This weekend brings us another week of great college football action. Among the games this weekend, we have five different matchups between ranked opponents. And out of those, one of the biggest is Ole Miss vs Georgia. Not only is it big because it gives the Bulldogs a chance to seek revenge for their blowout loss to the Rebels last season in Oxford, but it also has College Football Playoff implications.
Ole Miss comes into this one undefeated. A win in Athens would put them in full control of their destiny when it comes to the playoffs. Georgia comes in with one loss, to a top-10 Alabama team. A win for the Bulldogs keeps them squarely in the mix. A loss, and their playoff hopes would be on their last leg.
So can the Rebels keep their undefeated hopes alive, or can Georgia get revenge for last year’s loss?
Previewing Ole Miss vs Georgia
Keys For the Bulldogs to Get a Big Win at Home
For Georgia, it needs to start on defense. The offense has been decent, but they’re going as far as the defense takes them. Taking on a Lane Kiffin offense isn’t easy, but it is an offense that has struggled a bit over the past three weeks. The key for the Bulldog defense should be forcing field goals and not giving up touchdowns. It’s almost a given that Ole Miss is going to rack up yards, but that doesn’t always mean touchdowns. If Georgia can hold the Rebels to three, and come up with a fourth down stop or key turnover, their going to be in a good spot to win this one.
As for the offense, it’s a bit of a touchier subject. Quarterback Gunner Stockton has been decent, but not great. He’s primarily been exactly what Georgia needs: a guy that won’t necessarily take over a game, but also doesn’t make crucial mistakes. A game manager, if you will. Against a Rebel defense that has struggled a bit at stopping the run, Georgia needs to dominate the line of scrimmage. With the duo of Chauncey Bowens and Nate Frazier in the backfield, the rushing attack should be where the Bulldogs go to first. If they can have early success on the ground, it will open up the rest of the offense to have success.
How Can Ole Miss Pull Off Another Win Over Georgia?
As mentioned earlier, it’s going to have to start with the Rebel offense. They’ve been off the past two games, but we know there’s plenty of talent there, because we’ve seen it. But now they take on a Georgia defense that is one of, if not the best, defenses they’ve seen this season. So for Ole Miss, they need to start by getting quarterback Trinidad Chambliss some easy completions. Allow him to get into a rhythm, and then he can use his legs from there.
But the same can be said for the Rebels’ rushing game, with Kewan Lacy. If Lacy can start with a few nice runs, the passing game opens up. But it all begins with the offensive line. The Rebel offensive line is going to have to be able to hold up against a really good Bulldog front seven. If they can win the battle at the line of scrimmage, the offense is going to have success.
As for the defense, it’s a tall task. There have been games this year where they’ve looked really good. There have also been a few that they’ve simply looked abysmal. For the Rebels, pressure on Stockton is key. If they can get to Stockton and force him to have to get out of the pocket, it will disrupt the entire Georgia offense. But that’s not easy to do.
Then there are the problems they’ve had with stopping the run. Against Georgia, that has to improve, or else they’ll just keep the ball on the ground and shorten the game. It won’t be easy, but ultimately, the Ole Miss defense likely determines the outcome of this game.
Ole Miss vs Georgia: Predictions
This is a huge game, with a lot at stake. But it’s also in Athens. And against a Rebel defense that struggles to stop the run, Georgia is going to take advantage of that. Ole Miss is likely going to put up points as well, but home-field advantage has been big in this series, and this year won’t be any different. The last time the Rebels won at Sanford Stadium was in 1996. And they won’t be breaking that streak this year.
Take the Bulldogs to win a relatively close one, and one that ends up being higher scoring than many might anticipate.
Georgia 37. Ole Miss 27
Main Image: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
