2008 record: 9-4, 5-3 (2nd in SEC West)
2008 bowl: Beat Texas Tech 47-34 in Cotton
2008 final AP/coaches' ranking: 14/15
Coach: Houston Nutt (9-4, 2nd year; 89-59 overall, 12 years)
Offensive coordinator: Kent Austin (2nd year)
Defensive coordinator: Tyrone Nix (2nd year)
Returning offensive starters: 8
Returning defensive starters: 8
Location: Oxford, Miss.
Stadium: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium (AstroPlay; 60,580)
Last league title: 1963
2009 schedule: [view]
2009 roster: [view]
2008 statistics: [view]

Offensive: When has there been this much preseason excitement about Mississippi? The Eli Manning era? The Archie Manning era? Well, how about now? The Jevan Snead era hasn’t been too shabby, either. Snead, who once played at Texas, may have had trouble getting attention in the SEC (Tim Tebow and Matthew Stafford were the quarterback headliners), but Snead’s performance was tremendous. He had 26 touchdown passes, helped Mississippi to a season-ending six-game winning streak and guided his offense to a 45.5-point average in the final four games. Snead has SEC all-star weapons in senior Dexter McCluster, who caught 44 passes and rushed for 625 yards, and senior split end Shay Hodge, the SEC’s active career leader in receptions, yardage and touchdowns. The retooled offensive line will build around senior center Daverin Geralds and senior right tackle John Jerry. Pretty soon, though, the line’s best player could be true freshman left tackle Bobbie Massie, a 6-foot-7, 345-pounder who picked Mississippi over Alabama.  

Defensive: The Rebels feature one of the nation’s top defensive-line tandems, although there has been concern about senior Greg Hardy, a potential All-American. Hardy, who led the team with 8.5 sacks, had offseason foot surgery and missed spring practice. Then he was involved in a July automobile accident and had to wear a protective boot for two weeks. If healthy, Hardy will be one of the most relentless pass-rushers in the SEC, especially when considering the presence of senior defensive end Marcus Tillman and junior defensive tackle Ted Laurent. At outside linebacker, senior Patrick Trahan, a former Auburn player, has impressed coaches with his exceptional quickness. The secondary is stacked with three returning senior starters, including free safety Kendrick Lewis, who had 85 tackles.

Specialists: There is stability in the kicking game with senior place-kicker Joshua Shene, an All-SEC selection, and senior punter Justin Sparks, who specializes in the booming kick. There’s a help-wanted sign out to replace return man Mike Wallace.

Coaching: Houston Nutt, banished from Arkansas, resurrected his reputation more quickly than anyone could have imagined. Yes, he inherited a talent-laden roster from former coach Ed Orgeron and staff, but Nutt pushed all the right buttons and got the Rebels to believe. Now his biggest job is tempering the lofty expectations.

Heisman Hopefuls: Snead is a long-shot candidate who probably needs the Rebels to reach the SEC Championship Game. McCluster is an exceptionally versatile talent who should be one of the best college players in America — but he’s far too unknown nationally for serious Heisman contention.

Game of the year Nov. 21 vs. LSU Mississippi won 31-13 last season at Baton Rouge, perhaps the most tangible indication that the Rebels were actually for real. If Mississippi can defeat LSU again, it could be headed to Atlanta for the SEC Championship game.

Overview: Mississippi as a near-consensus Top 10 team? Doesn’t it seem like smoke-and-mirrors? Not really. The Rebels have a dynamic offense and a defense filled with playmakers. In many ways, Mississippi is the team no one wants to face. The program’s first BCS bowl bid is a realistic goal.

Next up: No. 9 Oklahoma State

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