OXFORD, Miss. - Georgia walks into Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Saturday night with the same ranking it had the last time it came here, and the Bulldogs are trying hard to make sure the ending looks nothing like the last trip.
Two years ago, Georgia arrived as the No. 2 team in the country and left after Ole Miss had pulled off the upset. That 27-10 loss still sits with outside linebacker Quintavius Johnson.
“Going up to Mississippi, playing them guys, getting a field storm, it gives us a chip. As a younger guy, as people coming up in this program, it gives us a chip.”
Now the Bulldogs are back in Oxford ranked No. 2 again, carrying a 7-1 record and a 5-1 mark in SEC play into a matchup with No. 12 Ole Miss. The Rebels are 6-2 overall, 4-2 in the league, and they bring a 16-game home winning streak into Georgia’s second night game of the season.
Night games, at least for Georgia running back Nate Frazier, bring their own kind of energy.
“Night games are always just more fun,” Georgia running back Nate Frazier said. “I guess you could see the fireworks better or you can hear the crowd more.
It’s just the lights and when you get hit the little butterflies you see in the air, it shines more. It’s just more exciting.
It builds up more fire in you.”
Georgia coach Kirby Smart knows what this building can feel like. He has lost both of his games at Ole Miss in lopsided fashion, including a 45-14 defeat in 2016.
On the offensive side, Mike Bobo said Georgia is looking to keep things simpler so the group can play faster in a tough road environment. That could mean leaning more on quarterback Gunner Stockton as a runner.
“He’s always a threat and the bigger game, we’re probably going to run him a little bit more,” offensive coordinator Mike Bobo said in a “Glory Glory” interview.
Georgia and Ole Miss are set for a pivotal SEC showdown, with live updates, scoring plays, turning points and injury news unfolding throughout the night.
In Other News...
Georgia Got Plenty Of GameDay Love Except For One Pick
College GameDay had plenty to say about Georgias showdown with Ole Miss, even if the crew ultimately set up shop for Notre Dame and Miami instead. The No. 2 Bulldogs still got a strong share of the spotlight, with the matchup carrying real weight for both teams as they try to improve their SEC Championship path and strengthen their College Football Playoff position.
The picks on set leaned heavily toward Georgia, with most of the panel backing the Bulldogs to handle the No. 10 Rebels. Pat McAfee was the lone voice going the other direction, siding with Ole Miss and giving the game a little extra edge heading into a meeting that could shape the top of the conference race. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Could Get The Offensive Spark It Needs Vs Ole Miss
Georgias offense may be getting a timely boost ahead of its Nov. 7 matchup with Ole Miss, with running back Chauncey Bowens upgraded to probable after missing more than a month. Wide receiver Isiah Canion is also expected to return, marking his first appearance since Week 2 and giving the Bulldogs another option as they try to find more rhythm on that side of the ball.
Those two returns could matter in different ways for Georgia. Bowens adds depth and another running threat to a backfield that has had to adjust without him, while Canion gives the passing game a chance to expand its rotation at a moment when every healthy playmaker counts. With Ole Miss coming in, Georgia could use any extra spark it can get. [Read more 🡒]
Kirby Smart Thinks Georgia Found The Right Ole Miss Challenge In Practice
Georgia spent part of its preparation this week trying to make practice feel a little more like the real thing, and Kirby Smart said sophomore quarterback Hezekiah Millender helped provide that look. Millender has been running the scout team offense in a style similar to what Georgia expects from Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart Chambliss, giving the Bulldogs a chance to rehearse against a mobile, disruptive quarterback look before the matchup arrives.
Smart had plenty of respect for the challenge Ole Miss presents, and he made clear the Rebels quarterback is a difficult player to simulate. Millender, who has already appeared in two games this season as Georgias fourth-string quarterback and drew notice for his G-Day scrimmage performance, gave the Bulldogs a useful practice tool, but the real test still comes when the game lights come on and Georgia has to handle the full Ole Miss offense. [Read more 🡒]