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Campus Clash
(9) Ole Miss Rebels at (2) Georgia Bulldogs
Ole Miss: Once again, it’s understandable as to why they would fly under the radar. When you play in a conference with the likes of the Alabama Crimson Tide, LSU Tigers, Tennessee Volunteers and the Georgia Bulldogs, it makes sense. This is the best I’ve seen them look in quite sometime. I’ve always referred to them as the “fighting Kiffins”. Lane Kiffin has bought out the best in this program. I still remember when he was the Head Coach of the Oakland Raiders and that didn’t pan out. Once he came to the ranks of coaching in college, he saw success. Since taking the job in Oxford, Mississippi, Lane has led the Ole Miss Rebels to a 31-14 record as we speak in his four years on the sideline as their Head Coach. Right now, they sit at 8-1 and in second place in the SEC West behind you guessed it, Alabama and that’s who their lone loss is too. One thing about this team is they can score and score with the utmost quickness. Their offense is also anchored by a nice duo in the backfield. I”m talking about Quarterback Jaxson Dart and Running Back, Quinshon Judkins. As a true Freshman last year, he burst onto the scene and became one of the top Running Backs not just in the SEC, but in the entire nation. When I watch him, he reminds me of a quicker and shiftier version of Travis Etienne. Quinshon is powerful and can burst himself through tackles and most importantly, he’s always moving his feet. Let’s not forget about the other side of the ball either because they are just as explosive on defense as they are on the offensive side. The Rebels play downhill and physical as a defense. This is an extremely dangerous football team when everything is clicking for them. This Saturday night, they will make a trip to Athens to play the beasts in the east.
Georgia: 26. That’s where the winning streak stands now as we speak. Yes, they’re still undefeated and they may not look as dominant as they have around this time the last two years, but what people fail to realize is they are a much younger team that lost many veterans to the NFL. When it comes to this program, they will never tear it all apart and rebuild. All they’re going to do is reload and recruit the top names in the nation, then it all falls into place. I understand people haven’t been sold on them this year, but they are still finding ways to win football games. The best I saw these Bulldogs look was back in Jacksonville a few weeks back at the “World’s Largest Cocktail Party”. Prior to that game, the major question was how would they fare without Brock Bowers who’s the engine of this entire Georgia offense. They looked just fine to me and they were able to move the football down the field with efficiency and consistency anytime they had the ball. If you know anything about football, it’s always the next man up and that’s exactly what Ladd McConkey has done. Let’s just admit there’s no replacing a Brock Bowers and when he’s healthy, you see the dynamic he brings to this offense. He’s also one of the best players in all of college football. Don’t overlook now, but I see a Georgia team that’s slowly but surely beginning to find their swagger at the right time. Guys are healthy and they are getting some quality play from Carson Beck which is saying something. They are still the defending champs and if you want to get to the top of the college football mountain, this is the team you have to take down. They will be home tonight against Lane Kiffin’s Rebels of Ole Miss.
Ole Miss X-Factor: Trey Washington– He’s a former Corner turned Safety and it shows each time he is on the football field. Trey is a true ballhawk that will find his way to, around and near the football. He has no problem playing downhill and moving from sideline to sideline. Trey also leads the Rebels in tackles this season with 59. He’s a force on this defense and will need to be on his a-game this Saturday night.
Georgia X-Factor: Ladd McConkey– Since Bowers has been out, Ladd has stepped up his game tremendously. I feel he’s one of the more underrated players in the nation. He can work underneath, in the flat, in traffic over the middle and down the field. Ladd is also very versatile as he can take the ball on handoffs, jet sweeps and he’s always productive no matter the capacity in which he is used.
Final Thoughts: I guess you can call this “David vs. Goliath”. This is a big time game for the Rebels while the Bulldogs are closing in on their third consecutive SEC East crown. Against Texas A&M this past Saturday, Ole Miss did not play their best brand of defense. I saw many blown coverages in the secondary and a very lackluster performance from their pass rush. It also didn’t help that they were missing their top corner in Zamari Walton. We know the offense will score. Can the defense not let up? That’s the major key in this game for Ole Miss. For Georgia, their defense was somewhat exploited against the Missouri Tigers the other day. They have some issues in the secondary and if you’re Ole Miss, I’m attacking that. They do have the weapons on the perimeter to go down the field. I’m looking at the Georgia running game. If the Aggies the week before can run the ball on them, what makes you think Georgia can’t? Here’s what I see happening. Ole Miss will make it interesting in the first half and they will have people talking per usual. When the second half comes around, the Bulldogs will impose their will and pull away. I like the Bulldogs to win their 27th consecutive football game here on Saturday.
Prediction: Georgia 42, Ole Miss 21
