The Ole Miss Rebels have looked dominant over their last two weeks, outscoring Vanderbilt and Missouri 83-20. It appears a 52-28 loss to Florida was just a blip on the radar.
This week, Ole Miss faces its toughest road test as it takes on the No. 19 Texas Longhorns. Those same Florida Gators handed Texas its first home loss since 2024.
But the Rebels have larger goals than a road victory in Austin.
What an Ole Miss Win Would Do Moving Forward
If this were a few years ago, Ole Miss might have celebrated a win over Texas as its biggest accomplishment. In 2026, the Rebels are dreaming bigger than a road win. Ole Miss' ambitions extend beyond defeating the Longhorns.
Pete Golding's team has its eyes set on the College Football Playoff. Of course, the Rebels can't get too far ahead of themselves. Texas is still a talented team, and is eager to pick itself up after back-to-back losses to unranked opponents.
Ole Miss is coming off a dominant victory over Missouri, so the Rebels' confidence should be high. However, Golding has preached a week-to-week mindset all season long. He's challenged his team to remain focused and not get caught up in what happened last week or the week before.
"And then there’s a fine line to me on building on confidence. There’s a lot from Saturday that we did really well that we got to continue to do well, and they should have developed some confidence by doing it. But that confidence came from their preparation and how they practiced, and they came out and made their layup," Golding said. "...So I think it’s building on playing well and knowing you got to do it week in and week out while still looking in the mirror...And we got to be at our best every Saturday to give ourselves our best shot at what our goal is."
Ole Miss is balancing confidence and the need for improvement well. The defense is coming off a stellar performance, but they know last week's game won't help them this Saturday. The offense will be challenged by Texas' stout defense and could keep the game close.
The Rebels' CFP experience is shaping them into a better team in 2026. Golding's team understands it's a marathon, not a sprint. While Ole Miss can make a statement by knocking off Texas, it also knows this week is just another step toward its ultimate goal.
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