Tag: Ole Miss Football

What the media is saying ahead of Georgia-Ole Miss

Several media outlets share their opinions on Georgia Bulldogs football ahead of their game at Ole Miss

Throughout the season, the Georgia Bulldogs have been a massive talking point for any college sports show. Georgia is 7-1 and atop the SEC, but many folks are wondering about their staying power as SEC champions.

Georgia has a loss to No. 11 Alabama (6-2) and close wins against Kentucky (3-6), Mississippi State (2-7) and Florida (4-4).

Much of the media buzz has been around Carson Beck, who has struggled mightily with six interceptions in his last two games. A great deal of praise has been given to the defensive side of the ball: KJ Bolden, Mykel Williams and Jalon Walker have gained recognition.

Ahead of the 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff on Saturday, here are some media takes about Georgia or the matchup between UGA and Ole Miss:

Paul Finebaum believes this game is big for Lane Kiffin

Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports

Via the DawgNation podcast, Paul Finebaum gave his thoughts on the game, hinting this will be a referendum on Lane Kiffin’s career.

“Ultimately, I think this is the biggest game of Lane Kiffin’s career. He has a chance to come closer to punching his ticket to the College Football Playoff, or letting it all slip away. You’re going to hear about this in the game in Baton Rouge, but this is really about the opportunity for Ole Miss.”

Uncle Lou on Bleacher Report shares opinion on Carson Beck

On Bleacher Report, Uncle Lou went on his show to discuss the Bulldogs, and he had an interesting take on Carson Beck.

“The turnovers are obviously a problem. You just can’t talk about Georgia without addressing it. It’s just mind numbing, and it’s hard to understand why. It’s like a golfer with the yips. If you look at him last year, there’s a reason why every single top returning quarterback list anyone put out had Carson Beck on it. There’s a reason why he was considered a top-10 pick, potentially No. 1! But he’s far from that now, looking at third- or fourth-round pick. He might be the worst quarterback in the SEC.”

SI names Georgia players to watch

Jackson Harris of Sports Illustrated named some Georgia players that could have a big impact on the Ole Miss game.

Wide receiver Dillon Bell

“Bell is a do-it-all player for the Georgia Bulldogs, lining up in the backfield, slot, and out wide with the ability to hit a big play every time he gets the ball.”

Safety Malaki Starks

“The strong safety for the Dawgs is one of the leaders of this defense, and he has been all over the field to start 2024. Starks tallied two tackles for loss in the loss to Alabama but was a key part of the victory in Austin, racking up seven total tackles and one TFL.”

Linebacker Jalon Walker

“Walker was a man amongst boys in the win over Texas, tallying three sacks and absolutely harassing the Longhorn offensive line. The Rebels offensive line hasn’t been great but has improved in pass protection in the past two weeks. To really have a chance on Saturday, however, the Rebels need to find a running game.”

UGA vs. Ole Miss series history

Georgia Bulldogs versus Ole Miss Rebels football series history: Dawgs on top

The Georgia Bulldogs lead the all-time series history over the Ole Miss Rebels 33-13-1. Georgia has won 11 of the last 12 meetings in the series, but the Bulldogs did not win their last trip to Oxford.

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart is 1-1 in his career against Ole Miss with his only loss to the Rebels coming in 2016. Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin is 0-1 against Georgia.

Let’s take a look back at some of the recent meetings between the two SEC foes.

Nov. 11, 2023 – Georgia 52, Ole Miss 17

Georgia entered as the No. 1 team, facing a top-10 ranked Ole Miss. Georgia controlled the game from start to finish, with quarterback Carson Beck delivering a standout performance, throwing four passing touchdowns. The Bulldogs’ defense effectively limited Ole Miss’ rushing leader Quinshon Judkins and forced multiple turnovers.

Judkins scored two rushing touchdowns, but it wasn’t enough to stop Georgia’s dominant offense. This victory continued Georgia’s long winning streak and strengthened their College Football Playoff hopes​.

Sept. 24, 2016 – Ole Miss 45, Georgia 14 

Ole Miss achieved a major victory over Georgia, with quarterback Chad Kelly showcasing his skills by passing for 282 yards and three total touchdowns. Ole Miss took an early lead with three first half touchdowns and built a commanding 31-0 halftime advantage over Kirby Smart and Georgia.

