Georgia routed Ole Miss as Brock Bowers returned, Bulldogs' offense ripped through Rebels.
Seth Emerson and The Athletic College Football Staff
November 12, 2023 at 7:50 AM EST
Todd Kirkland/Getty Images
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Ole Miss vs. Georgia historical notes
Georgia leads the all-time series 32-12-1 and won 10 in a row before the Rebels won the most recent meeting in 2016. Ole Miss last won in Athens in 1996.
- This is the fifth time both teams are ranked in the AP poll for their game — joining Ole Miss’ win in 2016 and Georgia’s wins in 1999, 1991 and 1968 — but the first time both are ranked in the top 10.
- It is Ole Miss’ 19th time playing in a matchup of two top-10 teams but just the fourth since 1964. The Rebels last won a matchup of two top-10 teams in the 1963 Sugar Bowl against Arkansas.
- The Rebels are 0-14 against AP No. 1 teams at the time of the game. However, they have beaten three teams that went on to finish No. 1: 2015 Alabama, 2008 Florida and 1977 Notre Dame. Notre Dame is the only other program with three wins against teams that went on to win the national championship in the poll era.
- Ole Miss has three road wins against AP top-five teams: 2015 at Alabama, 2008 at Florida and 1962 at LSU.
- Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin has one win against a top-five team as a head coach: 38-35 at No. 4 Oregon in 2011 with USC.
- Georgia is 35-2 when playing as the AP No. 1 team, losing only to Penn State in the 1983 Sugar Bowl and Auburn in 1942.
- Kirby Smart is 16-6 against AP top-10 teams as head coach at Georgia, including wins in each of the past eight.
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What is Georgia’s key?
Score points early and consistently, in order to force Ole Miss out of its preferred balanced attack. Jaxson Dart can pass and run, but the more Georgia’s defense can key on Dart and his receivers, rather than Quinshon Judkins, the more likely the Bulldogs can pull away.
Thoughts on Beck
USA Today
Carson Beck had his worst statistical game of the season last week against Missouri and still threw for 254 yards with a 65.6 completion percentage. He's not flashy and Georgia has its vulnerabilities this year. But he's a very good quarterback who is capable of taking Georgia where it wants to go. His 2,716 yards rank 10th nationally and 301.8 passing yards per game rank eighth.
Stats comparison
Ole Miss offense
Points per game: 38.8
Yards per game: 478.9
Georgia defense
Points per game: 15.4
Yards per game: 282.2
Ole Miss defense
Points per game: 22.9
Yards per game: 365.7
Georgia offense
Points per game: 39.3
Yards per game: 493.0
The coaches
USA Today
Georgia's Kirby Smart is 90-15 overall and 54-9 in the SEC. Smart is in his eighth season with the Bulldogs.
Lane Kiffin is 92-14 as a head coach, including 31-14 in his fourth season at Ole Miss. He also has been a head coach at Tennessee (7-6 in one season), USC (28-15 in three-plus seasons) and Florida Atlantic (26-13 in three seasons).
College football Week 11 odds, picks against the spread: Georgia-Ole Miss
With just three weeks left until the conference championship games and the College Football Playoff field is decided, time is running out for teams to make a statement. There are plenty of critical Week 11 matchups on tap with significant postseason implications.
It starts in Big Ten country with Michigan heading to Happy Valley to take on Penn State. The Wolverines look to stay perfect while dealing with plenty of outside noise against a Nittany Lions team that could use a signature victory.
GO FURTHER
College football Week 11 odds, picks against the spread: Penn State-Michigan, Georgia-Ole Miss and more
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The series
Georgia leads the all-time series 32-12-1.
It leads 18-4-1 at home and 14-9 on the road.
Georgia won the first meeting 28-14 in 1940. Ole Miss won the last meeting 45-14 in 2016.
Georgia has won nine of the past 10 meetings.
Thoughts on Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart
USA Today
I never know what to expect from Dart, and that might be because I feel the same way about the Ole Miss program in general (mainly because of coach Lane Kiffin). Dart is talented, for sure, and he can do special things, but he is also consistent and can make mistakes. He can’t make those mistakes against Georgia if Ole Miss has a chance to pull off the upset.
Ole Miss’ key?
The turnover margin. The Rebels lead the SEC in turnover margin and will need to create some takeaways against a team like Georgia. The Bulldogs have been in these types of games before and allow their opponents very little wiggle room. But if Ole Miss can get some momentum going early via turnovers and then put the ball in Dart's hands, the Rebels might be onto something.
Can Georgia still make the Playoff with a loss?
USA Today
Let’s do something different this week, because it’s a different week. I’m writing this from the nation’s capital, where I’m covering a story about the future of college athletics. But I’ve still got my mind on the present and the current Georgia team, as do you, judging by the questions.
So let’s double up: A two-mailbag week! First up in this edition, questions about Brock Bowers possibly returning soon, how big a loss it is to be without Jamon Dumas-Johnson, the tailback rotation, the blindside block call and more.
GO FURTHER
Can Georgia still make the College Football Playoff with a loss? Bulldogs mailbag, Part 1
Georgia's key?
Containing Jaxson Dart. It sounds easier said than done, but Ole Miss' offense goes with the junior quarterback, who is averaging 274.1 passing yards per game, good for tied for 22nd nationally. The Rebels have given up 20 sacks this year, the same number of sacks Georgia's defense has totaled. Disrupting him early could be key.
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What Georgia's play against Missouri means for Ole Miss
USA Today
Georgia just finished an exciting, epic game against a one-loss SEC upstart with a dangerous offense. Now it’s time for Georgia to turn its attention to, well, a one-loss SEC upstart with a dangerous offense.
First, let’s put a wrap on what happened in the first one, after rewatching and thinking more about Georgia’s 30-21 win over Missouri — and what it may mean for Ole Miss.
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What Georgia did right and wrong against Missouri and what it means for Ole Miss
Player to watch tonight
Georgia tight end Brock Bowers. Will he play? How limited will he be? And will he look like his old self right away? We all expect the best from Bowers, based on the standard he has set. College football is better and more entertaining when he's available.
Most interesting matchup to watch is ...
Definitely the Ole Miss running game against Georgia’s front. The Bulldogs were frustrated with Missouri’s success last week and didn’t have any answers for the offensive line and Cody Shrader. Quinshon Judkins is a better player and if Ole Miss springs the upset, it’ll be because Georgia’s defense can’t get off the field or put the offense behind the chains.
Ole Miss at Georgia line, prediction, odds
An SEC battle between two of the conference’s top contenders is upon us when undefeated Georgia welcomes Ole Miss into its home in a meeting of top-10 teams. The Rebels enter as huge underdogs.
Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs are eyeing their 25th consecutive home win. The bigger picture, of course, is remaining in control of their own destiny to the College Football Playoff. The prospect of a third-straight national championship becomes increasingly more realistic. Georgia will seal up the SEC East with a victory.
GO FURTHER
Ole Miss at Georgia line, prediction, odds: Top-10 showdown in SEC could shift CFP top 4
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No. 9 Ole Miss at No. 2 Georgia
Ole Miss, No. 9 in this week's College Football Playoff rankings, travels to No. 2 Georgia at 7 p.m. on Saturday. The game will be broadcast by ESPN.
Ole Miss is 8-1 overall and 5-1 in the SEC. Georgia is 9-0 and 6-0.
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