What happened to the party in the Sip? It started so well. Georgia sacked Jaxson Dart on Ole Miss’s first two plays, and then Dan Jackson intercepted him on their third. Seven plays later, Nate Frazier bulldozed his way into the end zone on 4th and goal to put Georgia up 7-0. Georgia fans were feeling good. An opening drive score? Check. Did the defense show up? Check. Heck, it also looked like they knocked Dart out of the game with a lower-body injury. It was time to call the ambulance, but not for Dart and the Rebels. No, they would outscore Georgia 28-3 the rest of the game. Oxford was rocking, and the Ole Miss faithful felt no pain when the clock struck 0:00 with a 28-10 Ole Miss rout over Georgia.
THEY'RE EATING THE DAWGS pic.twitter.com/o1GlN8i8pP
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) November 10, 2024
Outplayed and Out-Coached
What happened? Kirby Smart summed it up in his postgame press conference. “I told our team this week they were the most talented team we’ve played,” Smart said. “They outplayed and out-coached us tonight.” Carson Beck’s struggles continued. He failed to throw for more than 200 yards, threw another interception, fumbled, and failed to throw a touchdown. The running game was also a non-factor. Georgia’s two top running backs, Frazeier and Trevor Etienne averaged less than four yards a carry. The offensive line looks porous, Beck was constantly under duress, and Georgia’s big skill failed to open up any real holes. It’s not great when you are heading into the season’s final month, with a likely must-win game coming up next week in Athens.
Smart cautioned fans, though, that the sky is not falling and that all is not lost. “Welcome to the SEC, baby. It’s on to the next.” Smart said. “I think our kids will respond; we’re not riding this roller coaster of emotion. It’s a long journey.” The coach’s speech from Smart is nice, but Georgia fans should expect and deserve more. The 2024 team had all the preseason accolades and watchlists around them. There have been a few highlights, two dominant second-half performances against Clemson and Alabama, and a first-half in Austin that gave us all hope. So, save the ‘welcome to the SEC’ and ‘it’s a long season,’ coach. The season could take a severe turn in the next week. Let’s take a closer look at what Georiga’s future holds.
Party in the Sip: Georgia’s Uncertain Future
The Vols Challenge
Georgia failed its road test. Sure, the win in Texas was nice, but two no-shows in Tuscaloosa and Oxford hurt. Alabama gave the appearance of closer games, but the 30-7 first-half score shows that this team was just not ready. Georgia has three home games remaining to attempt to salvage their season. It all starts Saturday night when the Dawgs welcome the Vols between the hedges.
NIGHT GAME ALERT 🚨
The Dawgs will play Tennessee at 7:30PM ET in Sanford Stadium on November 16.#GoDawgs pic.twitter.com/NA7H3EjkpV
— Georgia Football (@GeorgiaFootball) November 4, 2024
Athens should be rocking on Saturday night. Tennessee will likely be by 8-1 (they are up 20-7 at halftime at the time of writing). The Vols are flying high and have their sights set on a spot in the SEC Championship game and College Football Playoff. Tennesse has struggled against the Dawgs of late. Two years ago, they came in with big dreams and were crushed by Smart and the Dawgs. These Vols are different and have the tools to hurt Georgia. Dylan Sampson is one of the top backs in the country and the best in the SEC. Georgia has shown an inability to limit the opposing team’s running games consistently. The Vols are also strong on defense and upfront. As Ole Miss showed on Saturday, they will pose a challenge and have the potential to overwhelm Georgia’s offensive line.
A loss to the Vols ends Georgia’s playoff hopes. Sure, some Georgia writers may provide scenarios where 9-3 gets the Dawgs in. This writer is not subscribing to that propaganda.
So Long, SEC Championship
Georgia’s loss to Ole Miss gives it two conference losses and all but eliminates Georgia’s future, pointing to an appearance at the SEC Championship. Texas A&M, Tennessee, and Texas all have just a single conference loss. (LSU has only one conference loss, too; the Tide is up at the time of writing. Sorry, LSU familee). No SEC Championship appearance removes the possibility of an automatic bid and first-round bye in the playoff.
Georgia’s Future in the College Football Playoff
Playoffs? Are you talking about playoffs? Yes, we are. Let’s examine Georgia’s future based on two scenarios.
In scenario one, they beat the Vols and won the rest of their regular-season games, finishing the season 10-2. This is the best-case scenario. Georgia is in the playoffs, but a home playoff game at Sanford Stadium is far from likely. Georgia would be behind Ohio State/Oregon loser, Penn State, Texas, and Notre Dame. Depending on their seasons, these teams would have either made a conference championship or had only one loss on the season. Georgia would likely have to go on the road instead, possibly up North. It’s not ideal, but it’s still better than scenario two.
Scenario two: Georgia loses to the Vols but somehow finds the motivation to finish the season 9-3. Not only would the season be considered a disappointment, but it is unlikely that Georgia would find its way into the playoffs. Should this happen, it might be time for Kirby Smart to consider staff and personnel changes. Too often this year, the team has been spinning its tires and not playing up to its standard. To correct Georgia’s future, Smart would have to look hard at some of his staff relationships and consider what is best for the program.
