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Returning 35 out of the 48 players in our 2-deep roster
Posted on 2/9/26 at 7:43 pm
Posted on 2/9/26 at 7:43 pm
+/- 1 or 2 depending on how you want to do the math.
Won't be a young team for the first time since 2022. Only have to leave the state 3 times. If Alabama and Ole Miss take a step back, we could be at least a 7 point favorite in every game in the regular season.
As long as Gunner Stockton doesn't get pussywhooped and our players keep up with the flow of traffic on the bypass, it could be a vintage Kirby team.
Won't be a young team for the first time since 2022. Only have to leave the state 3 times. If Alabama and Ole Miss take a step back, we could be at least a 7 point favorite in every game in the regular season.
As long as Gunner Stockton doesn't get pussywhooped and our players keep up with the flow of traffic on the bypass, it could be a vintage Kirby team.
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Posted on 2/9/26 at 8:05 pm to Violent Hip Swivel
Indiana showed what maturity can do.
Posted on 2/11/26 at 11:16 am to Violent Hip Swivel
quote:
If Alabama and Ole Miss take a step back,
I haven't looked at Ole Miss' 2026 team, but they had a miracle season in 2025. I went back and reviewed their season to try and understand how they made it to the semifinal round of the playoffs. Statement of the obvious I guess, but it was a combination of talent evaluation, coaching, luck, and a big budget.
They had 34 returning scholarship players vs 51 incoming recruits and transfers. Half their starters, 7 on offense, 4 on defense as far as I can tell, were incoming transfers. Their starting QB was a brand new 5th year senior transfer with one year of meaningful Div II action under his belt, who didn't even commit until mid April.
They faced relatively easy conference and non-conference schedules, only 3 regular season opponents ended the season ranked, #6 UGA, #13 Oklahoma, and #18 Tulane (right). They had virtually no meaningful attrition during the 2025 season on either offense or defense. They lost their head coach but managed to keep the staff intact for the playoffs. Their first two opponents in the playoffs were teams they'd already scouted and game planned for during the season, the 1st one being a team they'd beaten without breaking a sweat, which mitigated the impact of losing Kiffin. And in the Sugar Bowl, Georgia was missing one offensive and 5 defensive players who'd been starters at various points during the season, and then proceeded to lose more starters during the game. Plus, even though he played and recorded 3 tackles, I think CJ Allen was limited and had been limited for the last third of the season. His production definitely dropped off after he left the Texas game in the first half with a knee injury.
I won't say they can't repeat that performance in 2026, but I wouldn't bet on it.
This post was edited on 2/11/26 at 1:28 pm
Posted on 2/11/26 at 11:20 am to wdhalgren
quote:
I haven't looked at Ole Miss' 2026 team, but they had a miracle season in 2025.
they did, but they aren't necessarily going to take a massive step back either. It all depends on chambliss. Yes I know as of this minute he is not eligible but wiht how screwy the courts are who tf knows how that will ultimately turn out. He is a guy kinda like Milroe was that for whatever reason we simply cannot stop to save our lives. He destroyed us in Athens, and although we did much better in new orleans he still won the game for them. Add in they have the best RB in the SEC and a lot of other returning pieces and they're still going to be formidable, espeically on the road.
I think it very much remains to be seen how they will do without lane and Weis. A 2 game sample size in the postseason after lane got them there doesn't tell us anything.
So to your point...yes I agree they won't have nearly the dream season they did last yera. But they aren't going to lose 5 games either
Posted on 2/11/26 at 11:31 am to WG_Dawg
quote:
So to your point...yes I agree they won't have nearly the dream season they did last yera. But they aren't going to lose 5 games either
Probably not, but it's not out of the question. Like I said, I haven't even attempted to look at their roster, much less their opponents' rosters, but playing portal roulette can lead to wildly variable outcomes, especially when you consider the coaching staff turnover. As for Chambliss, I think he should prepare for the draft. The odds of replicating what he did last season are low, IMO.
This post was edited on 2/11/26 at 11:35 am
Posted on 2/11/26 at 11:38 am to WG_Dawg
quote:
It all depends on chambliss. Yes I know as of this minute he is not eligible but wiht how screwy the courts are who tf knows how that will ultimately turn out
He’s gotta declare by 4/15 so he has right at 2 months to get his case settled.
If they start their spring practices in mid March and the case isn’t settled then will he be allowed to practice with the team?
It’s pretty annoying these older guys who refuse to go away now that the Covid year eligibility is gone.
Posted on 2/11/26 at 12:25 pm to Griffindawg
quote:
It’s pretty annoying these older guys who refuse to go away now that the Covid year eligibility is gone.
From what I could tell when I looked him up last summer, Tennessee's QB Aguilar graduated from HS in 2019. The internet record is sparse for some of his football career (for some reason, UTk football media and fans showed more interest in Stetson Bennett's age and history than they have in Joey football's path to Knoxville) but it looked like he was enrolled in some combination of JUCO/cfb every season since HS (not sure about 2020 Covid year). If that's correct, right now he's trying to sue his way into season 7, or possibly 8, of post HS football.
This post was edited on 2/12/26 at 9:00 am
Posted on 2/11/26 at 12:43 pm to wdhalgren
quote:
season 7, or possibly 8,
These guys won't succeed in the nfl so they try to stay. Hell, with the money, free room/meals and unlimited cooch? Quite the racket.
Posted on 2/11/26 at 12:55 pm to Spaceman Spiff
quote:
These guys won't succeed in the nfl so they try to stay. Hell, with the money, free room/meals and unlimited cooch? Quite the racket.
