3 transfer portal QBs Lane Kiffin needs to get Ole Miss over the hump

And just like that, Ole Miss is out of the College Football Playoff. Okay, not officially, but a third loss and its second unranked loss of the season will probably end the Rebels’ hopes of being one of the many SEC teams vying for limited spots in the College Football Playoff. 

They could blame the defense for not making enough plays, but this one falls on Jaxson Dart. Under pressure with the game and season on the line, he single-handedly threw away any chance Ole Miss had at the College Football Playoff. 

That means it’s Lane Kiffin’s turn to look into the transfer portal to find a quarterback that can lead them to the College Football Playoff. Yes, this was Dart’s last season in Oxford either way, but if Kiffin was ever considering dipping into the transfer portal, he certainly has every reason to now. 

Here’s who Kiffin should be eyeing to lure to Oxford next season as Ole Miss eyes a chance at getting into the playoff. 

Transfer portal QBs Lane Kiffin needs to get Ole Miss over the hump

3. Quinn Ewers, Texas Longhorns

While he hasn’t officially entered the transfer portal, Ewers’ stay in Austin beyond this season is becoming increasingly uncertain. It feels like the Longhorns are pushing him out and looking to turn to Arch Manning. 

The one ripple in the season for Ewers was his draft stock plummeting. He entered the year as one of the top quarterbacks taken and now he’s not even listed as a potential first-round selection. 

So as he plans on coming back to school, it’s not likely he has a starting job at Texas, which means the sweepstakes for Ewers will be underway soon enough. And Kiffin can get a polished quarterback with experience in both the CFP and the SEC. 

Despite the criticism, Ewers has helped Texas to a 9-1 record this season ahead of its game against Kentucky. And though Manning came in for a couple of games this season, including a cameo against Georgia, he’s been the starter for most of the season. 

He’s thrown for 1,900 yards and 21 touchdowns. He has just six interceptions. He hasn’t has a bad year, honestly. Even if it’s not quite the standard we set for him at the beginning of the season. 

Ewers could be the savior for the Rebels as Saturday’s quarterback play showed they need to address that position in the transfer portal. 

2. Dylan Raiola, Nebraska Cornhuskers

Much like the Ewers situation, this is speculative as Dylan Raiola hasn’t officially declared for the transfer portal. But if he does, he should be on Kiffin’s shortlist. The overarching theme here is the Rebels have to make a big-splash signing from the portal to address the quarterback position. 

Raiola could be a great player to go after as he could quickly become likable among the fan base. He’d get prepared for the NFL, playing an SEC schedule for the next few years. And Kiffin’s offensive acumen could benefit Raiola in more ways than one. 

This season, Raiola has sputtered during the Cornhuskers’ four-game losing streak. He’s thrown for just two touchdowns and seven interceptions, including a season-high three against Indiana. In the first six games, he had nine touchdowns and three interceptions. 

The big question mark around Raiola is if he could be a top tier quarterback in the SEC. He’s struggled against the lesser teams in the Big Ten so that could mean he’s not quite at that level. But in a Lane Kiffin system, it feels like Raiola could grow. 

1. John Mateer, Washington State

John Mateer is an intriguing transfer portal candidate. He’s played really well for Washington State this season, throwing for 2,707 yards with 26 touchdowns and six interceptions. If Mateer darts for greener pastures in his college football career, this could be an exciting move to monitor. 

Mateer has led the Cougars to potentially crash the College Football Playoff until they suffered their second loss of the season to New Mexico. With Washington State not officially in a conference, it could be one of the reasons he leaves Pullman. 

Cam Ward was able to go from FCS afterthought to ushering Miami into the College Football Playoff. It may be enough to have a team consider looking at adding Mateer and Kiffin could utilize his dual-threat ability to bolster this offense.