After 6 consecutive wins to end the season, there was no shortage of votes for Ole Miss.That's the case again to begin 2009, and the No. 8 Rebels hope to live up to their highest ranking in nearly 40 years beginning Sunday when they go to Memphis looking for a 5th straight season-opening win over the Tigers.
Nutt's 1st season in Oxford following a 3-9 record in 2007 that saw Ole Miss go winless in 8 SEC games.
A stunning 31-30 win at Florida on Sept. 27 seemed to show the Rebels were progressing, but losses in their next two games dropped them to 3-4.
Ole Miss (9-4) began its turnaround Oct. 25 at Arkansas, where Nutt spent the previous 10 years as coach with a 23-21 win, and didn't look back. The Rebels averaged 37.0 points in winning their final 6 games, finishing with a 47-34 Cotton Bowl win over then-No. 8 Texas Tech that vaulted Nutt's team to No. 14 in the final AP poll and has raised expectations in 2009.
Ole Miss hasn't been this high in the AP poll since the 1970 season, which it entered with the No. 5 ranking.
"Last year, I didn't know if we were going to get them to believe in themselves, it took us that long," Nutt said. "This year is different because our guys haven't been in these uncharted waters. But I'd rather it be this way." The SEC Rocks!
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