Ole Miss looks for revenge against Georgia in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 9. Last season, the Bulldogs dismantled the Rebels 52-17 in Sanford Stadium.
This is only the second time the Rebels have faced a ranked opponent this season. The first matchup resulted in a loss to LSU.
The Rebels are going into the game with a huge 63-31 road win over Arkansas. This was the Rebels’ first win on the Razorbacks’ home turf since 2008.
Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart had an impressive performance, throwing 515 passing yards and six touchdown passes. He also led the team in rushing yards with 10 carries for 47 yards. Dart became the second player in SEC history to have more than 500 passing yards and six touchdowns in a single game, according to the SEC Network.
Bo Underwood, sports editor of Georgia’s student newspaper, The Red and Black, spoke with The Daily Mississippian about this weekend’s game.
“If you allow Jaxson Dart to sit back there early in the game and build some confidence, that offense is going to really get going,” Underwood said. “The only real way to stop this offense is to immediately start to bring pressure and make life hard for him early.”
Dart was not the only Rebel player who had a great day on the field against Arkansas. Wide receiver Jordan Watkins put up monstrous numbers, with eight receptions, 254 receiving yards and five touchdowns — setting the Ole Miss record for most receiving yards and touchdowns in a single game.
On the other hand, Georgia struggled to beat Florida, as the Bulldogs trailed 13-6 in the first half. Quarterback Carson Beck had three interceptions, which allowed the Gators to take the lead.
The Bulldogs found their momentum in the second half, outscoring the Gators 28-7. Despite multiple turnovers, Beck managed to finish the day with 309 passing yards and two touchdown passes.
“Carson Beck had 10 interceptions in his last five games. … The fact that there have been three games like that for him and Georgia won two of them is pretty incredible,” Underwood said. “It says a lot about just how good the rest of Georgia’s team is.”
Georgia running back Nate Frazier also had a good day against Florida, finishing with 19 carries, 82 rushing yards and a touchdown.
Ole Miss heads into this week’s game with a 7-2 overall record and a 3-2 conference record. After losses to Kentucky and LSU, the Rebels must secure a win against Georgia to stay in the running for a College Football Playoff spot.
Georgia has only had one loss this season to Alabama in Tuscaloosa on Sept. 28. A few weeks later, the Bulldogs went on to steal a win from then No. 1 Texas 30-15 in Austin.
Georgia will have to face a solid Ole Miss defense, which has given up an average of only 13.22 points per game. Furthermore, players such as defensive linebacker Suntarine Perkins should be on the watch list for the Bulldogs as he has nine sacks for 53 yards.
If the Rebels’ offense plays like they did in Fayetteville against the Razorbacks, the Bulldogs will likely struggle on both sides of the ball.
Ole Miss and Georgia will play on Saturday, Nov. 9 in Oxford. Kickoff is at 2:30 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+.
