OXFORD (AP) — Mississippi quarterback Jevan Snead has never heard about the ‘‘Sports Illustrated’’ cover jinx.

Turns out that’s a good thing because the Rebels are on the magazine’s cover this offseason — again. Ole Miss has gotten all kinds of love this summer, but few have been as enamored with the Rebels as ‘‘SI.’’

‘‘SI’’ writers rank the Rebels sixth in their poll. That’s great. But there’s Snead and center Daverin Geralds right there staring out from the magazine rack. Not so great.

When a reporter asks if Snead wants to know what the jinx is, Snead takes a hear-no-evil stance.

‘‘I prefer not to hear it, I guess,’’ Snead said.

After being tabbed for the magazine’s Southeastern Conference preview issue, which features a close up of second-year coach Houston Nutt wearing shades, Snead and center Daverin Geralds are on one of four national covers being circulated. Oklahoma State, Oregon and Penn State are on the others.

The photo of Snead pretending to direct traffic from behind Geralds is accompanied with the headline, ‘‘Party crashers: The Rebels have the firepower to shake up the BCS.’’

The attention is welcome despite the jinx — a long history of trouble and failure for players and teams featured on the cover.

‘‘We’re rising to the top, we’re getting recognized,’’ defensive end Kentrell Lockett said. ‘‘Being on the cover is just an eye opener for a lot of people, showing them that our season last year wasn’t really a fluke and we’re going to be a force to be reckoned with.’’

The Rebels won six straight games to finish last season, beating Texas Tech soundly in the Cotton Bowl. Ole Miss finished 14th in The Associated Press poll and is expected to be ranked higher when the preseason poll is released Aug. 22. They’re 10th in the USA Today coaches preseason poll.

Reporters and cameramen from all over have been passing through Oxford during the offseason. Snead is being mentioned as a potential Heisman Trophy candidate. The preseason watch lists are full of Rebels.

It’s all heady stuff. And, for now, Nutt doesn’t mind his players enjoying life. They began preseason practice Monday and the buzz has been fun for the team and fans. Nutt acknowledges he’s fired up about what’s ahead.

‘‘This is the type of year where you get antsy and you just put on your work hat and you can’t wait to get back on the field each day to see improvement,’’ he said. ‘‘This is what it’s about. We’ve got the classes out of the way and right now it’s eat and sleep football for two weeks. It’s an exciting time and it’s just a great feeling.’’

Unless the jinx gets them. Who can forget the cover that featured Mike Ditka and Ricky Williams? Or what about that cover with Tony Mandarich with the headline, ‘‘The Incredible Bulk’’?