The 2023 Peach Bowl is nearing as No. 10 Penn State will soon take on No. 11 Ole Miss at noon on Saturday, December 30, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Nittany Lions return to a New Year’s Six bowl game for the second consecutive season, but it’s their first time appearing in the Peach Bowl. Let’s preview their opponent before the first-ever matchup between the programs.

The Team

Ole Miss went 10-2 this season and finished second in the SEC West, losing only to Georgia and Alabama. The Rebels notably knocked off No. 13 LSU in a 55-49 shootout at Vaught Hemingway Stadium in Oxford in September. They finished No. 11 in the College Football Playoff rankings but were ranked as high as No. 9 in week 10.

Lane Kiffin has been the head coach since 2020, and he’s gone 33-15 in Oxford. Kiffin’s career also included stops at Tennessee, where he lost the 2009 Peach Bowl, and USC and Florida Atlantic. He has a 95-49 overall record and is 3-4 in bowl games across his 12-year career.

John David Baker and Charlie Weis Jr. are co-offensive coordinators. Baker is in his third season, while Weis is in his second. Weis was on Kiffin’s staff as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Florida Atlantic from 2018 to 2019.

Ole Miss only has one opt-out, but it’s a notable one. Defensive end Cedric Johnson, whose 5.5 sacks tied for first on the team, will not play as he prepares for the 2024 NFL Draft. He’s the program’s first bowl game opt-out in three years.

Offense

Ole Miss had the 15th-best total offense in America this season, which is significantly better than any team Penn State faced this season. The Rebels averaged 6.5 yards per play, equating to 455.4 yards per game. The Rebels scored 51 touchdowns and 34.8 points per game, which was 18th in college football but behind both the Nittany Lions and Michigan, for reference.

The Rebels are led by Jaxson Dart, who has been the starting quarterback in Oxford for two seasons after transferring from USC. The Draper, Utah, native threw 2,985 yards, 20 touchdowns, and five interceptions, and maintained a 65.4% completion rate this season. Dart, who is projected by NFL Draft Buzz to be a late second-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, hasn’t publicly announced what he will do following the game. The quarterback room in Oxford is an interesting one, as former Oklahoma State starter Spencer Sanders and former four-star and LSU transfer Walker Howard are both behind Dart.

Additionally, Ole Miss had the 39th-best rushing offense in the country. Quinshon Judkins, the starter, rushed for 1,107 yards and 15 touchdowns over 237 carries. Ulysses Bentley IV also saw action, with 533 rushing yards and four touchdowns over 92 carries. Dart also runs, as he rushed for 569 yards and seven touchdowns.

Tre Harris, Dayton Wade, and Jordan Watkins are the starting wide receivers. Harris led the trio with 851 yards and eight touchdowns despite his 47 receptions being fewer than the other two. Wade, who had 52 receptions, had 769 receiving yards and four touchdowns, while Watkins had 741 receiving yards and three touchdowns over 53 catches. Judkins and tight end Caden Prieskorn were also involved in the passing game occasionally.

Victor Curne and Jeremy James started at right tackle and right guard, respectively, while Jayden Williams and Quincy McGee did so on the left side of the offensive line. Meanwhile, Caleb Warren started at center.

Defense

Ole Miss’ defense was among the best in the SEC. The Rebels tied for first with 12 interceptions, ranked fifth with 34 sacks, and were third with 883 total tackles.

The defense’s total sacks ranked No. 16 nationally. Its scoring defense ranked 35th in the nation with 21.8 points per game allowed and 26th with 60 tackles for loss, while its 127.2 passing defense efficiency rating was 43rd.

Tying Johnson with the most team sacks was Jared Ivey, who led the team with 9.5 tackles for loss. He anchored the defensive line alongside defensive tackle JJ Pegues, while tackles Zxavian Harris and Akelo Stone also saw serious playing time. Suntarine Perkins, who already has significant experience heading into the game, could be Johnson’s primary replacement at defensive end.

Ashanti Cistrunk, Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste, and Khari Coleman were the linebackers. Cistrunk’s 68 total tackles ranked second on the team, and he also had 2.5 sacks and an interception.

Safety Trey Washington headlined Ole Miss’ secondary, as he led the team with 75 tackles and tied for a team-most three interceptions alongside nickelback John Saunders Jr. Daijahn Anthony lined up next to Washington, and he had two interceptions and a team-high seven pass breakups. Ladarius Tennison also saw significant playing time at the position. Meanwhile, Zamari Walton and Deantre Prince lined up at right and left cornerback, respectively. Walton had six breakups and two picks, while Prince had five and one.

Special Teams

Caden Davis handled both kickoffs and field goals. He went 15-for-20 with his longest attempt being 56 yards out. He also averaged 64.2 yards per kickoff and 65 touchbacks over 79 attempts. Bentley was the primary kickoff returner, and he averaged 19.3 yards over 13 attempts.

Fraser Masin was the punter. The Brisbane, Australia, native and former AFL academy prospect averaged 42.3 yards per punt this season. Meanwhile, Watkins was the primary returner, with 10.7 yards per return and a touchdown over 10 attempts.

Ole Miss’ kickoff return defense ranked fifth in the nation, as it allowed just 14.5 yards per return. That was better than any power-five team except Arizona.