Note: RebelGrove.com's coverage of the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl is presented by Comer Heating and Air and Southern Air Conditioning & Heating

ATLANTA — All of the confetti hadn’t settled to the playing surface at Mercedes-Benz Stadium when Lane Kiffin shifted his focus from 2023 to 2024.

Kiffin was on-stage, celebrating Ole Miss’ 38-25 win over Penn State in Saturday’s Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl when he told the red-clad mass of fans to his right, “We’re just getting started.”

Minutes later, in a press conference, Kiffin didn’t back off that exuberance.

“I really do believe we're just getting started,” Kiffin said. “I think that we're doing something. We’re on our way to something really special.”

Ole Miss’ win over Penn State Saturday capped an 11-2 season, the first 11-win campaign in the Rebels’ football history, one that expands well past 100 years. The Rebels’ only losses came at Alabama, which meets Michigan Monday in Pasadena, Calif., in a national semifinal game, and Georgia, which destroyed Florida State Saturday night in the Orange Bowl to cap a 13-1 year.

“I think it's really a cool time right now at Ole Miss,” Kiffin said. “To win the most games in the history of the school and to have so many pieces already announcing that they're coming back, which I made sure a couple of them are still doing that after their performances today.

“But I think it's a really special time. I said that when I got hired we didn't come here to be good and win some decent bowl games and some matches. We came here to be great, win New Year's Six bowls like this, be a top-10 program.”

Ole Miss will absolutely finish the season in the top 10, likely ranked as high as No. 5 and no lower than No. 7. Several players, including Peach Bowl offensive MVP Caden Prieskorn, defensive MVP Jared Ivey, wide receivers Jordan Watkins and Tre Harris and defensive tackle JJ Pegues, have publicly declared they’re returning for 2024. Others, including quarterback Jaxson Dart, running back Quinshon Judkins and linebacker Khari Coleman, haven’t publicly stated their intention, but there’s a widespread assumption among informed sources that they’ll be back in Ole Miss uniforms on Aug. 31 when Furman invades Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

“Some of these guys joked about it being the last dance (and) next year, and I was concerned there was too much focus on that,” Kiffin said. “Obviously they did a great job showing up today. Like I said, a really cool game to see them really win situations in the fourth downs and critical plays in really critical situations and taking advantage of offsides and different things. Those are proud things as a coach when these guys do that.”

Ole Miss is still working on finishing off a transfer portal class that is already ranked by several outlets, including Rivals, as the No. 1 portal class nationally. The Rebels already have commitments from defensive linemen Walter Nolen, Princely Umanmielen and Tyler Baron, linebacker Christopher Paul Jr., defensive backs Tamarion McDonald, Key Lawrence, Decamerion Richardson, Taz Nicholson and Louis Moore, wide receivers Juice Wells and Devin Price, offensive lineman Gerquan Scott and more to come.

“I think it's been well publicized so many players around the country already joining in for next year,” Kiffin said. “I just thought it was obviously extremely important to cap this thing off right because I felt like the last couple weeks so much focus was on next year.

“This is really neat winning a New Year's Six bowl, and what an awesome bowl and week and Gary (Stokan) and the whole (Peach Bowl) staff here putting together an amazing week for us, and that was awesome. But we really are.”

Ole Miss also has a strong high school class coming in and the Rebels signed the nation’s top-ranked junior college player, wide receiver Deion Smith. The Grove Collective has more than 7,500 members. Ole Miss is proving to be an NIL power. Ole Miss fans took over Atlanta starting Thursday evening, and Penn State has a huge, passionate fanbase that travels well.

“We’re in a really good place,” Kiffin said. “We’re starting something really special. I think today's another message, which obviously you saw all these great players around the country the last month sign up to come join these guys. Today is another message as you look at the MVPs (Prieskorn and Ivey) up here and the guys that came in here to do something special.

“Today's another message for a couple more pieces that may be out there. Come on, join up.”