Team: Mississippi

Nickname: Rebels

Conference: Southeastern (West)

Location: Oxford, Miss.

Coach: Houston Nutt (2nd season, 9-4; career: 89-58)

Last Bowl: 2008 Cotton

Last season: 9-4, 5-3

In his first season at Ole Miss, one-time Boise State head coach Houston Nutt gave fans plenty of hope for 2009, winning the Cotton Bowl. All of the team's losses were by seven points or less, plus two wins were against Top-10 teams. A lot of offensive firepower returns.

The season is a success if ... Ole Miss can win its division and earn a trip to the SEC championship game. Key games will be Oct. 10 against Alabama and Nov. 21 against LSU — but both are at home.

The season is a failure if ... The defense can't handle key losses, including DT Peria Jerry, a first-round pick. The Nos. 2-5 tacklers all must be replaced.

Impact Player: Junior, Jevan Snead, quarterback. After backing up Colt McCoy at Texas for a year, he came to Ole Miss and was an instant hit. He threw for 2,762 yards and 26 TDs last season, and completed 65.8 percent of his passes in the last three games.

Fun Fact: The speed limit on campus is 18 mph. Why that unique number? It's the one Archie Manning wore during his three seasons as starting quarterback from 1968-70.

Official Team Site

Fan Site