JACKSONVILLE, Fla. —Jaxson Dart reiterated Tuesday he never considered opting out of Thursday’s TaxSlayer Gator Bowl.
Further, Dart said he’s not entering the contest versus Duke at EverBank Stadium on any sort of pitch count.
“I’m going to play to my full extent,” Dart said following the Rebels’ practice Tuesday at the University of North Florida.
Dart recently accepted an invitation to the Reese’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. That week is a glorified NFL convention, leading up to the Feb. 1 game.
“I’m real excited for it,” Dart said. “It’s going to be a great time to showcase my abilities and be in front of the NFL coaches and really learn the systems and how it works. I can’t wait to take advantage of the opportunity.
“I think I’m going to make some ground up in my interview process. I feel really confident in myself going into those. At the same time, I’ve been a starting quarterback in college football since I was a freshman, 17-, 18-years old. I have a lot of tape for coaches to go through so I feel like my product’s been on display for the last four years.”
Before he turns his attention to NFL prep, Dart is soaking in these last few days with his teammates and focusing on getting the Rebels to 10 wins for the second straight season.
“It’s been an honor wearing this jersey,” Dart said. “I take. Lot of pride in it.”
Dart will also take one final assault on the Ole Miss record book on Thursday, one he’s already re-written over the last three seasons. Here’s a look at the records within sight entering Thursday’s game:
— Passing Yards (3,875, 3rd): Dart needs 167 passing yards to tie, 168 to pass Chad Kelly’s 2015 record of 4,042.
— Passing Efficiency (177.7, 1st): Dart has a narrow margin to hold onto record of 177.6 from Matt Corral in 2020.
— Passing Yards/Attempt (10.7, 1st): Dart is in decent shape to hold onto this record over the 10.2 yards per attempt set by Corral in 2020.
— Passing Yards/Completion (15.6, 1st): Dart is in decent shape to hold onto this record over the 15 yards per completion set by Jevan Snead in 2008.
— Total Offense (4,327, 3rd): Dart needs 215 total yards (pass plus rush) to tie, 216 to pass Chad Kelly’s 2015 record of 4,542.
— Total Offense/Play (9.11, 1st): Dart is in decent shape to hold onto this record over 8.77 from Matt Corral in 2020.
“I mean, I never even thought about it,” Dart said. “There were times when they would come in and I would say, ‘I had no idea I even broke that one.’ I’ve really just been out there having fun playing. There’s a little talk about it among the coaches but that’s never been a thought for me going into games.”
More than anything, as the end of his Ole Miss career nears, Dart is relishing this time.
“I’m just really living in the moment right now, taking advantage of being with my teammates and soaking it all in,” Dart said. “I’m just going to be where my feet are. I’m sure those emotions will come.”
Notes:
Lee happy to be healthy: Cayden Lee can admit it now. He played this season hurt, aided by “medicine” just to get through each week.
The Ole Miss wide receiver said Tuesday he has been nursing separate foot and ankle injuries — on both legs — all season.
Lee caught 49 passes for 817 yards and two touchdowns this season, arguably the most dependable receiver Ole Miss had all year.
“I feel that speaks to my work ethic, the offseason training that I’ve done,” Lee said. “Honestly, I expect nothing less from myself. I know that going forward, I’m going to continue to do the same thing and just grow and improve my game at all levels.
“I’ve been playing with a lot of injuries since early in the season. I’ve been getting multiple injections and stuff since the beginning of the season, one in my left foot and one in my right, turf toe and sprained ankle. I don’t think I’ve clocked over 20 miles per hour since Week 4. The highest I’ve been here is 22.5, so I’m looking forward to getting back healthy and get my speed under me. I feel like my best football is in front of me.”
By the numbers: Ole Miss is making its fifth straight bowl appearance under head coach Lane Kiffin. The Rebels are 25-15 in bowl games and 12-4 in its last 16 on the field dating back to the 1997 Motor City Bowl.
This will be Ole Miss’ fourth appearance in the Gator Bowl, its first since 1991. This will be the first all-time meeting between the Rebels and Blue Devils.
Ole Miss is 17-10-1 all-time against current members of the ACC, including 4-1 in bowl games on the field. A win would give Kiffin his third 10-win season and the first consecutive ones at Ole Miss since 1959-60.
Speaking of 10-win seasons…: If Ole Miss beats Duke Thursday, Kiffin will become the 10th Southeastern Conference coach since 2012 to have consecutive 10-win seasons. Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz became the ninth on Monday when Missouri defeated Iowa in the Music City Bowl. The other eight are Nick Saban, Les Miles, Ed Oregon, Brian Kelly, Gary Pinker, Dan Mullen, Kirby Smart and Steve Spurrier.
Sunshine State homecoming: Ole Miss has nine players from Georgia who will be coming home for the 2025 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl: RB Jason Albritton (Lithia), DE Chamberlain Campbell (St. Petersburg), OL Preston Cushman (St. Petersburg), RB Raphael Ekechi (Tampa), CB Chris Graves Jr. (Fort Myers), DE DeeJay Holmes Jr. (Pahokee), S Andy Jaffe (Tampa), RB Henry Parrish Jr. (Goulds) and QB Austin Simmons (Miami).
Ole Miss bowl history: The 2025 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl will be Ole Miss’ 42nd bowl appearance in program history, as well as its fourth appearance in the Gator Bowl. The Rebels’ all-time bowl record stands at 25-15, excluding a vacated victory in the 2013 BBVA Compass Bowl. Ole Miss ranks second in the SEC and tied for fourth in the FBS in bowl win percentage at .625. Elsewhere in the bowl record book, Ole Miss is tied for 14th nationally in bowl wins and tied for 20th in bowl appearances. Ole Miss is 12-4 in its last 16 bowl games on the field, including a streak of six straight victories from 2002 to 2013.
