I understand, Ole Miss players and coaches would never play the “What if?” game, but what if?

Ole Miss completed its first nine-win regular season since 2003, and is staring down the barrel — depending on its bowl berth — at 10 wins.

Hugh Freeze, who agreed to a new four-year contract this week, has proven the return on investment is worth it. But when you strip away the glossiness of a successful season — a season the likes of which Ole Miss fans haven’t experienced in a more than a decade — players, coaches, staffers and fans have to be left kicking themselves.

The Rebels are plays, quite literally a handful of plays, away from an 11-1 season, a SEC West title and a guaranteed berth in the inaugural College Football Playoff.

Don’t believe me?

A botched play call after a penalty erased a game-tying field goal attempt and moved Ole Miss back. Miscommunication on the ensuing play left the Rebels defeated after Bo Wallace threw his first interception in SEC play. At worst, Ole Miss would’ve tied the game and sent it to overtime. At best, a defensive breakdown allows for a big play and the Rebels win.

Just one week later against Auburn, Wallace found Laquon Treadwell who broke a tackle and raced to the end zone with 90 seconds left. Kris Frost dragged down Treadwell from behind, with the sophomore wideout suffering an unfortunate injury and fumbling the ball into the end zone.

That proved to be the blow the Rebels had a tough time overcoming.

Ole Miss suffered defeat once more at the hands of a surging Arkansas team in late November, but as sports reminds us, some days there is just a special environment with a confident team. Likely no team in the SEC team could’ve won inside Razorback Stadium on that particular Saturday.

Still, it’s easy to discount the “What if?” game; those inside the program will tell you there’s that old adage, “you’re only as good as your record.” However, it is worthy to look closely at the success the Rebels have enjoyed this season and realize had two — perhaps three– plays gone their way, Ole Miss would be in the midst of a truly special season.

It would be in Atlanta this weekend facing off against the SEC East champion looking to lock up the school’s first SEC championship. It would be on the verge of a berth in the first College Football Playoff as a top-four seed.

It’s not a bad thing to understand how close Freeze has brought the Rebels to championship-caliber.

Ole Miss fans are happy with this season’s success, capped by a dominating Egg Bowl win, and as they should be. However, there’s reason to know that had two moments unfolded in their favor, not only would the Rebels’ season look vastly different, but the playoff picture would, as well.

9-3 is good, but 11-1 is better.

And Ole Miss came mighty close to the latter.