OXFORD - The Ole Miss Rebels have earned top 10 rankings with regularity since the conclusion of the 2008 season.

So they treated Saturday's news that they're listed No. 8 in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 with no excitement, even though the AP poll crowns one of the sport's two most recognized national champions.

"We have to keep our blinders on," Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt said. "It doesn't mean anything to us. It didn't mean anything to us last year when we weren't ranked."

The Rebels' finish to last season obviously meant something to poll voters, who made them one of four SEC teams in the top 11.

Defending champion Florida leads the list at No. 1. Alabama is No. 5, and LSU is No. 11. Georgia is also in the poll at No. 13.

The Rebels come in just behind No. 7 Virginia Tech and ahead of Oklahoma State and Penn State, who share No. 9.

"Honestly, I haven't thought much about it, and we shouldn't think much about it," quarterback Jevan Snead said. "We need to keep working hard, keep doing what we've been doing, and that's getting ready for Memphis."

The ranking is the Rebels' highest since being listed No. 5 to begin the 1970 season. They reached No. 4 during that year.

The last time the Rebels were ranked in the preseason was 2000 when they opened at No. 18.

Another day of work

The Rebels had their second scrimmage of August camp Saturday and came away with two injuries, one to a starter.

Senior tight end Gerald Harris sustained a hamstring pull. The severity of the injury is not known.

Nutt said redshirt freshmen Ferbia Allen and E.J. Epperson and junior Reggie Hicks would get the practice work that would go to Harris, who will be out of an undetermined time.

Nutt did not immediately mention highly regarded freshman Zaccheus Mason.

The Rebels also lost freshman defensive end Alex Williams with what is believed to be a broken leg. Wiliams was expected to redshirt.

The roughly two-hour scrimmage again focused more on the young players than veterans, though Nutt and offensive coordinator Kent Austin were highly complimentary of Snead's work, an upgrade for the junior Texan over last week's scrimmage.

"He was really good going through his progressions. He saw his hots, he saw the safety down on the touchdown. He looked really good today," Austin said.