Yeah, college ball is a way better deal than the NFL for all but a very few players. Even for the guys who could have big careers in the NFL, it still might be a better option, given the less wear and tear on the body and brain. Trading astronomical wealth for considerable wealth and better heath is a decent play.
Posted on 2/11/26 at 2:46 pm to RealDawg
quote:
Indiana showed what maturity can do.
And a Heisman winning QB. Having an elite guy at the QB position will make otherwise mediocre teams be great.
I have become fatigued with all the low IQ Indiana takes.
Posted on 2/12/26 at 10:34 am to WG_Dawg
This exchange piqued my interest so I looked at Ole Miss' roster for 2026 and you're right; they will field another very experienced team. It depends on the new coaching staff and, as you point out, the fate of Chambliss' legal fight, but if everything goes according to plan they will be a very competitive team. I'm still doubtful they'll have last year's success because of new coaches and a tougher schedule, but less doubtful than I was.
As of right now, Ole Miss has about 99 non-Special Teams (numbers don't include K, P, LS) players on the 26 roster, and 56 of them are upperclassmen (3rd year post HS and up). In 2025, 44/85 were upperclassmen, and the number was 54/84 in 2024 (which is historically an extreme percentage of upperclassmen). For seniors (college year 4,5,6, etc.) their numbers are 35/99, 28/85, 40/84 for those same years. Those kind of numbers require a perennially large portal class. To maintain that level of experience combined with decent talent, teams will need to spend very heavily every year.
Georgia's upperclassmen numbers (non-ST) for 2026, 2025 and 2024 respectively are 46/103, 34/91, and 31/83 (seniors numbers are 16, 16, and 15). I haven't broken down the distribution yet, but 46 upperclassmen is a very good number if they're reasonably distributed across the various position groups. I believe there's still an advantage to signing and retaining HS recruits because development within a program/scheme is important. The mix of HS/portal will depend on how hard it is to retain players from one year to the next.
I'm not sure where the money's coming from, but Ole Miss has clearly been spending a lot in the portal. If that model continues to succeed like it did in 2025, the value of experience (even one year of practice on a college roster) will skyrocket. A potential side effect may be that lots of programs start dropping out of cfb when they can no longer afford to maintain a roster of anything other than low talent underclassmen. The term "basketball school", or maybe "water polo school", may soon become more than just a message board insult.
As of right now, Ole Miss has about 99 non-Special Teams (numbers don't include K, P, LS) players on the 26 roster, and 56 of them are upperclassmen (3rd year post HS and up). In 2025, 44/85 were upperclassmen, and the number was 54/84 in 2024 (which is historically an extreme percentage of upperclassmen). For seniors (college year 4,5,6, etc.) their numbers are 35/99, 28/85, 40/84 for those same years. Those kind of numbers require a perennially large portal class. To maintain that level of experience combined with decent talent, teams will need to spend very heavily every year.
Georgia's upperclassmen numbers (non-ST) for 2026, 2025 and 2024 respectively are 46/103, 34/91, and 31/83 (seniors numbers are 16, 16, and 15). I haven't broken down the distribution yet, but 46 upperclassmen is a very good number if they're reasonably distributed across the various position groups. I believe there's still an advantage to signing and retaining HS recruits because development within a program/scheme is important. The mix of HS/portal will depend on how hard it is to retain players from one year to the next.
I'm not sure where the money's coming from, but Ole Miss has clearly been spending a lot in the portal. If that model continues to succeed like it did in 2025, the value of experience (even one year of practice on a college roster) will skyrocket. A potential side effect may be that lots of programs start dropping out of cfb when they can no longer afford to maintain a roster of anything other than low talent underclassmen. The term "basketball school", or maybe "water polo school", may soon become more than just a message board insult.
This post was edited on 2/12/26 at 11:35 am
Posted on 2/12/26 at 6:02 pm to wdhalgren
DP
This post was edited on 2/12/26 at 7:20 pm
Posted on 2/12/26 at 6:03 pm to wdhalgren
quote:
the fate of Chambliss' legal fight,
The clown show continues, judge just granted him another year of eligibility.
Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss granted injunction by judge
Posted on 2/12/26 at 6:51 pm to KirbySmartass
The courts have essentially annulled college football's governing body. When a university wants to flaunt the rules, they contrive some inane reason why the rules shouldn't apply to them or their players, then file suit in a court within their sphere of influence. Voila, NCAA rules no longer apply to your team.
This post was edited on 2/12/26 at 6:53 pm
Posted on 2/12/26 at 6:58 pm to wdhalgren
quote:
Voila, NCAA rules no longer apply to your team.
Posted on 2/12/26 at 7:52 pm to wdhalgren
What's stopping the NCAA from saying something like "No wins will be awarded for Ole Miss in any games he plays in, and no post season will be be available" ?
Posted on 2/12/26 at 10:44 pm to deeprig9
quote:
What's stopping the NCAA from saying something like "No wins will be awarded for Ole Miss in any games he plays in, and no post season will be be available" ?
I don't know; maybe the knowledge that they'll be sued and end up in an Oxford, Miss. courtroom. They may not like these rulings, but until something changes the judicial branch is apparently in control.
Posted on 2/12/26 at 11:08 pm to wdhalgren
If the targetting penalty takes a player out of the next game, can't he or the school just sue for an injunction to let that player play?
Posted on 2/13/26 at 3:26 am to Violent Hip Swivel
quote:
Returning 35 out of the 48 players in our 2-deep roster
How does this compare to the last 5 seasons?
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