OXFORD — Ole Miss’ season hit its midpoint Saturday night.

The Rebels head into a much-needed bye week now, not in complete control of their destiny but with all of their dreams very much alive.

The 16th-ranked Rebels got to the halfway point with a 27-20 win over Arkansas Saturday night at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Ole Miss made things dramatic, trailing the Razorbacks in the fourth quarter before rallying to score the game’s final 10 points and sealing things when John Saunders Jr. intercepted KJ Jefferson on the Hogs’ final possession.

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It wasn’t pretty Saturday, as Ole Miss gained just 349 yards of total offense and converted just four of 14 third-down chances. On the flip side, the Rebels held Arkansas to just 252 yards of total offense and just 36 on the ground. Rocket Sanders was held to just 15 yards rushing and the Rebels intercepted Jefferson twice.

Jaxson Dart, playing on what appeared to be a somewhat injured leg, was 16-for-25 passing, good for 153 yards and a touchdown. Dart also rushed 12 times for 33 yards.

Arkansas helped the Rebels out at times, getting 10 penalties for 70 yards. The Hogs were 7-for-16 on third downs and converted their only fourth-down attempt, but Ole Miss’ 12-play, 75-yard scoring drive in the fourth quarter following Ty Washington’s go-ahead touchdown catch with 13:11 left proved to be the difference for the Rebels.

Ole Miss is now 5-1 overall and 2-1 in the Southeastern Conference. Given the difficulty of the first half of the schedule, Lane Kiffin and Co. probably couldn’t have asked for more.

The Rebels trail Alabama by one game — but basically two — in the SEC West. The Crimson Tide, which defeated Ole Miss in Tuscaloosa last month, won at Texas A&M Saturday, maintaining sole possession of first place in the division. For Ole Miss to get to the SEC Championship Game, the Rebels would realistically have to win out and see Alabama lose twice. Both are tall orders, of course, but nothing seems impossible this year.

It seems silly to even discuss following a sloppy win over Arkansas, but if Ole Miss were to win out, even if Alabama represented the division in Atlanta in early December, it’s possible the Rebels could factor into the College Football Playoff conversation. A lot of things would have to break their way, but an 11-1 SEC team with just one loss at Alabama would be heavily discussed in those CFP meetings.

Yes, it feels far-fetched at this point, but the fact that Kiffin and his staff can hold that carrot in front of their squad is a positive. A lot of teams, including the last two that have left Vaught-Hemingway with losses, can’t even fantasize about that right now.

Of course, there’s a lot of football left for Ole Miss and plenty of major obstacles in the Rebels’ path.

Ole Miss travels to Auburn in two weeks to face a very familiar face. Anyone who knows Hugh Freeze knows he will say a lot of nice things publicly, but he’d sell his soul — er, give most anything — to send Kiffin and Ole Miss back to Oxford with a loss. It would be a signature win for Freeze at Auburn and he’s smart enough to know it. He’d love nothing more. The Tigers, who are good enough on defense to cause issues, will be ready.

After that, Ole Miss comes home to face Vanderbilt. There’s simply nothing to say. It’s a win, probably a sleepy win, hopefully an 11 a.m. win, but it’s a win.

After that, it’s Texas A&M. The Aggies are significantly better than last year, but if Ole Miss takes care of its business against Auburn and Vanderbilt, Oxford will be wild that day/night. A win over the Aggies would put the Rebels at 8-1, exactly where they were after nine games a year ago.

That would create the ultimate opportunity — a Nov. 11 shot at Georgia. The two-time defending national champions whipped Kentucky Saturday night in Athens, and the Bulldogs’ offense may have gotten untracked. Winning in Athens would be brutally difficult, of course, but Ole Miss would have the nation’s attention between the hedges.

After that, Ole Miss has a home date with ULM, which was blown out at home Saturday night by South Alabama, and a trip to Mississippi State, where the locals are already eager to end the Zach Arnett era before its first anniversary.

In other words, it’s all there for Ole Miss to have a special season. Before the season, anyone with a shred of reality would have gladly jumped on 10 wins, and at the midpoint, that’s a realistic goal.

Yes, this team has issues. Dart runs too much and takes too many hits. The right tackle gets caught holding on a frequent basis. Here lately, the kicking game has been pedestrian. However, the offense is explosive and the defense has its moments. Ole Miss won’t face another offense like LSU’s and, with the notable exception of Georgia’s, it won’t face a defense as tenacious as the Alabama one it struggled against at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

For now, Ole Miss will relish an open date. The Rebels are beat up in some spots, including quarterback. Some players are still shaking off the rust from missed time due to injuries. Pete Golding is still experimenting with linebacker Suntarine Perkins. The offense is still trying to hone the running game.

There are no guarantees. There never are in the SEC. We saw that on Saturday, when Arkansas gave the Rebels a late scare.

But Ole Miss has every reason to feel optimistic and hopeful at the midpoint, and for now, that’s enough.