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Chop Chat’s 2016 Preseason College Football Top 10: No. 7

By Jason Parker

Jan 1, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; Mississippi Rebels quarterback Chad Kelly (10) looks to throw a pass against the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the second quarter of the 2016 Sugar Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 1, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; Mississippi Rebels quarterback Chad Kelly (10) looks to throw a pass against the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the second quarter of the 2016 Sugar Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports /
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Here’s a look at the next team in Chop Chat’s 2016 Preseason College Football Top 10 Rankings.

As we are in the final month without college football (thank God that nightmare is almost over), teams from across the country will be hitting the practice fields getting ready for the 2016 season. For 25 of those teams, the season will start being ranked in the first polls for the 2016 campaign.

From Tallahassee to Tuscaloosa and Norman to South Bend, everyone from the traditional powers to the upstart programs will look to find their name with a number beside it for (at least) the opening weekend of the 2016 season.

Here at Chop Chat, we aren’t different from anyone else…we have the teams we think will start off the year ranked way too high and those who aren’t getting enough respect. So, here is our list of the top ten teams entering the 2016 season.

Before we get hate mail from fans of schools who are mad we didn’t rank their team high enough (or didn’t rank them at all), know that this is just a preseason list entering week one. In no way are we saying that this list is the way things will end up on January 10, 2017 after the national championship team. After all, with (spoiler alert) a lot of our top 10 teams playing each other this season, there will be plenty of changes before the month of September is even done.

No. 7 – Ole Miss Rebels

The last two seasons, it has been the Alabama Crimson Tide who has been the winners of the SEC. Both seasons, the Tide have had one blemish on their conference schedule: a loss to Hugh Freeze and the best team that money can buy a Rebels team that has shown up in the big games only to struggle against teams they should handle.

Ole Miss returns six starters on offense, with none bigger than quarterback Chad Kelly. After a stint at Clemson and in the JuCo level where the word “immature” would be nice, Kelly has blossomed into a great quarterback that may be one of the best nationally. The pressure will rest on his right arm as he loses top receiving target Laquan Treadwell and the man who blocked for him, Laremy Tunsil.

The defensive side of the ball will also be reloading, losing five starters from last year’s “Land Shark” group that touted itself as one of the best in the game. The two players that opposing offenses will have to worry about are defensive end Marquis Haynes and cornerback Kendarius Webster, both of whom are some of the best in the SEC at their positions.

Game of the Year

September 17th vs. Alabama – They’ve been saying it for the last two years in Oxford, but if there ever were a year for the Rebels to finally capture the SEC West, this would be it with a Crimson Tide team that will be also rebuilding following last year’s title run.

Biggest Chance for an Upset

October 29th vs. Auburn – It’s tough to tell what Tigers team is going to come across the state border for this showdown, but if they do bring their best, this is the type of game that Ole Miss has struggled in over the past few seasons: one they should win easily.

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