Ole Miss football continues up to No. 13 in both USA TODAY Coaches and AP polls

Ole Miss football jumped up a few spots in this week’s USA TODAY Coaches and Associated Press polls, climbing to No. 13 nationally.

The Rebels (3-0) pummeled Tulane 61-21 in Oxford on Saturday amid a deluge of rain and 50-yard passes. Quarterback Matt Corral (spelled Carrol on the broadcast) was named co-offensive Walter Camp National Player of the Week for his seven touchdown performance.

Alabama (3-0) and Georgia (3-0) maintained the top two rankings in the AP poll. Florida (2-1) fell to No. 11 after a 31-29 loss at home to the Crimson Tide. Texas A&M (3-0) came in at No. 7 again, making Ole Miss the fifth highest ranked SEC team. Other SEC members in the AP top 25 include Arkansas (3-0) at No. 16 and Auburn (2-1) at No. 23.

With the AP rankings in mind, Ole Miss’ games in October will feature three top 25 squads plus a road trip to Knoxville for head coach Lane Kiffin’s return to UT and LSU invades Oxford as well. A daunting five game stretch the next month gives the Rebels every opportunity to solidify itself as one of the best teams in the country or fade into the grind of an SEC schedule.

Ole Miss has a bye week ahead, so the Rebels will most likely get a chance to swing by hometowns to visit family and friends and watch a ton of football. There are some top 25 match-ups of note that could boost Ole Miss even higher in the rankings prior to a showdown with Bama in Tuscaloosa.

No. 12 Notre Dame faces off against No. 18 Wisconsin at Chicago’s Soldier Field while Arkansas and TAMU also have a neutral site game at Jerry World. Granted, if Arkansas pulls off the win, it is likely the Hogs end up in the top ten — I think an undefeated Ole Miss could jump Texas A&M potentially.

Looking at these rankings, it’s hard not to feel pretty darn confident about Ole Miss right now. Teams ranked ahead of the Rebels have not looked flawless, but there is a ton of football left to be played. For now, it’s very good to be a Rebel.