It has been seven years since the Georgia Bulldogs and the Ole Miss Rebels matched up, and on Saturday, Nov. 11, the Rebels will travel to Athens, Ga., to take on the No. 2 Bulldogs in what could be one of the most exciting games of college football this season.
Ole Miss is the only SEC opponent that Georgia Head Coach Kirby Smart does not have a win over. After traveling to Oxford in 2016, Smart and the Dawgs left disappointed as the Rebels came out on top 45-16.
Both Georgia and Ole Miss pulled out late wins in last week’s SEC matchups. Ole Miss escaped an upset over Texas A&M, topping the Aggies 38-35 after a failed game-tying field goal attempt. Georgia and Missouri were neck and neck until the Bulldogs completed two late field goals to secure the win and top the No. 12 Tigers 31-20.
While Smart and the Bulldogs are sitting at 9-0 (6-0 in SEC play), having won the last 42 of 43 games, Ole Miss Head Coach Lane Kiffin and the Rebels, who are currently 8-1 (5-1 in SEC play), are hoping to give the Bulldogs a good and exciting challenge on Saturday in Sanford Stadium.
Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart and the offense have proven that they have the potential to go nuclear on any given week, with three receivers — Jordan Watkins, Tre Harris and Dayton Wade — having over 600 receiving yards; Dart is firing on all cylinders both through the air and on the ground, spearheading one of the more potent offenses in the country.
Defensive Coordinator Pete Golding has gradually improved the strength of Rebel defense game by game, and the matchup between Ole Miss’ defense and Georgia’s offense is the biggest test Golding and his unit will face this season.
As for Georgia, rolling with quarterback Carson Beck has been a decision that has rewarded the Georgia offense greatly; after losing the back-to-back national championship quarterback Stetson Bennett IV to the NFL draft, Beck has stepped in and picked up right where Bennett left off.
Beck has produced some impressive stats in his first season starting for the Dawgs. So far this season, Beck has thrown for 2,716 yards and 16 total touchdown passes with just four interceptions.
The glaring issue and storyline for Georgia is the absence of star tight end Brock Bowers due to an ankle injury. Sophomore TE Oscar Delp, who has done a good job replacing Bowers’ production, will have his hands full once again versus a stout Ole Miss defense.
Delp this season has recorded 18 receptions, three touchdowns and 224 receiving yards. Last week versus Missouri, he recorded three receptions for 33 yards and a touchdown. Along with the talent of Delp comes running back Daijun Edwards and wide receiver Ladd McConkey, who headline the Bulldog run and pass game respectively.
With a game under the lights and the ESPN College Gameday crew on hand, Ole Miss will be back in full force as Kiffin and the Rebels hope to break Georgia’s long-time win streak, despite being an 11-point underdog.
Ole Miss’ talented offense and Georgia’s powerful defense could produce one of the best games so far this season — one that has major College Football Playoff implications for both teams.
Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. CST/7 p.m. EST on Saturday, Nov. 11, inside Georgia’s Sanford Stadium.