The Rebels’ defense held Georgia scoreless until the fourth quarter, where the Bulldogs scored twice but remained far behind. This game snapped a 10-game losing streak for Ole Miss against Georgia, though the result was later vacated due to NCAA sanctions.​

​Nov. 3, 2012 – Georgia 37, Ole Miss 10 

Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver Tavarres King celebrates a touchdown in the first half against the Mississippi Rebels at Sanford Stadium. Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports

Georgia pulled away in the second half after being down 10-0 early to Ole Miss. Quarterback Aaron Murray threw for 384 yards, leading a scoring surge that saw Georgia outscore Ole Miss 37-0 after the Rebels’ early advantage. The Bulldogs’ defense tightened up, intercepting passes and shutting down Ole Miss for the rest of the game. Georgia won at home to maintain its lead in the SEC East race​.

Sept. 24, 2011 – Georgia 27, Ole Miss 13 

Georgia overcame a slow start with running back Isaiah Crowell and quarterback Aaron Murray leading the way offensively. Crowell’s rushing and Murray’s passing helped Georgia establish a lead, while their defense contained Ole Miss, which struggled to find momentum on offense.

Georgia held a 17-7 halftime lead and maintained control in the second half. The game secured Georgia’s first conference win of the season, and the Bulldogs gained momentum toward a strong SEC finish.

What Lane Kiffin said about facing Georgia

Ole Miss Rebels coach Lane Kiffin explains Georgia’s situation with quarterback Carson Beck: “It’s a good problem to have.”

Ole Miss Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin has had Saturday’s matchup with the No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs circled on his calendar for a long time. Kiffin and Ole Miss lost to Georgia 52-17 in Athens a year ago. Kiffin vowed to change things within his program following the Rebels’ humbling loss to Georgia last season.

Now, No. 16 Ole Miss (7-2, 3-2) faces Georgia (7-1, 5-1) with its College Football Playoff hopes on the line at home. Kiffin has a lot of respect for Georgia and head coach Kirby Smart.

“Anybody that’s going to win it (the playoff), it’s going to have to go through Georgia at some point. They’re the premier program in college football. You know, outside of Alabama, they won 51 straight games,” said Kiffin. Georgia’s last loss, outside of Alabama, came to Florida in 2020.

Kiffin and Ole Miss beefed up their defensive front and other areas of their roster in the offseason in preparation for playing teams like Georgia. The Rebels have the third-best scoring defense in the SEC at 13.2 points per game and the SEC’s top rushing defense at only 82.2 yards per game.

“I hope so,” said Kiffin when asked if the Rebels roster is better this season versus last season. “You know, that game didn’t go very well a year ago. But every game is independent and different, so yeah, I think we’re in a better place.”

Ole Miss’ season has not gone exactly to plan with the Rebels suffering losses to LSU and Kentucky. Still, Ole Miss has a very strong team that will be much more competitive against Georgia this season.

“I think he is very talented, played great, played an amazing game against us a year ago,” said Kiffin on Georgia quarterback Carson Beck. “You know, he’s throwing some picks, but quarterbacks go through that.”

Beck has thrown 11 interceptions over his past five games. Georgia’s offense has remained effective despite Beck’s turnover issues.

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“You got a great quarterback, versus some people around the country who say ‘okay, well they protect the ball but the quarterback can’t make the throws.’ So it’s a good problem to have,” continued Kiffin on Beck, who is still the No. 15 quarterback in the country in passing yardage with 2,302 yards.

Georgia plays Ole Miss at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 9.

Georgia RB depth is a major concern against Ole Miss

The Georgia Bulldogs could be without three of their top running backs against Ole Miss

Georgia Bulldogs running back Trevor Etienne left the Florida game with a rib injury that sidelined him for the rest of the game. With his injury, the running back group is down to two backs that have played meaningful snaps.

Nate Frazier and Cash Jones helped the Bulldogs leave Jacksonville with a win. Frazier accounted for 82 yards on the ground with a touchdown. Jones added three receptions for 37 yards and touchdown.

Georgia already had depth concerns at running back before Etienne’s injury during the Florida game. Now, the concern moves to the Bulldogs’ game against No. 12 Ole Miss. During the Monday presser, coach Kirby Smart updated the status of Etienne.

“(Trevor) Etienne, I feel good about. He felt good yesterday and did some things yesterday with our guys. I don’t know a lot until we get out there and practice today, but we’ll certainly see how he feels, if the trainer feels good about him. The big thing is just his ability to sustain and deal with a little bit of pain because he’s going to have some there. But he’s a tough kid, and I think he’ll do well with it,” Smart said.

With the way Smart was talking, it seemed Etienne is good to go, but pain tolerance may be a concern. Another player in the running back room that is still injured is Roderick Robinson. Robinson who has been out since the beginning of the season due to turf toe injury that required surgery. Smart updated his status and a couple of his teammates before the game on Saturday.

“We’re hopeful to get those guys back is the biggest thing. I don’t know at one point it’s going to happen. But each one of those guys are rehabbing, working their butts off and hoping to get back to help the team soon,” Smart said.

