There are 128 teams that play at the highest level of college football, and they all start the season undefeated.
The harsh reality is that only 11 have a legitimate chance to win the 2016 College Football Playoff. Those contenders have had their cases covered in detail, but what about the other potential championship-caliber teams? Why were they not included as contenders?
In this fifth installment of a seven-part series, we'll take a look at one of those championship-caliber teams that just doesn't have quite enough to be considered a CFP contender: the Mississippi Rebels.
The Rebels are coming off of their first 10-win season since 2003 and their 19 wins over the past two years is a mark tied for the second highest two-year win total in school history. That would make it seem that the next step toward national title contention is in the works, but the reality is this program will likely take a backward step in 2016.