Ole Miss didn’t leave Omaha with a win, but that doesn’t mean the Rebels left without momentum.
Just a year removed from missing the NCAA Tournament, Ole Miss returned to the College World Series in 2026, reaching Omaha for the second time in the last four seasons. While the Rebels’ stay ended with an 0-2 record, Ole Miss Spirit’s Ben Garrett believes the bigger picture is overwhelmingly positive.
“I don’t think Ole Miss fans should make sweeping judgments based off an 0-2 appearance in Omaha,” Garrett said on Game Runs Deep. “The season itself was wildly successful.”
After back-to-back losing seasons following the program’s 2022 national championship, Ole Miss once again looks like one of the SEC’s premier programs under longtime head coach Mike Bianco.
Omaha exposed Ole Miss’ biggest weaknesses
Garrett pointed to two issues that ultimately kept the Rebels from making a deeper run. The first was an offense that relied too heavily on home runs while striking out at an alarming rate.
“Ole Miss was a three true outcomes team,” Garrett said. “Walks, home runs or strikeouts.”
The Rebels finished among the nation’s leaders in strikeouts, something Garrett believes became especially problematic against elite pitching in Omaha.
“When the offense struggled, it struggled because of strikeouts.”
The second issue was pitching depth. Ole Miss entered the season believing it had enough arms to navigate the postseason, but injuries and inconsistent performances eventually caught up with the Rebels.
“They just didn’t have enough pitching depth,” Garrett said.
Against a College World Series field loaded with elite offenses, that lack of depth proved costly.
The transfer portal is already addressing those concerns
The good news for Ole Miss is that Bianco and his staff wasted little time attacking those weaknesses.
The Rebels have already landed multiple transfer portal commitments, including several pitchers expected to compete for weekend rotation spots.
Among the newcomers Garrett highlighted were former Georgia Tech right-hander Charlie Wilcox, Mississippi State left-hander Charlie Foster and LSU transfer Maverick Rizy. While each arrives with areas to improve, Garrett believes the upside is obvious.
“The stuff is real,” Garrett said of Rizy. “If he can harness his command, there’s a lot to like.”
Ole Miss has also added offensive help with Louisiana Tech infielder Trey Hawsey, TCU catcher Brady Dallimore and Houston standout Blake Fields.
Garrett expects those additions to improve both the Rebels’ contact ability and lineup depth.
“They’ve really done a good job of attacking their needs,” Garrett said.
Plenty of talent returns
Despite losing several key veterans, Ole Miss is expected to return a significant portion of the lineup.
Hayden Federico headlines the returning core after emerging as one of the Rebels’ most consistent hitters late in the season.
Shortstop Owen Paino is expected back, while catcher Austin Fawley could also return depending on the MLB Draft. Garrett also believes Hunter Elliott’s professional future will largely depend on where he’s selected in July. Should several of those veterans return, Ole Miss will enter next season with one of the SEC’s most experienced cores.
“The starting place for this roster build is better than it’s been at any point since they won the national championship,” Garrett said.
Replacing production won’t be easy
Ole Miss still has significant offensive production to replace.
The departures of Judd Utermark, Tristan Bissetta and Will Furniss leave major holes in the middle of the lineup. Combined, Utermark and Bissetta accounted for more than 40 home runs this season.
Garrett believes Hawsey immediately fills Furniss’ role at first base, while Dallimore’s versatility gives Ole Miss multiple lineup options. The Rebels are also counting on continued development from younger players such as Luke Romine, Canon Goldin and Brett Moseley.
“We’re far from done,” Garrett said of the offseason.
A program built for sustained success
Perhaps the biggest difference between this offseason and previous years is how Ole Miss approaches roster construction.
Garrett believes the Rebels have fully embraced the transfer portal after initially being slow to adapt following the 2022 national championship.
“Mike Bianco has admitted they were slow to the portal,” Garrett said. “They’re not like that anymore.”
That evolution has allowed Ole Miss to quickly reload while still developing high school talent, giving the Rebels a more sustainable foundation moving forward. Instead of viewing Omaha as a disappointing finish, Garrett sees it as proof the program has returned to national relevance.
“Ole Miss has been to Omaha twice in the last four years,” Garrett said. “That’s a much better way to look at it.”
After enduring consecutive losing seasons, simply returning to college baseball’s biggest stage represented a major accomplishment. Now, with another aggressive offseason underway, the Rebels appear intent on making sure Omaha becomes the expectation rather than the exception.