There are still some things Robinson has to do to get back on the field for the Bulldogs this season. Georgia is also without running back Branson Robinson, who suffered a knee injury a few weeks ago. If Etienne is ready to go against Ole Miss, expect a heavy workload for him, Frazier and Jones to relieve pressure on Carson Beck in the hostile environment of Oxford. Georgia could also give a few more carries to Dwight Phillips.

TV, commentators set for Georgia-Ole Miss game

The Georgia Bulldogs play the Ole Miss Rebels in a battle of two top-15 SEC teams on Saturday

The No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs play the No. 12 Ole Miss Rebels at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday in Oxford, Mississippi. The Georgia-Ole Miss game will be televised on ABC.

The television commentators for the Georgia-Mississippi game are Sean McDonough (play-by-play), Greg McElroy (analyst) and Molly McGrath (sideline).

Georgia is 7-1 (5-1 SEC), but it did not exactly look like a national championship contender in the 34-20 win over Florida.

Ole Miss is 7-2 (3-2 SEC). The Rebels are coming off their best offensive game of the season, an impressive 63-31 win at Arkansas.

Kirby Smart thinks the Rebels could be undefeated.

“Tremendous team that really should probably be undefeated. At the end of the day, they’ve had two really, really close games. Both games that they could have easily won,” said Smart.

Georgia has had turnover issues, and those can’t continue if the Bulldogs want to defeat Ole Miss. Georgia quarterback Carson Beck needs to be a little sharper in this one.

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Last year, Georgia beat Ole Miss, 52-17, in Athens, but this game looks like it will be totally different than the 2023 edition.

Greg Sankey gives strict warning to SEC head coaches over ‘feigned injury nonsense’

SEC commisioner Greg Sankey is fed up with the uptick in ‘feigned injuries’ in SEC play this season

The 2024 SEC football season has been chaotic, to say the least. Texas A&M (7-1, 5-0 SEC) currently leads the conference amid head coach Mike Elko’s first season with the program, while Ole Miss has been in the headlines for the wrong reasons as of late.

On Friday, the issue of “fake injuries” came back into the fold after several occurrences during SEC play, specifically under the watch of Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin. However, none of this can be proven, as injuries in any form result in a free timeout.

However, from the handful of questionable injuries we’ve seen throughout conference play, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has had enough, calling out the problem in a newly leaked memo reported by ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg while outlining several new punishments, including fines and even public reprimands for the coaches and players involved if the problem continues.

While the memo felt like a personal grievance from both a commissioner’s point of view and a general fan of the game, Sankey ended his thoughts with a final warning to the league:

“Play football and stop with the feigned injury nonsense.”

Overall, “feigned” or “fake” injuries have been an eye score for every fan base who wants to see a clean game, but it’s not like this hasn’t been a problem in the past, so we’ll now wait and see if Sankey’s warning has any effect.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

TV, kickoff time set for Georgia at Ole Miss game

No. 2 Georgia and No. 18 Ole Miss play each other on Saturday, Nov. 9

The Georgia Bulldogs at Mississippi Rebels game will be televised on ABC. Georgia (6-1, 4-1) is the No. 2 team in the US LBM Coaches Poll. Ole Miss is (6-2, 2-2) and ranked No. 18.

The Rebels play at Arkansas the week before playing Georgia. Georgia plays Florida in Jacksonville, Florida, ahead of the Nov. 9 clash with Ole Miss. The Georgia-Ole Miss game will kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET.

Georgia’s game at Ole Miss will be the Bulldogs’ final road game of the season. Ole Miss is fighting for its College Football Playoff hopes, so the Rebels will come out motivated against Georgia.

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart and quarterback Carson Beck helped UGA defeat Ole Miss, 52-17, during the 2023 college football season. The Rebels’ loss to Georgia made them adjust a few things with their program.

“I feel bad for our fans, you know, to not have one night conference game,” said Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin on playing Georgia at 3:30 p.m. ET.

Georgia needs to win out in SEC play to have a good chance to make the SEC championship game. Kirby Smart is 1-1 in his career against Ole Miss and 0-1 on the road. Smart and Georgia lost to Mississippi, 45-14, in 2016.

Ole Miss fans went wild for a squirrel interrupting play with a run for the end zone

Touchdown, squirrel!

During Saturday’s Oklahoma-Ole Miss game, a special furry guest stole the show.

A squirrel ran onto the field in Oxford during the game’s first quarter and briefly stopped play. As the crowd started to catch on to what was going on, cheers erupted for the squirrel as it darted toward the end zone.

