December hasn't been kind to the Ole Miss Rebels so far. Lane Kiffin's club was ranked No. 14 in the final College Football Playoff rankings, leaving them three spots out of the final at-large bid to the 12-team field. Ole Miss landed a decent consolation prize in a trip to the Gator Bowl.
As with so many non-Playoff bowl games now, the matchup will be diminished by transfer portal exits. While Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart will finish up his Ole Miss career with the bowl game, his Duke counterpart, Maalik Murphy, has entered the transfer portal after leading the Blue Devils to a 9–3 record.
