Georgia vs. Ole Miss Key Matchups: Part 2

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Happy New Year’s Eve, Dawg fans!! I hope all of you are having an incredible holiday season. After a three-week wait, it is finally game week for the Georgia Bulldogs, as they are set to take on the Ole Miss Rebels in the Allstate Sugar Bowl in what is expected to be an exciting rematch. The Dawgs are coming off a much-needed few weeks of rest following their dominant 28–7 win over the Alabama Crimson Tide to claim their fourth SEC Championship in the Kirby Smart era.

Ole Miss, meanwhile, has undergone a massive shake-up within its program over the past few weeks. As you all know by now, head coach Lane Kiffin departed the Rebels to take the LSU job. Due to the move, Kiffin will not coach Ole Miss in the Playoffs. Rebels defensive coordinator Pete Golding was promoted to permanent head coach and will look to lead Ole Miss even further in the postseason following their dominant 41–10 win over Tulane in the first round. Tomorrow’s game is scheduled for an 8:00 p.m. ET kickoff and can be viewed on ESPN.

This Georgia team is not the same team it was when these two programs met the first time, especially on the defensive side of the ball. You could actually point to the fourth quarter of that first meeting as the moment things really turned around for the Georgia defense, as they have played lights out since. Before facing Ole Miss the first time, the Dawgs had just 10 sacks through seven games. Since then, Georgia has recorded 12 sacks over the last five games, and the Dawgs’ improved ability to get to the quarterback has been essential to their defensive turnaround.

Georgia’s defense will need a similar performance tomorrow night to what it delivered against the Crimson Tide in the SEC Championship. Putting pressure on Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss will be absolutely crucial, though that alone doesn’t guarantee he’ll miss throws. Chambliss is an exceptional dual-threat quarterback who can sit in the pocket and deliver the ball accurately and on time, while also possessing the ability to escape and extend plays. He’s playing his best football right now, completing 101 passes on 131 attempts for nine touchdowns over his last four games.

With that being said, it’s worth noting that Chambliss struggled mightily in the second half against Georgia back in October, finishing with a season-low 52.8 completion percentage as the Dawgs’ late-game pressure made him uncomfortable. Hopefully, Georgia can generate pressure for all four quarters this time around, forcing Chambliss into a few mistakes.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Dawgs must continue to establish the run game with Nate Frazier and Chauncey Bowens. Doing so allows Gunner Stockton to operate the offense effectively and take advantage of open deep shots downfield, much like we saw in October against the Rebels. Stockton is coming off a super-efficient SEC Championship performance, completing 20 of 26 passes for 156 yards and three touchdowns while adding 39 yards on the ground. He’ll need a similar outing tomorrow night against an Ole Miss defense that will be out for revenge.

Senior wide receiver Cobie Young is set to return tomorrow night after fracturing his leg earlier in the season against the Rebels. His return is huge for Georgia’s passing game, especially when it comes to taking shots downfield. Combine that with the steady production from Zachariah Branch and the rest of the wide receiver and tight end rooms, and Georgia should be well-positioned to spread the ball around, that is, if they establish the run game early. That task becomes even more important with the Dawgs once again playing without starting center Drew Bobo.

Prediction: UGA- 31 Ole Miss- 23

I see the Dawgs pulling out a close one. I’d like to believe Georgia can win by two or more possessions, but the extended time off does give me some concern about starting fast. The Ole Miss offense will more than likely come out white-hot, especially with Charlie Weis Jr. still calling plays. That said, I expect the Dawgs to settle in and do what Kirby Smart and the rest of the staff always have their guys ready to do: go out there and dominate.

With a win, Georgia would advance to the semifinal to face the winner of Miami and Ohio State, which takes place tonight. Hopefully, this isn’t my last matchups article of the season, as I’m hoping to write a couple more while the Dawgs chase their third national title in four years.

I hope all of you have a great New Year’s Eve and a strong start to the New Year. Stay safe out there, and as always, GO DAWGS!!!

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