We’re not sure where this squirrel went, probably to a tree near The Grove, but the stat keepers better record a touchdown for this squirrel in the box score. This was as clean a touchdown as you’ll see in football this fall.

The 2025 NFL Draft class might have some competition.

Feature image courtesy of ESPN. 

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Texans land former top defensive recruit in latest 2025 NFL Mock Draft

Ole Miss superstar Walter Nolen could be headed to NRG Stadium in 2025.

Currently, the Houston Texans’ top need is defensive back help. Jimmie Ward and Kamari Lassiter remained sidelined for the next several weeks due to injury. Rookie Calen Bullock, plus veterans Jalen Pitre and Eric Murray, have been hit-and-miss this season in man coverage. 

But what’s the Texans’ biggest need entering the offseason? For now, it remains defensive tackle. Houston chose to spend money elsewhere in the offseason, thus leading to one-year deals with Tim Settle, Foley Fatukasi and Mario Edwards Jr. 

The Texans would be wise to find an interior running mate to pair alongside Defensive Player of the Year candidate Will Anderson Jr. and Pro Bowl defensive end Danielle Hunter. That’s what ESPN has the Texans doing in its latest mock draft with the selection of Ole Miss defensive lineman Walter Nolen at pick No. 30. 

A true wrecking ball up the middle is one of the few missing ingredients for an elite football team in Houston. After two underwhelming seasons at Texas A&M, Nolen is having a breakout year in his first season at Ole Miss. He already has 2.5 sacks, five tackles for loss and 8 run stops. With aggressive hands and a sudden first step, he’s consistently able to defeat single blocks at the first level.

Formerly the No. 1 defensive recruit of the 2022 class, Nolen started two years for the Aggies before transferring this offseason. Despite the underwhelming results under then-coach Jimbo Fisher, Nolen flashed potential, totaling nine tackles for loss, 24 QB hits and four sacks. 

Entering the Rebels’ bye week, Nolen has been the anchor of a defense that leads the nation in run defense, holding opponents to 1.96 yards per attempt and 66.5 yards per game.

Edwards, Settle and Fatukasi call could cash in elsewhere this offseason, meaning Houston could bargain shopping once more to fill the void up the middle. Bringing in a player with a fifth-year option to shore up some money elsewhere makes not only sense on paper but also to a defense headlined by DeMeco Ryans. 

The Texans are also picking 30th, which means that ESPN believes Houston is poised to go on a postseason run.

To show up in the AFC title game for the first time in franchise history and land a potential All-American defensive lineman as the foundation of the run defense? It’s hard for Texans fans to hate that result entering 2025. 

Texas A&M stays pat in Football Power Index rankings after Week 7 bye

Here is where Texas A&M currentl ranks in the newest ESPN FPI standings

Texas A&M (5-1, 3-0 SEC) enjoyed the bye week during Week 7 of the 2024 college football schedule before preparing to travel to Starkville to face Mississippi State next Saturday, which looks like a “trap game” on paper.

Around the rest of the SEC, Alabama and Tennessee dropped in both major rankings after barely winning against lesser opponents just a week after losing on the road. Even more surprising, Ole Miss was likely eliminated from the College Football Playoffs after losing to LSU in overtime. The Rebels are now 5-2 and 1-2 in SEC play.

Ahead of Texas A&M’s Week 8 clash against Mississippi State, here are the updated ESPN FPI rankings.

Texas A&M football’s FPI ranking, rating

According to ESPN’s Football Power Index, Texas A&M stayed at No. 12 during the bye with a 15.6 FPI rating, the sixth-highest among SEC teams. The Aggies are projected to win 8.8 games and have a 1.3% chance of winning out. Sitting at 5-1, A&M currently has a 32.8% chance to make the playoffs and a 2.9% chance to make the National Championship game.

SEC team in FPI

Within the conference, four of the top five teams in the rankings are outside the SEC, led by the Texas Longhorns (29.8), followed by Alabama (3rd, 23.7), Georgia (4th, 22.5), the Ole Miss Rebels (5th, 21.6), while Tennessee (20.3) came in 7th.

Despite the big win, two spots below Texas A&M, LSU (14.6) settled in at 14th, while the Missouri Tigers (19th, 12.7) and Oklahoma Sooners (20th, 12.0) finished out of the Top 20. Here is the rest of the SEC team rankings.

  • South Carolina (26th, 9.2)
  • Florida (27th, 8.7)
  • Kentucky (32nd, 7.8)
  • Auburn (34th, 7.6)
  • Vanderbilt (35th, 7.6)
  • Mississippi State (59th, 2.0)

Texas A&M will face Mississippi State on the road on Saturday, Oct. 19, at 3:15 p.m. CT. The game will air on the SEC Network.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.