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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss Earns No. 8 Preseason Ranking From Associated Press
8/22/2009 | Football
OXFORD, Miss. -- Ole Miss earned a No. 8 preseason ranking Saturday, as the Associated Press released its preseason top-25 poll. It marks the highest preseason ranking in nearly 40 years for the Rebels, who were tabbed No. 10 in the USA Today Coaches poll.
The last time Ole Miss reached this high in the polls was the 1970 campaign, when the Rebels entered the year at No. 5 and rose as high as No. 4.
The Rebels were last ranked in the preseason in 2000, when they opened the year 18th.
"We are appreciative of the Associated Press preseason ranking, but we need to keep our blinders on and keep working," said Ole Miss head coach Houston Nutt. "We were not on the radar this time last year and then had a good season. This is a new year, and it's all about continuing to work hard everyday."
When it comes to the preseason rankings, there are a lot of similarities between the 1970 and 2009 teams. Both enjoyed strong finishes the year before as quarterback Archie Manning led the 1969 Rebels to an 8-3 record, including a victory over Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl, while Nutt's 2008 squad went 9-4, including a win over Texas Tech in the Cotton Bowl.
The Associated Press ranked Coach John Vaught's 1969 team eighth in its final poll and the 2008 squad, which saw the Rebels win their final six games, was tapped No. 14 when the final rankings were released.
"We had a lot of seniors on that 1970 team," Manning recalled, noting that this year's Ole Miss team has 27. "Just like this year, there were high expectations my senior year. Forty years is too long, but you have to realize it's just preseason. It's great for the program and makes everyone in the Ole Miss family excited for the season."
The program's highest preseason ranking came in 1964 with the squad starting the year as the nation's top-ranked team. As defending national champion in various polls, Ole Miss began the 1960 and 1963 seasons second in the polls, and the 1960 team went on to earn the second of Ole Miss' three shared national titles.
The Rebels are the third of five SEC teams in the poll, including No. 1 Florida, No. 5 Alabama, No. 11 LSU and No. 13 Georgia. Tennessee, Auburn, Vanderbilt, South Carolina and Arkansas are all receiving votes.
Ole Miss, which has already shattered its season ticket record with nearly 49,000 sold, opens the 2009 campaign Sept. 6 at Memphis and hosts Southeastern Louisiana Sept. 19 in the home-opener. Click here for season tickets or call 662-915-7167 or 1-888-732-8587 for in-state calls.
Associated Press Preseason Top-25 Ranking
| No. | Team | Record | Points | Prev. |
| 1. | Florida (58) | 0-0 | 1498 | 1 |
| 2. | Texas (2) | 0-0 | 1424 | 4 |
| 3. | Oklahoma | 0-0 | 1370 | 5 |
| 4. | USC | 0-0 | 1313 | 3 |
| 5. | Alabama | 0-0 | 1156 | 6 |
| 6. | Ohio State | 0-0 | 1113 | 9 |
| 7. | Virginia Tech | 0-0 | 1054 | 15 |
| 8. | Ole Miss | 0-0 | 1047 | 14 |
| 9. | Oklahoma State | 0-0 | 989 | 16 |
| 9. | Penn State | 0-0 | 989 | 8 |
| 11. | LSU | 0-0 | 914 | NR |
| 12. | California | 0-0 | 746 | NR |
| 13. | Georgia | 0-0 | 714 | 13 |
| 14. | Boise State | 0-0 | 659 | 11 |
| 15. | Georgia Tech | 0-0 | 593 | 22 |
| 16. | Oregon | 0-0 | 587 | 10 |
| 17. | TCU | 0-0 | 521 | 7 |
| 18. | Florida State | 0-0 | 307 | 21 |
| 19. | Utah | 0-0 | 289 | 2 |
| 20. | Brigham Young | 0-0 | 267 | 25 |
| 21. | North Carolina | 0-0 | 261 | NR |
| 22. | Iowa | 0-0 | 229 | 20 |
| 23. | Notre Dame | 0-0 | 225 | NR |
| 24. | Nebraska | 0-0 | 207 | NR |
| 25. | Kansas | 0-0 | 134 | NR |
Others (SEC Only): Tennessee 15, Auburn 7, Vanderbilt 3, South Carolina 2, Arkansas 1.
