By CHRIS TALBOTT, Associated Press Writer
OXFORD, Miss. (AP) - November is Houston Nutt's favorite month.
The Ole Miss coach loves this time of year so much, he made up a sign and put it on the wall in the Rebels' training facility so everyone knows just how special it is: ``They Remember in November.''
``What that sign says is true,'' Nutt said. ``We remember in November.''
And it's been a couple of very memorable Novembers for Nutt in his two seasons at Ole Miss. He's 7-0 during the year's 11th month with the Rebels and that's a big reason why No. 20 Ole Miss is back in the Top 25 and about to receive a plum bowl assignment.
Even better, that trip comes at the expense of LSU. The Rebels' latest late-fall win was a nail-biting 25-23 upset of the then-No. 10 Tigers. The win pushes Ole Miss ahead of LSU in the postseason serving line and instantly became one of Nutt's favorite victories.
``It is up there, way up there,'' Nutt said. ``In the top five.''
Why not? It was exciting, coming down to the final play when LSU was unable to get the snap off at the Ole Miss 5 as time expired. Perhaps more importantly, it's a favorite because of the advantage the Rebels now hold.
If Ole Miss can improve to 8-0 in November with a win in what figures to be a very competitive Egg Bowl against Mississippi State, the Rebels are likely headed to the Sunshine State and the Capital One Bowl as the Southeastern Conference's No. 3 team.
``We would love to have Ole Miss come to Orlando,'' said Tom Wert, a member of the bowl's selection committee on hand to watch Saturday's game. ``We would love to have you because you have never been there. If you come to Orlando and do the kind of things you do in The Grove, we would absolutely love it.''
So would the Rebels, whose bid would represent the second straight January postseason trip for a team that hadn't been to a bowl since the 2003 season.
It also would be quite the reversal for a team that was initially expected to challenge for the SEC championship. The Rebels rose to No. 4 early in the season, then fell apart completely after a 16-10 upset loss at South Carolina.
``What was difficult is when that bubble burst in Columbia,'' Nutt said. ``We knew that was going to be a Dr. Phil job. It is different when they leave these walls. What they hear in class or on the streets is that it is a wasted year. It is easy to let go of the rope and give up. We didn't.''
Since a 3-2 start, Ole Miss has won five of six and three straight, mirroring last season's six-game winning streak to end the year.
Nutt gave his players until midnight Saturday to celebrate the LSU win, then told them to focus on Mississippi State and retaining the Egg Bowl trophy.
``I know what kind of environment we're going to have,'' Nutt said.
