Following an 11-win season, a 38-25 Peach Bowl victory against Penn State, and their first top 10 ranking since 1969, head coach Lane Kiffin and the Rebels are poised to surpass last season's success.

The Rebels are ranked No. 5 in the new Athlon Sports preseason top 25 rankings, and sixth in several others including ESPN's rankings.

Heisman Trophy candidate Jaxson Dart returns and, and Kiffin secured the No. 1 transfer class with additions like Walter Nolen and Juice Wells.

However, despite the excitement of the season ahead and the Rebels' legit chances to get into the new, expanded college football playoff former Alabama coach Nick Saban, now an ESPN analyst, offered some sage advice.

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“He said, ‘Remind those players about rat poison,’” Kiffin shared with Blake Toppmeyer in a USA TODAY feature. “‘Remind them that those people writing that stuff on the internet about how great they are, ... it's probably some big fat guy in his underwear who doesn't know (crap) about football.’”

Saban frequently used the "rat poison" analogy during his coaching career to caution against media hype.

Nobody would listen when Nick Saban talked about rat poison heading into the Texas A&M game last year.

Saban's fired up on a Monday. It's officially Texas A&M week. pic.twitter.com/EbxfkzHwgO

— Touchdown Alabama (@TDAlabamaMag) October 3, 2022

Fortunately, the Rebels face a lighter schedule in the SEC this year, if such a thing exists. They don’t encounter a ranked opponent until their seventh game of the season when they travel to Death Valley to play the No. 13 LSU Tigers on Oct. 12.

Time will tell if Kiffin and the Rebels will exceed expectations or come up short, but one thing is for certain: The tailgates and excitement at The Grove this year will be next level.

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