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Which Ole Miss football team is the best from the last 17 years?

Chad Kelly's 2015 team is the No. 1 seed.
Chad Kelly's 2015 team is the No. 1 seed.

Without sports, and with much more free time on our hands, let's see which Ole Miss football team from 2003-2019 would win a single-elimination bracket using the simulation tools at What If Sports.

It's 17 because we wanted to include the Eli Manning-led 2003 team that beat Oklahoma State in the Cotton Bowl and went 7-1 in the SEC. To get to 16, the bottom two seeds -- 2005 and 2011 -- met in a playoff game to determine the final entry in the main bracket.

All games will be simulated on a neutral field with no precipitation and 70 degree temperatures. All players are healthy for each roster.

PLAY-IN GAME

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No. 16 seed 2005 Ole Miss 27

vs.

No. 17 seed 2011 Ole Miss 28

The 2011 Rebels erased a 19-point deficit in the fourth quarter, and Bryson Rose's 27-yard field goal with 52 seconds remaining lifted the last seed to a 28-27 win and a date with Chad Kelly and the 2015 Rebels.

Randall Mackey was 19-of-32 for 271 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in the win, while Micheal Spurlock was 22-of-36 for 245 with two touchdowns and an interception.

Rose made five field goals including one from 50 yards in the win. Ja-Mes Logan and Vince Sanders caught touchdown passes.

FULL BOX SCORE

FIRST ROUND

No. 1 seed 2015 Ole Miss 51

vs.

No. 17 seed 2011 Ole Miss 14

A 24-point second quarter barrage led to an expected rout for the 2015 Rebels. Chad Kelly was 22-for-27 for 335 and two scores, and Jaylen Walton ran for 232 yards.

Laquon Treadwell caught six passes for 127 yards, and Akeem Judd added two rushing scores.

Randall Mackey threw three interceptions in the loss.

FULL BOX SCORE

No. 9 seed 2017 Ole Miss 26

vs.

No. 8 seed 2012 Ole Miss 21

Shea Patterson threw for 347 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions in the win against the 2012 Rebels. Gary Wunderlich added a pair of 43-yard field goals, as Jeff Scott's 3-yard run with 3:26 remaining kept the suspense, but Hugh Freeze's first team wouldn't get any closer.

Damarcus Lodge and AJ Brown caught touchdowns for the winners, while Donte Moncrief had one for the 2012 team. Bo Wallace was 14-for-27 for 207 and two touchdowns in the loss.

FULL BOX SCORE

No. 5 seed 2009 Ole Miss 34

vs.

No. 12 seed 2019 Ole Miss 28

The 2009 Rebels led 17-0 in the second quarter but in a game indicative of the Egg Bowl that season, they took their foot off the gas the rest of the way, holding off the 2019 Rebels in the fourth quarter. Jevan Snead threw for 399 yards and three touchdowns to Dexter McCluster, Ferbia Allen and Lionel Breaux. McCluster also had a rushing touchdown.

John Rhys Plumlee was 7-for-13 for 115 yards and a touchdown, and Scottie Phillips ran for 86 yards. Jerrion Ealy had 75 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Joshua Shene made two of three field goals, while Luke Logan's only attempt was a 42-yard miss.

FULL BOX SCORE

No. 13 seed 2004 Ole Miss 10

vs.

No. 4 seed 2003 Ole Miss 48

The box score is very confusing since it's a lot of the same players, but the quarterback position, as expected, made the difference. Eli Manning was 20-of-29 for 312 yards and three touchdowns.

Ethan Flatt, in the loss, went for 277 yards through the air but threw three picks, and Micheal Spurlock was 4-for-10 for 36 yards.

FULL BOX SCORE

No. 3 seed 2008 Ole Miss 50

vs.

No. 14 seed 2006 Ole Miss 7

There was quite the improvement in two seasons, as the 2008 Cotton Bowl Rebels led 27-0 before Benjarvus Green-Ellis put 2006 on the board. Joshua Shene added five field goals, and Jevan Snead was 16-for-23 for 268 yards and four touchdowns.

Dexter McCluster ran for 122 yards on 12 carries, and Shay Hodge had 116 yards receiving. Green-Ellis ran for 76 yards but 42 came on one play.

Note: There was a glitch that had Snead as a backup on the 2006 team. Clearly it didn't matter.

FULL BOX SCORE

No. 11 seed 2010 Ole Miss 21

vs.

No. 6 seed 2013 Ole Miss 30

The 2010 Rebels led 21-20 after three quarters, but an Andrew Ritter field goal and a Jeff Scott touchdown run put it away for the Music City Bowl champions. Bo Wallace was 19-of-24 for 323 and a couple scores. Jaylen Walton continued his strong tournament with 104 yards rushing, and Donte Moncrief and Mark Dodson caught touchdown passes.

Jeremiah Masoli added a touchdown run but struggled through the air, completing 13-of-24 for 183 yards. Brandon Bolden and Masoli had 106 and 63 yards rushing, respectively.

FULL BOX SCORE

No. 7 seed 2016 Ole Miss 49

vs.

No. 10 seed 2018 Ole Miss 45

Chad Kelly threw five touchdown passes, and Akeem Judd ran one of his rushing touchdowns in with 2:43 to go for the final score and the comeback victory.

The two quarterbacks didn't disappoint, as Jordan Ta'amu went for 363 yards and three touchdowns in the loss.

Scottie Phillips ran for 144 yards and two touchdowns, and Isaiah Woullard went over the 100-yard mark, as well. AJ Brown caught six passes for 141 yards and a touchdown.

Damore'ea Stringfellow had 77 yards receiving to lead the 2016 team, and Van Jefferson caught two touchdowns.

FULL BOX SCORE

No. 15 seed 2007 Ole Miss 3

vs.

No. 2 seed 2014 Ole Miss 45

Joshua Shene put the 2007 Rebels up first with a 38-yard field goal on its opening drive, but the Peach Bowl Rebels scored 45 unanswered the rest of the way.

Jaylen Walton and I'Tavius Mathers each scored two touchdowns on the ground, and Bo Wallace was 20-for-26 for 285 yards and two scores.

Seth Adams threw for 183 yards and three interceptions in the loss.

FULL BOX SCORE

ELITE EIGHT

No. 1 seed 2015 Ole Miss

vs.

No. 9 seed 2017 Ole Miss


No. 5 seed 2009 Ole Miss

vs.

No. 4 seed 2003 Ole Miss


No. 3 seed 2008 Ole Miss

vs.

No. 6 seed 2013 Ole Miss


No. 7 seed 2016 Ole Miss

vs.

No. 2 seed 2014 Ole Miss


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