Everything to know about Georgia-Ole Miss game
ATHENS — Ole Miss coach Pete Golding knows a thing or two about what it will take to beat Georgia, and didn’t hesitate to share the key.
“If you can’t stop the run versus those guys,” Golding said at his press conference this week, “it’s a long night.”
Ole Miss ranks 76th in the nation in run defense, but the Rebels have flexed their muscles of late, holding Missouri to 39 yards rushing in a 31-3 win on Oct. 17 and Auburn to 63 yards rushing last Saturday.
Then, there’s the matter of out-scheming and out-managing Kirby Smart, the SEC’s winningest coach by win percentage.
“He’s been in the league, what, 20 years now, I think nine as an assistant,” Golding said. “I think he does a really good job of creating toughness in his program and discipline, and you can see it in his team.”
Golding said Ole Miss didn’t tackle well or communicate well in its loss to Georgia during the regular season in Athens.
“I thought the (Sugar) Bowl game was different; we did a better job (defensively) on base down run game,” Golding said. “Created some more negative yardage plays, not nearly as many explosives in the game, (and) created some turnovers.”
Golding said he expects turnovers and big plays to be pivotal once again on Saturday.
“This game is always critical downs and turnovers,” Golding said. “You know playing against a really good Georgia football team, you can’t turn the ball over and you can’t give up explosives on offense.
“You got to make them drive the length of the field and got to do a really good job on critical downs.”
Facts about Georgia at Ole Miss
When: Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Vaught Hemingway Stadium, Oxford, Miss.
Rankings and records: Georgia (7-1, 5-1 SEC), No. 2 in CFP Rankings; No. 2 in Sagarin computer rankings. Ole Miss (6-2, 4-2 SEC), No. 8 (of 266) in Sagarin computer rankings.
TV/radio: ABC; Georgia Bulldogs Sports Network radio; Sirius XM 172.
Weather: 45 degrees at kickoff.
Series: Georgia leads 34-14-1
Last meeting: Ole Miss won the most recent meeting, 39-34, in the CFP Sugar Bowl quarterfinal as Trinidad Chambliss passed for 362 yards and two touchdowns and led the Rebels on a game-winning field goal drive in the final minutes.
Georgia, which saw Gunner Stockton complete 18 of 31 passes for 203 yards and a touchdown, held a 21-12 lead until the 4:51 mark of the third quarter, as the Rebels rallied with three consecutive touchdown drives.
Last outings: Georgia beat Florida, 27-8, racing to a 24-0 halftime lead on the strength of three Gators’ turnovers, one of which produced linebacker Chris Cole’s 66-yard fumble return for a touchdown. Ole Miss beat Auburn 45-15, as Chambliss passed for 263 yards with two touchdowns and an interception and rushed for 65 yards and a touchdown.
Georgia game notes
• Georgia has prospered greatly in the opening halves of games this season, outscoring opponents 94-14 in the first quarter and 202-57 in the first half.
• The Bulldogs’ defense has greatly aided the cause in victories, scoring three defensive touchdowns, which is tied for fourth nationally among FBS teams. Chris Cole has returned two fumbles for touchdowns. Cole leads the team with five fumble recovers and his 3.5 sacks are second on the team behind Raylen Wilson’s 4.
• Gunner Stockton owns the best completion percentage among Georgia quarterbacks in history at 70.15%. Stockton is ninth in career completions in UGA history (456), 28 completions from passing eighth-place Quincy Carter (1998-2000).
• Georgia ranks among the best in red zone efficiency on offense. The Bulldogs have made 39 trips inside opponents’ 20-yard lines and scored 90% of the time (30 touchdowns, 5 field goals). The UGA defense has seen opponents penetrate the 20-yard line 17 times and score 12 touchdowns and kick 3 field goals.
• The Vaught Hemingway Stadium is one of four SEC campus venues Smart has not won in as a head coach (0-2). The others are LSU (0-1) and Florida, Oklahoma and Texas A&M (three stadiums Smart has not led the Bulldogs into).