We had become so used to Ole Miss being in a bowl game, that this holiday season has been a bit strange.

We have watched SEC teams from Mississippi State to Alabama play in games since the third week of December, and the Crimson Tide will take another shot at a national championship on January 9.

It hurts knowing that the Rebels scored the most points on Alabama by far this season in a home game the Rebels could not pull out.

That was when Ole Miss was still ranked high nationally, before injuries hit and before we realized how understaffed the defense was.

Most would have taken a bet back in December that Ole Miss would land in some bowl this year, since winning six games seemed to be assured.

But it wasn’t meant to be.

So we watch other SEC teams play on television this bowl season and hope the rebuilding Rebels will get back to winning ways in 2017 and beyond.

As for Alabama, the Crimson Tide is easily the best team in America this year, once again. But Ole Miss, at least, is the team that gave them the best fight.