Ole Miss signed (ex) Clemson linebacker TJ Dudley in late July, just ahead of the 2023 fall camp period. Since then, and until this month, Dudley and the Rebels had been waiting for the NCAA to approve an instant transfer waiver.
During his National Signing Day press conference on Wednesday afternoon, Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin revealed that Dudley will be eligible to play in this year’s Peach Bowl and make his Rebel debut.
“Yes. All that we’ve been told, it is confirmed that he can play in the bowl game,” Kiffin said. “That’s really neat for him to have an opportunity to do that. I really think it should’ve been that way anyway because they changed the rule. I think once these rosters got smaller for player protection because there are so many guys going into the portal and rosters are down for bowl games.”
During the 2022 high school recruiting cycle, Dudley was ranked as a four-star prospect and rated as 247Sports’ No. 37 linebacker and No. 13 overall prospect out of the state of Alabama. When he hit the portal last offseason, the Alabama native was rated as the No. 39 overall available linebacker.
Kickoff for the 2023 Peach Bowl between No. 11 Ole Miss (10-2) and No. 10 Penn State (10-2) is set for 11 a.m. CT and can be seen on ESPN on Saturday Dec. 30. Ole Miss stands as 3.5-point underdogs, at the time of this writing. Inside the Rebels will be on site for Ole Miss’ season finale and will provide more updates, quotes and stories leading up to game day.
