Ole Miss commits, recruits talk about the Rebels’ 30-14 win over South Carolina: ‘I’m convinced Lane Kiffin is THE smartest CFB coach in the country now!’
OXFORD, Miss. — After 10 weeks of action, Lane Kiffin’s Ole Miss team sits at No. 7 in the country with an 8-1 overall record and a 5-1 mark in the SEC. After a dominant 30-14 victory over South Carolina Saturday, the Rebels continue to demonstrate their prowess on the field. This latest win showcased a formidable defensive performance, highlighted by six sacks and two interceptions.
As Coach Kiffin and his staff effectively steer the program, Ole Miss has established a strong case for consideration in the upcoming college football playoff rankings set to be released this evening. We spoke with Rebel commitments and prospects to gather their reactions following the win over South Carolina.
Here’s what they had to say:
“The fans and the energy they bring every time we make a big play are amazing, and the defense dominated from start to finish.”
– ‘26 Ole Miss DL Commit Jayden Curtis
“Offense started slow but our D kept playing hard. The offense kept grinding and hit it going in the second half. Lacy balled.
– ’26 Ole Miss QB Commit Rees Wise
“I like the way their defense went at SC.”
– ’26 Penn State DL Commit Tavian Branch
“It was a great game!! The Rebels dominated on both sides of the ball!!!”
“Lane Kiffin has the Rebels fired up and they are going to be a top contender in the CFP!!”
“When playing in the SEC, every game is a tough one; there is no easy win. The defense and offense played extremely well and the sea of blue fans showed out.”
“The Game was amazing, besides the cold weather, but I really enjoyed it and my guests did too. Ole Miss played a great game, and I just love the atmosphere every time I come there. The fans show so much love and I just love it there. Overall, it was a great experience, and I’m convinced that Lane Kiffin is THE smartest CFB coach in the country now.”
With just a month away from the early signing period, the Rebels remain diligent on the recruiting trail and have plenty of prospects with their minds in Mississippi. Ole Miss will be at home again this week as they host The Citadel.
Stay tuned with The Rebel Walk as we bring you all the recruiting news.
Herring-Olvedo sees college football the way championship programs do—from inside the personnel room. Every evaluation, every roster move, every recruiting battle tells a bigger story about identity, culture, and how a program is built to win in December, not just July.
With more than 15 years covering the SEC and the national recruiting landscape, Herring-Olvedo has built a reputation as one of the sport’s most respected personnel-driven voices—blending film evaluation, roster construction, and long-term program vision through a true front-office lens. Her coverage of powerhouse brands like Ole Miss Rebels and Kentucky Wildcatshas consistently gone beyond headlines, focusing instead on the blueprint behind winning programs: development, fit, culture, and recruiting strategy.
That foundation was formed early at Brown University, where she worked in player personnel and recruiting while competing as a student-athlete. Inside those recruiting operations rooms, she learned how elite organizations are truly built—through relentless evaluation, relationship building, projection, and trust in the board. Those experiences shaped the way she studies the game today: part scout, part storyteller, part architect.
Her analysis and reporting have appeared across major platforms including ESPN, NFL coverage spaces, USA Today Sports, and Saturday Down South. She also brought her personnel-minded approach to the airwaves as an on-air analyst for the Wake Up 502 College Football Show on Big X Sports Radio 96.1, where she became known for combining film-room detail with a wider understanding of roster identity and program trajectory.
In 2025, covering the rise of Houston Cougars football under Willie Fritz reignited the part of the sport that first drew her into football—the culture, the edge, the belief that a roster can reshape an entire city. That inspiration led to the launch of Coogs 365 Sports, a platform built to cover Houston athletics through a true scouting and recruiting lens while connecting the emotion of the game to the heartbeat of H-Town.
Now, Herring-Olvedo returns to The Rebel Walk where with an even deeper perspective shaped by years inside recruiting circles, national SEC coverage, and hands-on evaluation experience. Her return brings a familiar voice back to Ole Miss coverage—but with an evolved lens rooted in roster architecture, player development, and the modern realities of building championship-caliber football in the NIL and portal era.
For Herring-Olvedo, recruiting has never been about stars beside a name. It is about identifying competitors, projecting growth, and building a locker room capable of sustaining success. Her philosophy mirrors the best front offices in football: stack traits, trust culture, and never stop building.



