After a rivalry win over the hated Handbags on Saturday, the Dawgs get back on the road to Oxford to face the high-flying Ole Miss Rebels in an elimination game for the Rebels’ CFP aspirations. Lane Kiffin is looking for a signature win for his program, and he probably believes that this is his best chance to get a win over a highly ranked opponent. The Dawgs hope to show once again the path to the SEC championship runs through Athens. Let’s get to the first look.
Series Record: Georgia leads 33-12-1 and won the last meeting between the programs.
Last Meeting: The Dawgs played arguably their best game of the season taking Ole Miss behind the Athens woodshed 52-17. The offense explodes for more than 600 yards of total offense including 300+ yards rushing and passing. The defense gives up some yardage including an opening drive touchdown before settling in including knocking Jaxson Dart out of the game after opening up a 38-14 lead in the 3rd quarter.
Gambling Degenerate Facts: Georgia is a 2.5 point favorite, and the point total sits at 54.5 per ESPNBET.
Interesting Statistic: 7.71 – Ole Miss’s yards per play so far this season
Is the Ole Miss offense the result of a soft as Charmin schedule where their offense has run up yards against a bunch of weak sister opponents especially early in the season. Georgia by far is the best defense the Rebels will see in the regular season across all levels of the defense, and the Rebels’ set of wide receivers is the best the Dawgs’ defense has faced since the Alabama game. This group is probably better than any team on the Georgia schedule.
Early Outlook
Similar to the Texas game, I expect we are going to see everyone falling all over themselves to pick Ole Miss to win straight up as a slight underdog. I’m confident so far this week primarily because I believe the Rebel defense hasn’t faced a total offense like the one they will Saturday in Vaught-Hemingway. Junior is going to want to get this game into a track meet and ride the arm of his potential Heisman candidate quarterback, Dart. This game will be another where the Georgia defense needs to come to play with bad intentions for 60 minutes and make Dart uncomfortable in the pocket and a target if he decides to run.
These games are the type where the best Kirby comes out with his team playing with a nastiness and an edge. I expect to see this game go into the 4th quarter competitive, but eventually, the Georgia talent advantage flexes their collective advantage.
What’s your thought on Saturday at this point? I’ll be back later this week with a full scope preview. Let us know in the comments below.
I feel the same way about this one as I did the Texas game, play sound football and we should win by a few touchdowns, play the shit football we have trended this season at times and we’re playing catch up all day (Alabama game). Ole Miss ain’t Texas or Alabama, I would equate them to Florida or Kentucky with a better offense. Jump on them early and often, like last year.
I mean, do we really know what we are going to get from our team? If they can shut down a Sarkisian team there isn’t any reason why they couldn’t shut down a Kiffin team, right? How do you know?
I believe Dart is a great QB and of course they have solid WR’s. I do worry a bit about their running game, they can do it, so I feel like they are dangerous to tangle with.
I also believe that we could be dangerous for the same reasons. Our offense just looks kind of constipated/lethargic/disjointed/labored for at least half of our possessions. Sometimes it all syncs though.
It’s frustrating to see that what we could be hasn’t been what we are. We should win the game so I think they will. We’ll have to see, won’t we, lol.
Like the Texas game, I’m going into it with trepidation. Hopefully the team responds like they did at Texas. Anything less and it will be a long afternoon.
I see where the early picks are going to Georgia to cover the 2.5 points. I don’t like that. I want the Dawgs to be disrespected.
What’s scary is that Georgia is 2-6 ATS this season. With a -2.5 line, there isn’t much room between not covering and winning and not covering and losing. Like you, I was hoping the Dawgs would be a slight underdog.
I don’t like this game for the Dawgs. Unlike Texas, Dart is fairly mobile. 6 will be targeted frequently and often. I don’t think we can slow down the offensive machine known as Ole Miss. Can we keep pace with a limited run game v a stout defensive front?? Beck has to be perfect & someone (other than 86) has to step up!! Tall hill to climb for the red clay hounds.
Dat running is somewhat of a concern but that’s only because y’all told me to worry about it.
We saw how the offense produced in the 2nd half of the Bama game with their backs against the wall. They had no choice but to score and they did. So if we can’t stop Ole Miss from scoring, maybe that same fire will be ignited in the offense and we can try to win in a shootout.
Mark Dart see ghosts. Don’t let them run, because I think they can run. What did Erk say? If we don’t score, we won’t win, but if they don’t score, they damn sure won’t win.
I am in silent prayer that Beck had a recommitment of his faith this week and can maybe feel the power of the Lord in his heart, because I bet, he felt the power of Kirby & Bobo’s boot in his ass this week. I know social media was on him like a bad smell, and social media is both unfair and unforgiving; I don’t like what people usually say about a kid. Hopefully he avoids the internet all together and with Kirby and Bobo, he worked out whatever in game demons he is dealing with and has the type game we all know he is capable of.
The run game gives me some questions for sure. Etienne may not be 100%, and to be honest, I am not sure he has been 100% all season. I believe this rib thing has been recurring this year. If he isn’t, I hope Frazier & Phillips are ready. Am I onto something here?
If the defense plays to the level they did with Texas, that changes the narrative completetly. I suppose we shall know the answers by around 6:30-7:00 on Saturday
damn autocorrect to hell
Hopefully Carson has spent a week getting his mind right. He’s sure as hell been getting lambasted by the media for his social media presence.
miltondawg, speaking of Beck getting his mind right, here’s something I posted the other day:https://youtu.be/fXRaR7ErjEA?feature=shared
Did y’all see where The Kiffin Kancer claims 26 players on his injured list. Sure Lane.
On another front, has Colbie Young been practicing with the team? Would he be eligible this week?
Sources tell me he has not been practicing but has been working out the whole time.
Until UGA decides they want to play entire football games I have no idea how they will do. Can they smoke the Rebels, yes, but are they interested in playing an entire game at potential is the question?
I think this game comes down to whether Georgia can run the ball just enough against a stout run defense and whether we can get the same pressure on Dart was we did in the Texas game. The Ole Miss pass defense is ranked in the high 90’s so we should be able to move the ball effectively through the air. Hopefully the OL will give Beck enough time so he isn’t seeing ghosts that cause him to make the bad decisions we have seen the last 5 games.
I think which ever team scores in the 30’s wins it.
Old Myth has only scored more than 30 once in conference play this year. I don’t see them hanging 30 on us either.
Ole Miss likes to get flagged for penalties a lot.
I think it all comes down to how we start. If we have one of those shitty first halves we seem to fall into frequently, I think Ole Miss could get too far ahead and we might not recover. If we come out strong, I think we pull away in the second half.
Sure glad our OL is at its healthiest status since Game 1. Ole Maid has a good DL. They’ve got a couple other good players sprinkled into their back 7, but nothing too exciting. Very Florida-like, actually. Offensively they’re banged up so we’ll see who plays. We absolutely dominated them last year, but Kiffin will adjust. I like the Dawgs to win and cover.