USA Today recently dropped an article where it asked artificial intelligence to predict the record of every NFL team for the upcoming season. Naturally, the humans behind the article found AI to have plenty of statistical flaws (including the total number of NFL games set to be played this season), but for the most part, the article was worth the read – especially with AI becoming part of everyday life for so many people.
SuperTalk Mississippi News decided to perform the same exercise but on the college level, asking a popular AI chatbot to predict what the 2026 seasons will look like for Ole Miss and Mississippi State.
The newsroom decided on ChatGPT, considering several studies have shown it is not only the most popular AI chatbot in Mississippi but also the entire U.S.
So, what did ChatGPT have to say about the Rebels and Bulldogs heading into the upcoming college football season?
Ole Miss
Ole Miss fans hoping for another 11-win regular season will be disappointed if ChatGPT has a say.
That being said, the AI chatbot isn’t completely down on the Rebels. Even with the awkward departure of Lane Kiffin, ChatGPT has confidence Ole Miss can maintain some of its momentum, as the program is riding a modern peak with 34 wins in the last three years.
“If I’m making a way-too-early, game-by-game prediction as of Aug. 12, I’d put Ole Miss at 9-3 in the regular season,” ChatGPT said.
The hold-up behind ChatGPT not placing the Rebels’ win total in double digits? Pete Golding.
“The big reason I’m not going higher: the Rebels have a ton of talent returning, but 2026 is Pete Golding’s first full season as a head coach,” the chatbot continued. “Lane Kiffin is gone, and the schedule is absolutely brutal. Ole Miss has to play LSU, Florida, Texas, Georgia, and Oklahoma – with Texas and Oklahoma being on the road.”
As for the nine wins ChatGPT is predicting for Ole Miss: Louisville, Charlotte, LSU, Florida, Vanderbilt, Missouri, Auburn, Wofford, and Mississippi State.
That means Ole Miss would get a much-desired win over Kiffin and start the season 6-0 before dropping three of the final six games. Losses were predicted against Texas, Georgia, and Oklahoma.
ChatGPT did say that it “could very easily see 10-2 if Ole Miss takes care of business against Texas or Oklahoma. And if Golding proves immediately that he can handle the head-coaching responsibilities, 11-1 isn’t crazy.”
Calling 9-3 the “safest prediction,” ChatGPT said even with that record, the Rebels could still land in the College Football Playoff for the second season in a row.
“The interesting thing is that 9-3 could still put Ole Miss squarely in the College Football Playoff conversation, depending on which three losses occur and how the SEC shakes out. The Rebels’ schedule is difficult enough that a 9-3 Ole Miss could actually have a stronger résumé than some 10-2 teams elsewhere,” it ended one response.
When asked, ChatGPT said running back Kewan Lacy will be the most valuable player for Ole Miss in 2026, “even though (Trinidad) Chambliss is probably the most important player overall.”
Lacy rushed for 1,567 yards and 24 touchdowns on 306 attempts in 2025-26. Chambliss tossed for 3,937 yards and 22 touchdowns, adding 527 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground, in 2025-26. Both are being pushed for this year’s Heisman Trophy through a school-run marketing campaign.
Other players ChatGPT said could be considered MVPs by the end of the season are linebacker Suntarine Perkins, defensive end Kam Franklin, and wide receiver Johntay Cook II.
Mississippi State
Mississippi State fans hoping for an improvement from 2025 might be pleased with ChatGPT’s win-loss prediction for 2026.
“I’d put Mississippi State at 6-6 in the 2026 regular season,” the chatbot said. “But I don’t think a 6-6 season would necessarily mean Mississippi State is headed in the wrong direction. It could be a pretty meaningful Year 3 step for Lebby if the defense finally starts catching up with the offense.”
As ChatGPT correctly pointed out, Mississippi State’s defense has been rough in the first two years under head coach Jeff Lebby. While Lebby’s fast-paced, spread offense has been a nice change in Starkville, the defense has been one of the worst in the SEC, leading to the firing of defensive coordinator Coleman Hutzler.
This offseason, Lebby decided to bring in former Mississippi State head coach Zach Arnett as defensive coordinator, a change ChatGPT thinks may be just what the program needs.
“State allowed more than 30 points per game in 2025 and was particularly poor against the run,” ChatGPT said. “Zach Arnett is back to run the defense, and the Bulldogs brought in significant transfer talent on that side of the ball, so I expect improvement – but I’m not ready to assume it’s suddenly an SEC-caliber unit.”
ChatGPT predicted Mississippi State to win the following games: Louisiana Monroe, Minnesota, Missouri, Vanderbilt, Auburn, and Tennessee Tech.
As for the losses, it predicted Mississippi State to fall to South Carolina, Alabama, LSU, Oklahoma, Texas, and Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl.
“The killer is the stretch of Alabama, LSU, Oklahoma, and Texas,” ChatGPT said. “That’s four consecutive games against teams I expect to be significantly more talented, and three of those games are against teams that should be in the SEC title/College Football Playoff conversation.”
But, according to ChatGPT, if Mississippi State were to go 7-5, the other win would more than likely come against Ole Miss, South Carolina, or Oklahoma.
“I think Ole Miss wins in Oxford, although that’s absolutely a game Mississippi State could steal,” it said.
When asked, ChatGPT joined most of the media in predicting quarterback Kamario Taylor will be the most valuable player for Mississippi State in 2026, even going as far as to say the sophomore could toss for 3,000-plus and run for 700-plus yards.
2026 will be Taylor’s first year as the full-time starter after showing glimpses of Cam Newton-like athleticism in the final two games of 2025. ChatGPT said Taylor is “the player with the highest ceiling on the roster, and the Bulldogs’ entire offensive identity is built around his ability to make both plays through the air and with his legs.”
Other players ChatGPT said could be considered MVPs by the end of the season are wide receiver Anthony Evans III, defensive back Kelley Jones, safety Isaac Smith, and running back Fluff Bothwell.
Behind the experiment
SuperTalk Mississippi News gave ChatGPT two, separate queries for each team. For Ole Miss, they were:
- Can you predict the record for Ole Miss for the 2026 college football season and briefly explain your record projection?
- Who do you think will be the most valuable player for Ole Miss in the 2026 college football season?
For the Bulldogs, the exact same queries were used, subbing in Mississippi State as the team’s name:
- Can you predict the record for Mississippi State for the 2026 college football season and briefly explain your record projection?
- Who do you think will be the most valuable player for Mississippi State in the 2026 college football season?
While the experiment with ChatGPT was worth a test run, neither Ole Miss nor Mississippi State fans should expect the AI chatbot to be completely right, considering a disclaimer is placed at the bottom of every conversation that reads, “ChatGPT can make mistakes. Check important info.”
