It’s been speculated and wondered, but Ole Miss will begin the season as a top 10 team in at least one preseason poll.
The USA Today Coaches Poll was the first major preseason top 25 poll to be released and the Rebels come in at No. 10. It’s a natural landing spot for a team that brings back several significant contributors from last season’s CFP semifinal team.
It’s a solid starting point, but it also comes with a reminder of what’s ahead. Three Ole Miss opponents are ranked in front of the Rebels: Georgia at No. 3, Texas at No. 4 and Oklahoma at No. 9. Add in Texas A&M at No. 8 and you get a clear picture of why Ole Miss’ schedule has been labeled one of the toughest in the country. Five SEC teams sit inside the Top 10, and nine made the Top 25 overall. No other league came close.
The rest of the poll had a few familiar names near the top. Defending national champion Indiana checked in at No. 6, and Miami, last year’s runner‑up, landed at No. 7.
For Ole Miss, the ranking is another early checkpoint in Pete Golding’s first full season as head coach. He went 2‑1 in the CFP during his debut stretch in December and January, and now he gets a full offseason to shape what comes next. The Rebels open the 2026 season on September 6 against Louisville in Nashville.
The Associated Press will release its preseason poll on August 17, but the tone is already set.
Ole Miss is a Top 10 team with a Top 10 schedule, and the climb starts now.
Preseason USA Today Coaches Poll
- Ohio State
- Oregon
- Georgia
- Texas
- Notre Dame
- Indiana
- Miami
- Texas A&M
- Oklahoma
- Ole Miss
- Alabama
- Texas Tech
- LSU
- Southern California
- BYU
- Michigan
- Penn State
- Tennessee
- Washington
- SMU
- Utah
- Iowa
- Clemson
- Houston
- Missouri
