Andy Staples' bold prediction for Ole Miss is rat poison Lane Kiffin will hate

Like many of us, Andy Staples has drank from the Holy Grail in Oxford to slake his thirst with the Ole Miss kool-aid. The red solo cup concoction tastes like a combination of Landshark, bourbon and something fierce coming down the tracks. Yes, we have grown to like the taste of Ole Miss football under Lane Kiffin, but he is going to have to do a pulse check after Staples' praise of his program.

While appearing on The Paul Finebaum Show, Staples talked about how this might be the best year for Ole Miss football since Johnny Vaught was their head coach. He discussed how the Rebels cleaned up in the transfer portal. Despite losing Quinshon Judkins to Ohio State, Kiffin was able to remain the portal king by landing Texas A&M's best player, Walter Nolen, and Florida' best edge rusher, Princely Umanmielen, in January.

Given their high-ceilinged nature in 2024, as well as their rather soft schedule, Ole Miss may have what it takes to get to Atlanta. The Rebels haven't mattered in Atlanta in 1864. To date, Ole Miss is one of four SEC teams not named Oklahoma or Texas who have not played in the SEC Championship Game since its creation way back in 1992. No divisions, no Alabama, no problem for Ole Miss, right?

Staples painted it perfectly clear with this: "I wouldn't be shocked if Ole Miss winds up in Atlanta."

While they are not my pick to get there, I have them as the third best team in the SEC for a reason.

Lane Kiffin isn't going to like the rat poison laid out there by Andy Staples

Kiffin is one-of-one. He is eccentric as hell, albeit in a cool stepdad sort of way. He is an incredibly gifted play-caller, as well as a man humbled by his escapades in his 30s and early 40s. Frankly, he should have been a candidate to replace his mentor Nick Saban at Alabama, but that wasn't in the cards for him. Athletic director Greg Byrne had bigger and more grandiose ideas than Lane Train...

As far as Staples praising Ole Miss like he should in this situation, I have no problem with that. In fact, anyone who follows along with major college football should not that Ole Miss is almost a lock to make the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff. I wouldn't put them on Georgia or Texas' level just yet, but the Rebels are in the same cul-de-sac as Missouri, Alabama, LSU and I guess Tennessee.

What this is all about is elevated expectations for a team and a head coach that kind of likes to fly under the radar. Well, you're too big to be small, Ole Miss! You may not be the biggest and baddest bully in the SEC, but nobody in their right mind will be happy to see you on their schedule, not even Georgia. Frankly, Kiffin wants to keeps his hands on the wheel at 10 and 2 so that he can go 10 and 2.

All I know is anything short of a playoff berth this year should be viewed as a great disappointment.