The Dawgs head to the ‘Sip this week to take on the Lane Train in Oxford. Before we preview Georgia vs. Ole Miss, we have to find out if the glass is half full or half empty for the 2024 Bulldogs. Mama always trained us to see the bright side, so we’ll start with seeing the half-full glass.
On Tuesday, the College Football Playoff Committee ranked Georgia No. 3 in its initial rankings. They are the highest-ranked SEC team. The Bulldogs still have an opportunity to play in Atlanta for the SEC Championship and a real opportunity to win a third national championship in four years. Georgia is 48-0 against teams not named Alabama. For many in Dawg Nation, 2024 should be the epitome of Georgia fandom. And now for the other side…
Something seems amiss with the 2024 Georgia team, and for this, we are focused on the team’s play on the field and not their inability to NOT Sammy Hagar it through Athens. Georgia is 7-1, but how many games can you, as a Georgia fan, come away saying, “damn, that game was fun. Them Dawgs is hell.” We’ll put the number at two. The opening win against Clemson, we’ll forgive the six points at halftime and the statement win over Texas in Austin in October. Other than that, we’ve had lackluster performances against Kentucky, Mississippi State, and last week against Flordia. The offense and defense are lacking a dominant player. It just seems off.
Yet Georgia is 7-1. A win over Ole Miss and/or Tennessee next week likely guarantees them a spot in the playoffs, but we’ve come to expect more. Hopefully, Georgia can deliver. Now, let’s preview Georgia vs. Ole Miss.
Between the Hedges: Georgia vs. Ole Miss
What are the game details?
History: Georgia leads the series 33-12-1
Last meeting: Georgia defeated Ole Miss 52-17 last year in Athens. Georgia lost its last meeting in Oxford, 45-14 in 2016.
Date and Time: Saturday, November 9 | 3:30 p.m. EST
Location: Vaught Hemingway Stadium, aka The Grove or The ‘Sip
Television: ABC
Spread: Georgia -2.5
Over/Under: 54.5
Headed to the ‘Sip
🏈: vs. Ole Miss
📅: Saturday November 9 | 3:30PM ET
📺: ABC/ESPN+#GoDawgs pic.twitter.com/jRYE9yjhSH— Georgia Football (@GeorgiaFootball) November 5, 2024
What Should You Know About Ole Miss?
The ‘Sip owes Georgia a thank you. Last year’s loss was eye-opening for Lane Kiffin and the Rebels. Ole Miss felt good coming into the game and ready to face the No. 1 Bulldogs. What started as a competitive game quickly got sideways, and Georgia was able to outpace the Rebels. Kiffin was brutal in his assessment of the performance after the game. “We got to recruit at a higher level. I’m not blaming people; we have to coach better, but at some point, we’ve signed one five-star, whatever those stats are. They’ve signed 24. That does kind of show up at some point.”
While Ole Miss is not likely to pull the kind of recruiting classes that Georgia does year in and year out, Kiffin has shown a keen ability and has become the self-anointed “Portal King.” With the assistance of the Grove Collective, Ole Miss brought in one of the top-ranked Transfer Portal classes of 2024. Ole Miss added 25 players from the transfer portal for the 2024 season. This was the second-largest transfer haul in the SEC and the 11th-largest in the FBS. The new additions have re-shaped the Ole Miss defense and added more firepower to an already potent offense.
Ole Miss is in a tough spot and in a must-win Saturday. They are 16 in the CFB Playoff rankings and 6-2 on the season. Kiffin has done well in Oxford, but this season shows how hard the path out of the middle is. He is also just 3-15 all-time against Top 10 opponents.
Who Should You Watch for on Georgia’s Offense?
Carson Beck. The second-year Georgia starter is statistically having a nice year. He is currently on pace to throw for more yards than he did a year ago. The challenge is turnovers. Beck did a great job of limiting mistakes last year; this year has not been the same. Beck threw three interceptions in last week’s win over the Gators in the Cocktail Party. It was the third straight game that Beck has had a multi-interception game and the fourth time in the last five games.
The lack of a true No. 1 pass catcher hurts, but Beck is a veteran. His job is to elevate those around him. Instead, his mistakes are keeping lesser teams in games they have no business being in. The mistakes put Georgia into a huge hole in Tuscaloosa back in September that led to their only loss of the season.
Beck’s success or inability to limit turnovers will be the key to Georgia’s success in 2024. He is a talented young man capable of making big plays with his arm and doing just enough with his legs to keep opposing defenses honest.
Who Should You Watch for on Georgia’s Defense?
Ole Miss has a lethal passing attack. Not only is Jaxson Dart in his third year as a starter, but he has plenty of options to get the ball out in space. Smart spoke earlier this week about the Rebels’ passing attack. “They have really good wideouts at Ole Miss. I mean, they’ve been through injuries, and yet they’ve still continued to throw for lots of yards. In my mind the top passing team in the country, in terms of statistics, passing, throwing.” It’s not just about the Jimmy and Joe’s thoughts according to Smart, he heaped plenty of praise on his good buddy Kiffin and his ability to scheme his guys open. “It doesn’t matter who it is with Lane. He’s going to plug somebody in there. They’re going to figure out where your weaknesses are, find match-ups, look for coverages, and find ways to beat those coverages, and they’ve got a guy that can do it.”
If you are looking for a Georiga player to make some plays and help neutralize Dart and the Rebel passing attack, look no further than freshman defensive back KJ Bolden. Bolden was a late add to the 2024 Class from Buford, Georgia. He was one of the top recruits in the country and has lived up to the hype this season. This week, Bolden was named one of 14 finalists for the 14 semifinalists for the 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐮𝐧 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫 Award.
Who wins Georgia vs. Ole Miss?
Will the glass be half full or half empty for the Dawgs on Saturday? Look for the glass to be full and Georgia locked into play a high-scoring fight against Ole Miss. Carson Beck makes the key play to set up a Peyton Woodring game-winner late ending the Rebels playoff hopes.
Georgia 38
Ole Miss 35
