2014 Ole Miss Rebels football team

2014 Ole Miss Rebels football
Peach Bowl vs. TCU, L 3–42
Conference Southeastern Conference
Western Division
Ranking
Coaches #19
AP #17
2014 record 9–4 (5–3 SEC)
Head coach Hugh Freeze (3rd year)
Co-offensive coordinator Matt Luke (3rd year)
Co-offensive coordinator Dan Werner (3rd year)
Offensive scheme Multiple
Co-defensive coordinator Dave Wommack (3rd year)
Co-defensive coordinator Jason Jones (2nd year)
Base defense 4–2–5
Home stadium Vaught–Hemingway Stadium
(Capacity: 60,580)
2014 SEC football standings
Conf     Overall
Team   W   L         W   L  
Eastern Division
#14 Missouri x   7 – 1         11 – 3  
#9 Georgia   6 – 2         10 – 3  
Florida   4 – 4         7 – 5  
Tennessee   3 – 5         7 – 6  
South Carolina   3 – 5         7 – 6  
Kentucky   2 – 6         5 – 7  
Vanderbilt   0 – 8         3 – 9  
Western Division
#4 Alabama x†^   7 – 1         12 – 2  
#11 Mississippi State   6 – 2         10 – 3  
#17 Ole Miss   5 – 3         9 – 4  
#22 Auburn   4 – 4         8 – 5  
LSU   4 – 4         8 – 5  
Texas A&M   3 – 5         8 – 5  
Arkansas   2 – 6         7 – 6  
Championship: Alabama 42, Missouri 13
^ – College Football Playoff participant
† – Conference champion
x – Division champion/co-champions
As of January 3, 2015; Rankings from AP Poll

The 2014 Ole Miss Rebels football team represented the University of Mississippi in the 2014 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Hugh Freeze, in his third season with Ole Miss. The Rebels played their home games at Vaught–Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi, and competed in the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).

The Rebels won the first seven games of the season, their best start since the Johnny Vaught era. By October, they had risen as high as third in the nation, the highest they had been ranked at that late date in over half a century. The team ended their season with a dissapointing loss to TCU in the Peach Bowl, arguably the biggest bowl game the program had been to since the Vaught era. They finished the season as only the sixth Ole Miss team to win nine or more games since Vaught retired in 1973.

Before the season

National award watch lists

Preseason All-America

Preseason All-SEC

Returning starters

Offense

Player Class Position
Bo Wallace Senior QB
Laquon Treadwell Sophomore WR
Jaylen Walton Junior RB
Evan Engram Sophomore TE
Laremy Tunsil Sophomore OL
Justin Bell Junior OL

Defense

Player Class Position
Robert Nkemdiche Sophomore DL
Byron Bennett Senior DL
Woodrow Hamilton Senior DL
Serderius Bryant Senior LB
Tony Conner Sophomore S
Cody Prewitt Senior S
Trae Elston Junior S
Senquez Golson Senior CB
Mike Hilton Senior CB

Special teams

Player Class Position
Will Denny Senior LS

Personnel

Coaching staff

Name Position Year at Ole Miss Alma mater (Year)
Hugh FreezeHead Coach3rdSouthern Miss (1992)
Matt LukeAssistant Head Coach/Co-Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line3rdOle Miss (2000)
Dan WernerCo-Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks3rdWestern Michigan (1983)
Maurice HarrisTight Ends/Recruiting Coordinator For Offense3rdArkansas State (1998)
Grant HeardWide Receivers3rdOle Miss (2001)
Derrick NixRunning Backs7thSouthern Miss (2002)
Jason JonesCo-Defensive Coordinator/Cornerbacks2ndAlabama (2001)
Dave WommackAssociate Head Coach for Defense/Co-Defensive Coordinator/Safeties3rdMissouri Southern State (1978)
Tom AllenSpecial Teams Coordinator/Linebackers3rdMaranatha Baptist (1992)
Chris KiffinDefensive Line/Recruiting Coordinator For Defense3rdColorado State (2005)
Paul JacksonHead Strength & Conditioning Coach3rdMontclair State (2006)
Source:[1]

Roster

Official team roster

Depth chart

Depth chart

Schedule

Ole Miss played their first two games out of state vs. Boise State and Vanderbilt. Both games were played at NFL stadiums. The Boise State game was considered a neutral site while the Vandy game was a home game for Vanderbilt. Due to conference realignment, Ole Miss played at Vanderbilt for the second consecutive year.

Date Time Opponent# Rank# Site TV Result Attendance
August 28 8:00 p.m. vs. Boise State* #18 Georgia Dome • Atlanta, GA (Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game) ESPN W 35–13   32,823
September 6 3:30 p.m. at Vanderbilt #15 LP Field • Nashville, TN (Rivalry) ESPN W 41–3   43,260
September 13 3:00 p.m. Louisiana–Lafayette* #14 Vaught–Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, MS SECN W 56–15   60,937
September 27 6:30 p.m. Memphis* #10 Vaught–Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, MS SECRN W 24–3   61,291
October 4 2:30 p.m. #3 Alabama #11 Vaught–Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, MS (Rivalry) CBS W 23–17   61,826
October 11 8:00 p.m. at #14 Texas A&M #3 Kyle Field • College Station, TX ESPN W 35–20   110,633
October 18 6:00 p.m. Tennesseedagger #3 Vaught–Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, MS ESPN W 34–3   62,081
October 25 6:15 p.m. at #24 LSU #3 Tiger Stadium • Baton Rouge, LA (Magnolia Bowl) ESPN L 7–10   102,321
November 1 7:00 p.m. #4 Auburn #7 Vaught–Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, MS ESPN L 31–35   62,090
November 8 11:00 a.m. Presbyterian* #12 Vaught–Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, MS SECN W 48–0   60,546
November 22 2:30 p.m. at Arkansas #8 Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium • Fayetteville, AR (Rivalry) CBS L 0–30   64,510
November 29 2:30 p.m. #4 Mississippi State #18 Vaught–Hemingway Stadium • Oxford, MS (Egg Bowl) CBS W 31–17   62,058
December 31 11:30 a.m. vs. #6 TCU* #9 Georgia Dome • Atlanta, GA (Peach Bowl) ESPN L 3–42   65,706
*Non-conference game. daggerHomecoming. #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Central Time.
Schedule Source:[2]

Rankings

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking.
NR = Not ranked. RV = Received votes. ( ) = First place votes.
Week
Poll Pre 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Final 
AP 19 15 14 10 10 11 3 3 (3) 3 (3) 7 12 10 8 18 13 9 17 
Coaches' 18 17 15 12 11 11 4 3 (5) 3 (4) 9 13 10 8 19 14 12 19 
CFP Not released 4 11 10 8 19 12 9 Not released

Media Central

Game notes and quotes

References

  1. ↑ "Football Coaching Staff". Ole Miss Athletics. Retrieved July 28, 2014.
  2. ↑ "2014 Ole Miss Rebels Football Schedule". FB Schedules. Retrieved December 30, 2013.