Lane Kiffin, Jaxson Dart Praised by CFB Fans as Ole Miss Dominates Duke in Gator Bowl

Lane Kiffin didn't back when discussing the College Football Playoff committee leaving Ole Miss out of the 12-team field in recent weeks.

On Thursday, the Rebels head coach made a statement with a dominant 52-20 win over Duke in the Gator Bowl. Kiffin even said during a sideline interview in the fourth quarter that Ole Miss was trying to send a message to the committee about the strength of the SEC compared to other conferences.

"Let's finish strong and make a statement about our team, how we play and how we're playing against the ACC," he said on the ESPN broadcast.

While the CFP field is always going to be a heated discussion, Kiffin's squad looked like a Playoff team on Thursday. Some fans argued that the dominant performance proved Ole Miss should have been included in the College Football Playoff.

Jaxson Dart played his final collegiate game on Thursday and the senior went out on a positive note.

The star quarterback had 404 passing yards and four touchdowns on 27-of-35 passing while also picking up 43 yards on the ground in the win.

In an age where many NFL prospects opt out of their bowl games to ensure full health before the draft, Dart chose to see it through with the Rebels and it could have boosted his stock. Fans had high praise for the veteran following his curtain call.

Dart was likely going to be drafted this spring after a tremendous career, but he gave scouts even more to watch with yet another impressive game.

Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department lists Dart as the No. 75 overall player in the 2025 draft class and the No. 6 quarterback. NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported during Dart's masterclass that one scout called Dart "a major steal in the draft" and said he "throws the ball down the field as well as anyone."

Dart's collegiate career is now over but he'll look to continue proving himself at the Senior Bowl and in the NFL draft combine later this year.