UNIVERSITY RELEASE — Originally published by Ole Miss Athletics, Aug. 17, 2026.
The Associated Press released its 2026 preseason poll Monday with Ole Miss at No. 9 in the country — one spot ahead of where the AFCA Coaches Poll placed the Rebels earlier this month.
Pete Golding enters his first full season running the program off a College Football Playoff semifinal appearance and the first 13-win year in Ole Miss history. The Rebels have now put together three straight seasons of 10 or more wins, something no previous Ole Miss team had managed.
Golding and his staff reloaded aggressively over the offseason. Ole Miss closed with the No. 2 transfer class nationally per 247Sports, a fifth straight top-six finish in those rankings, alongside a high school signing class that landed as high as No. 25.
There’s plenty back in Oxford too. The Rebels return 48 letterwinners from the 2025 roster, including Walter Camp Award preseason watch list picks Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy.
Ole Miss opens the season Sunday, Sept. 6 against Louisville at 6:30 p.m. CT at Nissan Stadium in Nashville.
📄 Read the full university release: Football Ranked No. 9 in 2026 Preseason AP Poll → (OleMissSports.com)