Welcome to your Monday Daily Links. Fall camp is humming in Oxford: Terez Davis is settling in at left tackle, the Rebels wrapped their first full week of camp availability, and preseason honors keep stacking up for punter Oscar Bird and linebacker Keaton Thomas. We also dig into Trinidad Chambliss’s ceiling and John David Baker’s new-look offense, tip our cap to a fresh Archie Manning tribute, and scan the SEC and national picture as the AP poll drops today. Here’s everything worth your click. Hotty Toddy.
Football
Patience, Loyalty and a Little NBA DNA: Ole Miss’ Terez Davis Ready to Take Over at Left Tackle
Sat., Aug. 15 · last 48 hours. After a year learning behind Diego Pounds and Jayden Williams, Terez Davis is Ole Miss’s projected starting left tackle. The former basketball standout — son of a longtime NBA player — leans on inherited athleticism and is sharpening his processing speed to protect Chambliss’s blind side. (The Rebel Walk)
Takeaways From Ole Miss’ First Week of Media Availability at Fall Camp
Sat., Aug. 15 · last 48 hours. The Rebels opened the media gates for the first full week of fall camp, and the takeaways touch every level — quarterback command, roster newcomers finding their footing and position battles beginning to take shape as Ole Miss builds toward the Louisville opener. A useful state-of-the-camp snapshot. (Ole Miss On SI)
Oscar Bird Selected to Preseason Watch List for Ray Guy Award
Fri., Aug. 14. Australian punter Oscar Bird lands on the Ray Guy Award preseason watch list, which honors the nation’s top punter. Bird appeared in all 15 games in 2025, averaged 46.0 yards per boot and helped Ole Miss finish third nationally in net punting at 43.6 — with 14 kicks dropped inside the 20. (Ole Miss Athletics)
Ole Miss RB Makhi Frazier Learning From Kewan Lacy While Building His Own Role in Oxford
Fri., Aug. 14. Michigan State transfer Makhi Frazier is carving out a role behind Doak Walker favorite Kewan Lacy, leaning into a physical, downhill style. The Dallas-area back says he’ll fill whatever John David Baker’s offense asks of him, embracing the versatility the Rebels demand from their running backs. (The Rebel Walk)
Keaton Thomas Named to Butkus Award Preseason Watch List
Thu., Aug. 13. Baylor transfer linebacker Keaton Thomas earns a spot on the Butkus Award watch list, given to the nation’s top linebacker. Thomas piled up 217 tackles, 14 for loss and two defensive touchdowns across two Baylor seasons, and arrives in Oxford with preseason All-America and All-SEC buzz already attached. (Ole Miss Athletics)
One Position, No Excuses: Ole Miss’ Caleb Odom is Done Being a Tight End in Name Only
Thu., Aug. 13. For the first time, 6-foot-5 Caleb Odom spent an entire offseason locked into one position, drilling footwork, hand placement and blocking rather than lining up as a converted receiver. In Baker’s run-heavy, multiple-tight-end scheme, Odom is determined to become a complete two-way threat this fall. (The Rebel Walk)
Greg McElroy Names ‘Biggest Question’ About Ole Miss Entering 2026 Season
Wed., Aug. 12. ESPN’s Greg McElroy pinpoints the receiver room as Ole Miss’s biggest question mark, with last season’s top targets gone. Pair that with tackle uncertainty and a demanding schedule, and McElroy lands on a realistic 9-3 — respectable, and his reasoning for not pushing the Rebels higher than No. 11. (Saturday Down South)
What Would Actually Be a Successful Season for Trinidad Chambliss?
Tue., Aug. 11. After his breakout year, what counts as success for Trinidad Chambliss? SI lays out three benchmarks: earning Heisman finalist status, guiding Ole Miss to its first SEC Championship Game appearance and, at last, winning a College Football Playoff game. Ambitious — but squarely within reach for the veteran. (Ole Miss On SI)
The 2026 Ole Miss Offense Doesn’t Need to Look Like Last Year’s Version
Tue., Aug. 11. New coordinator John David Baker doesn’t have to copy the old up-tempo blueprint to thrive. With Chambliss and Kewan Lacy back, SI argues a more balanced, situationally slower attack could actually help — keeping the defense fresher while still leaning on Ole Miss’s playmakers. (Ole Miss On SI)
Ole Miss News
Ole Miss to Honor Archie Manning With Statue Outside Vaught-Hemingway Stadium
Mon., Aug. 10. Ole Miss will erect a statue of legendary quarterback Archie Manning outside Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, cementing his place in Rebel lore. The tribute honors a college career and lasting impact that stretch far beyond Oxford — a fitting nod as the program’s history stays front and center this fall. (CBS Sports)
SEC Football
Preseason SEC Football Power Rankings Entering the 2026 Season
Thu., Aug. 13. Roll Tide Wire ranks all 16 SEC teams, and Ole Miss lands at No. 3 — behind only Georgia and Texas. It’s a strong marker of national respect for Pete Golding’s group heading into camp, with each team’s Week 1 matchup folded into the rundown. (Roll Tide Wire, USA Today)
Where Every SEC Team Ranks in ESPN’s Final Preseason SP+ Rankings
Thu., Aug. 13. ESPN’s final preseason SP+ ratings are out, and the SEC dominates with 11 teams in the top 25. Georgia checks in at No. 4, while the analytics run a touch cooler on Ole Miss at No. 16 — a gap between the model and the eye test worth tracking all season. (Saturday Down South)
College Football
AP Top 25 Rankings Release Time for the 2026 Preseason
Sun., Aug. 16 · last 24 hours. The official AP Top 25 preseason poll drops Monday at noon ET, with the Big Ten and SEC expected to headline — echoing the recent Coaches Poll. Where the Rebels land on the sport’s marquee ballot is one to watch today. (Bleacher Report)
CBS Sports Projects Preseason AP Top 25 Rankings Ahead of the 2026 Season
Sun., Aug. 16 · last 24 hours. Ahead of Monday’s official ballot, CBS Sports’ projected AP Top 25 slots Ohio State at No. 1 and puts Ole Miss at No. 9 — a bullish read on the Rebels’ ceiling, and a notch higher than several other national projections making the rounds. (On3)
5 Dark Horse Heisman Trophy Candidates to Watch in 2026
Thu., Aug. 13. Beyond the headline favorites, SI spotlights five dark-horse Heisman contenders — Marcel Reed, John Mateer, Bryce Underwood, Malachi Toney and Demond Williams Jr. — who have the talent and the stage to crash the race. A fun read as the national picture sharpens before Week 1. (Sports Illustrated)
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