OXFORD — A six-win improvement from a year ago and a convincing victory in the AT&T Cotton Bowl has catapulted the Ole Miss Rebels to a No. 14 final national ranking by the Associated Press, as announced Friday. The Rebels were tabbed 15th in the final USA Today Coaches’ poll.

This marks the 25th time in Ole Miss football history that the Rebels have appeared in the end-of-the-year rankings in one of the major polls and first time since 2003, when the team was voted No. 13 by the AP. Including 2008, the Rebels have placed among the top 15 teams in 17 years and earned named national champion distinction in 1959, 1960 and 1962.