| Year: | 2018 |
| Team: | Ole Miss Rebels |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Southeastern Conference |
| Short Conf: | SEC |
| Division: | Western Division |
| Record: | 5–7 |
| Conf Record: | 1–7 |
| Hc Year: | 2nd |
| Oc Year: | 2nd |
| Def Coach: | Wesley McGriff |
| Dc Year: | 2nd |
| Codef Coach1: | Jason Jones |
| Codc1 Year: | 6th |
| Def Scheme: | Multiple |
| Stadium: | Vaught–Hemingway Stadium |
The 2018 Ole Miss Rebels football team represented the University of Mississippi in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Rebels played their home games at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi and competed in the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were led by second-year head coach Matt Luke. They finished the season 5–7, 1–7 in SEC play to finish in sixth place in the Western Division.
On December 1, 2017, the University of Mississippi was dealt multiple sanctions by the NCAA, including a 2-year post-season ban.[1] As Ole Miss already self-imposed a post-season ban during the 2017 season, 2018 will be the last season without post-season play due to the sanctions. On February 5, 2018, the university submitted a written appeal to the NCAA regarding the penalties, stating: “This Committee should vacate and reverse the penalties and factual findings, because the COI (Committee of Infractions) abused its discretion, departed from precedent, committed procedural errors, and reached factual conclusions inconsistent with the evidence.”[2]
Listed in the order that they were released
| Rimington Trophy[3] | Sean Rawlings | C | SR | |
| Maxwell Award[4] | A. J. Brown | WR | JR | |
| Fred Biletnikoff Award[5] | A. J. Brown | WR | JR | |
| John Mackey Award[6] | Dawson Knox | TE | JR | |
| Outland Trophy[7] | Greg Little | OL | JR | |
| Wuerffel Trophy[8] | Javon Patterson | OL | SR | |
| Walter Camp Award[9] | A. J. Brown | WR | JR | |
| Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award[10] | Jordan Ta'amu | QB | SR | |
| Polynesian College Football Player of the Year | Jordan Ta'amu | QB | SR | |
| Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award[11] | Greg Little | OL | JR |
The SEC media poll was released on July 20, 2018, with the Rebels predicted to finish in sixth place.[12]
| Media poll (West) | |||
| 1 | Alabama | 1,971 (263) | |
| 2 | Auburn | 1,664 (19) | |
| 3 | Mississippi State | 1,239 (2) | |
| 4 | Texas A&M | 1,091 | |
| 5 | LSU | 1,025 | |
| 6 | Ole Miss | 578 | |
| 7 | Arkansas | 412 | |
The Rebels had three players selected to the preseason all-SEC teams.
Offense
1st team
A. J. Brown – WR
Greg Little – OL
3rd team
Javon Patterson – OL
The Rebels’ 2018 recruiting class was ranked 32nd in the nation and 10th in the SEC by 247Sports.
Ole Miss announced its 2018 football schedule on September 19, 2017. The 2018 schedule consists of 7 home and 5 away games in the regular season. The Rebels will host SEC foes Alabama, Auburn, South Carolina, and Mississippi State, and will travel to LSU, Arkansas (game played in Little Rock), Texas A&M, and Vanderbilt.[13]
The Rebels will be hosting three of their four non-conference opponents, hosting Southern Illinois (FCS), Kent State from the Mid-American Conference, Louisiana–Monroe from the Sun Belt Conference, and will then travel to Houston for their neutral site season opener against Texas Tech from the Big 12 Conference, which is the 2018 edition of the AdvoCare Texas Kickoff.
Schedule Source:[14]
| Name | Position | Year at Ole Miss | Alma mater (Year) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Luke | Head Coach | 2nd | Ole Miss (2000) | |
| Wesley McGriff | Associate head coach/co-defensive coordinator/linebackers | 2nd | Savannah State (1990) | |
| Phil Longo | Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks | 2nd | Rowan University (1992) | |
| Jason Jones | Co-defensive coordinator/safeties | 6th | Alabama (2001) | |
| Jack Bicknell Jr. | Offensive line | 2nd | Boston College (1985) | |
| Maurice Harris | Tight ends/recruiting coordinator | 7th | Arkansas State (1998) | |
| Jacob Peeler | Wide receivers | 2nd | Louisiana Tech (2007) | |
| Derrick Nix | Running backs | 11th | Southern Miss (2002) | |
| Jon Sumrall | Linebackers | 1st | Kentucky (2004) | |
| Defensive line | 2nd | Alabama (2008) | ||
| Charles Clark | Cornerbacks | 1st | Ole Miss (2007) |
See also: 2018 Texas Tech Red Raiders football team and AdvoCare Texas Kickoff.
See also: 2018 Southern Illinois Salukis football team.
See also: 2018 Alabama Crimson Tide football team and Alabama–Ole Miss football rivalry.
See also: 2018 Kent State Golden Flashes football team.
See also: 2018 LSU Tigers football team and Magnolia Bowl.
See also: 2018 Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks football team.
See also: 2018 Arkansas Razorbacks football team and Arkansas–Ole Miss football rivalry.
See also: 2018 Auburn Tigers football team.
See also: 2018 South Carolina Gamecocks football team.
See also: 2018 Vanderbilt Commodores football team and Ole Miss–Vanderbilt football rivalry.
See also: 2018 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team and Egg Bowl.
See also: 2019 NFL draft.
| 2 | 37 | OT | Carolina Panthers | ||
| 2 | 51 | WR | Tennessee Titans | ||
| 2 | 64 | WR | Seattle Seahawks | ||
| 3 | 96 | TE | Buffalo Bills | ||
| 7 | 246 | C | Indianapolis Colts | ||
| 7 | 252 | CB | New England Patriots |