Anticipation for the upcoming college football season is ramping up, especially with players from Mississippi universities making preseason All-Conference teams.
Ole Miss leads the way with four players selected to the preseason All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) team followed by Mississippi State having one player on the preseason All-SEC roster. Southern Miss landed one player on the All-Sun Belt team going into its first year in the conference.
For the Rebels, senior offensive lineman Nick Broeker was named first-team All-SEC offense. Broeker has started every game of the past two seasons as the team’s left tackle but was recently moved to guard. Senior wide receiver Jonathan Mingo was given a second-team All-SEC offense honor. The Brandon native’s 2021 season was hindered by injuries, but he looks to lead the Rebels in receiving this season.
Additionally for Lane Kiffin’s squad, TCU transfer Zach Evans was voted preseason third-team All-SEC offense. The junior running back rushed for 648 yards, scored five touchdowns, and averaged seven yards per carry during the 2021 season. Junior offensive lineman was also added to the preseason third-team All-SEC offense. James was graded the Rebels’ best offensive lineman by Pro Football Focus after the 2021 season and is making the move from right tackle to left tackle.
Mississippi State will have more of a chip on its shoulder this upcoming season as the Bulldogs had only one player selected to the All-SEC roster. Nevertheless, junior defensive back Emmanuel Forbes was named to the second-team All-SEC defensive roster after an impressive 2021 season. Forbes started all 13 games for the Bulldogs and totaled 60 tackles on the season, including five tackles for loss with one sack.
Southern Miss will begin its inaugural season in the Sun Belt Conference with senior return specialist Camron Harrell being the Golden Eagles’ sole representative on the preseason All-Sun Belt roster. Harrell was named second-team All-Sun Belt special teams Harrell returned 26 kicks for a 25.5 yard per return average last season, including a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Rice.
All three universities begin the 2022 season on September 3. Ole Miss is set to take on the Troy Trojans who are led by head coach Jon Sumrall. Sumrall served as the Rebels’ linebackers coach in 2018. Mississippi State will look to get revenge on the Memphis Tigers, who defeated the Bulldogs in a controversial manner in 2021. Southern Miss is scheduled to to face off against former Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze’s Liberty Flames.
