The initial College Football Playoff rankings of the 2024-25 season were released on Tuesday, and while No. 16 Ole Miss was not featured among the 12 teams projected to compete for a national championship, Lane Kiffin’s Rebels have an opportunity to make waves this weekend.
A must-win matchup versus America’s No. 3 program, Georgia (7-1, 5-1 SEC), will unfold in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Saturday at 2:30 p.m., and Ole Miss (7-2, 3-2 SEC) has one objective to remain hopeful of the prospects of making a playoff debut this year — win.
Last year, a win at Georgia would have given Ole Miss a legitimate shot at being a playoff contender, given the Rebels ran the table after a brutal 52-17 loss in Athens and went on to post their first 11-win season in history.
After that blowout defeat, Kiffin and company made it their mission to use the Grove Collective — the Ole Miss-exclusive name, image, and likeness program — to retain a strong nucleus of veteran talent, pluck some of the most coveted players from the transfer portal, and add a solid crop of newcomers from the high school ranks.
Ole Miss, after receiving a multi-million dollar level of support from fans, delivered in all three phases and constructed arguably the best roster in program history. That roster now has its back against the wall with two nasty scars from earlier defeats, but also a chance to author future history.
“If they beat Georgia, they will be in the top 12 next week,” Bill Bender from Sporting News said on SportsTalk Mississippi. “They’ll leapfrog (No. 11) Alabama, probably. It’ll be close, but I think they would because [the playoff selection committee] would honor that Georgia victory just the same.”
The upcoming battle in Oxford could seemingly lessen the blow of a week five home loss to a Kentucky team that is winless since its contest against the Rebels as well as a heartbreaking three-point defeat in overtime at LSU.
Sandwiched between the Kentucky and LSU games was a promising 27-3 win at South Carolina. After the loss in Death Valley, Ole Miss regrouped in a bye week and displayed defensive dominance in a 26-14 victory against Oklahoma. The Rebels then ended a 16-year curse by trouncing Arkansas on the road 63-31 in a historic offensive outing.
Though the Bulldogs are certainly anticipated to pose a much bigger threat than the Sooners and Razorbacks, Ole Miss appears to be peaking at the right time.
“If you look at their scoring offense and scoring defense, you kind of shake your head and wonder how they have lost a game,” Bender added. “This is a really good football team with the most efficient quarterback in the SEC. They have a lot of things the committee likes.”
With rain in the forecast at game time in Oxford, all signs point to Saturday’s battle coming down to efficiency. Since neither squad has been able to run the ball effectively for the most part this year, it looks like the passing game will be the difference offensively.
That may give Ole Miss fans a sense of relief, given Jaxson Dart has been the most efficient quarterback in the SEC, and has especially shined in the last couple of weeks.
The veteran quarterback tossed for a collective 826 yards and seven touchdowns in his two previous SEC outings. This feat was accomplished without standout receiver Tre Harris on the field. Harris is expected to give it a go against the Bulldogs, sources tell SuperTalk Mississippi News.
Georgia’s Carson Beck, on the other hand, has had a tough time refraining from giving the other team the ball. In the past five games, Beck has thrown more interceptions (11) than touchdowns (10).
However, offensive line play could ultimately be a determining factor in who gets the win. Dart has looked more impressive than Beck this season, but the Bulldogs’ field general has had a cleaner pocket. Dart has been sacked 19 times this season compared to 10 dropdowns of Beck.
For Ole Miss to emerge victorious on Saturday, its makeshift and injury-ridden offensive front must stand tall against a ferocious defensive line. Likewise, Pete Golding’s defense will have a golden opportunity to force a trigger-happy Beck to turn the ball over and place the Rebels in favorable field position.
A successful defensive outing by the Rebels would not come as any surprise as the unit is responsible for a collective 18 sacks in the last two games and have wreaked havoc in the backfield. JJ Pegues, Walter Nolen, Jared Ivey, and Princely Umanmielen have proven to be more than formidable in the trenches as linebackers TJ Dottery, Suntarine Perkins, and Chris “Pooh” Paul, Jr. have held opposing offenses at bay.
Georgia’s shortcomings aside, the Bulldogs have not backed down since the team’s week four loss at Alabama. Kirby Smart’s crew has won each of its last four games, one of which occurred at then- No. 1 Texas, by double-digits.
Ole Miss is not able to afford another loss and Georgia is historically stingy when it comes to losing in recent years, paving the way for what may be an epic showdown between two hungry teams, each led by a Nick Saban disciple.
As things stand, the SEC is slated to have four teams in the first-ever 12-team playoff, meaning Ole Miss may need a little help even if the Rebels run the table. And that aid appears to be built into the schedules of other programs sitting ahead of Kiffin’s squad in the rankings.
On Saturday night, the highly-anticipated matchup between No. 11 Alabama (6-2, 3-2 SEC) and No. 15 LSU (6-2, 3-1 SEC) will ensure a third overall loss and an additional conference defeat for both squads, likely ending any hopes of a playoff appearance. A loss for the Tigers would likely place a major roadblock on Brian Kelly’s team’s path to the SEC Championship, which would keep LSU from possibly jumping Ole Miss for a playoff spot due to the head-to-head advantage.
In the event Ole Miss beats Georgia, the Bulldogs’ November 16 battle against No. 7 Tennessee (7-1, 4-1 SEC) would have the potential to essentially take Smart’s squad out of the playoff equation or blemish the Volunteers’ overall record.
Another future contest to keep an eye on, assuming Ole Miss has won out at this point, will take place in College Station with No. 15 Texas A&M (7-2, 5-1 SEC) hosting bitter rival No. 5 Texas (7-1, 3-1 SEC). A third loss for the Aggies, assuming they are not upset beforehand, would probably be the nail in their playoff appearance coffin.
Regardless, all future games will bear little-to-no significance if the Rebels can’t find a win on Saturday. Ole Miss versus Georgia will be broadcast on ABC and participating SuperTalk Mississippi stations. The Bulldogs are currently a 2.5-point favorite.
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