl is another chance to showcase his skills, the Rebel senior leader agreed. However, no one has more Ole Miss pride than Dart and it is clear his pride is the reason he will be taking the field one last time to don the red and blue.
“Yeah, absolutely. That’s one reason why I’m really excited about it. At the same time, just being able to play with my teammates and go chase 10 wins and just have a lot of fun doing it. It’s been an honor wearing this jersey, so there’s a lot of pride in it.”
~ Dart on using the Gator Bowl to showcase talent
Up next
Dart and his Rebel teammates will practice one last time, on Wednesday, before taking the field in Jacksonville for the final game in the Dart era at Ole Miss. At 6:30 pm CT on ESPN, the No. 14 Ole Miss Rebels will take on the Duke Blue Devils in the 2025 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl.
Kameron Wicker
Kam is a senior at Ole Miss, currently pursuing a degree in Journalism. Even though he's from Delhi, Louisiana, that didn't stop Kam from growing up a diehard Ole Miss fan. He's a sports guru who watches and follows all sports at all times. He lettered four years in football and baseball in high school and is an avid Saints, Pelicans, and Astros fan. In his free time, you can find him watching sports or at the rec participating in them.
