Ole Miss will head into Saturday’s matchup with Georgia without one of its biggest weapons, and that missing piece is hard to ignore. Star running back Kewan Lacy has officially been ruled out, leaving the Rebels to face the Bulldogs without a major contributor in the backfield.
Lacy has been one of the country’s top backs this season, piling up 78 carries, 388 yards and five touchdowns while appearing in just six games. He dislocated his shoulder in Ole Miss’ loss at Texas two weeks ago, sat out last week, and now won’t be available again against Georgia.
That doesn’t mean Ole Miss is suddenly out of answers. The Rebels still showed last week that they can function without him, with Shekai Mills-Knight and Makhi Frazier splitting the workload in a 45-15 win over Auburn. Mills-Knight averaged 4.4 yards per carry, while Frazier finished at 3.3, giving Ole Miss enough production to keep its offense moving even without Lacy.
Still, the bigger reason Ole Miss can’t lean too hard on the injury excuse is Trinidad Chambliss. The quarterback remains one of the best in the country, and Georgia already knows how dangerous he can be.
Chambliss went 1-1 against the Bulldogs last season, and in the regular-season meeting in Athens he was a problem from the start, leading touchdown drives on Ole Miss’ first five possessions. He was even more productive in the playoff, finishing with more than 600 passing yards across those two games combined.
With Lacy sidelined, the Rebels may ask even more of Chambliss, especially as a runner. Last week against Auburn, he carried the ball seven times for 65 yards and a touchdown, and that kind of usage could become a bigger part of the plan against Georgia.
That’s where the matchup gets tricky for the Bulldogs. Georgia’s loss to Auburn earlier this season was fueled in part by the Tigers’ quarterback run game, and Ole Miss has every reason to lean into that same area if it wants to create problems. If the Rebels do, Chambliss becomes even tougher to handle in the passing game too.
So yes, Lacy’s absence matters. But Ole Miss still has enough firepower to beat Georgia without him, and that starts with Chambliss. If the Rebels come up short, they shouldn’t be able to hide behind the injury report.
In Other News...
Georgia Suddenly Has A Depth Concern Ahead Of Ole Miss
Georgias latest football availability report added a little more uncertainty to the buildup for Ole Miss, with wide receiver Isiah Canion no longer on the list after initially being tagged probable. The update also left several other names in a murky spot, as Thomas Blackshear, Chauncey Bowens, Elyiss Williams, Joseph Jonah-Ajonye and AJ Kruah were all listed as questionable heading into the matchup.
Amaris Williams was ruled out, which only sharpens the attention on Georgias depth as the Bulldogs try to get through the final stretch of the week. More clarity should come before kickoff, since the SEC will continue releasing availability reports leading up to the game, but for now Georgia is still waiting on a few important answers. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Faces A Massive Ole Miss Test With Playoff Pressure Rising
With the College Football Playoff race tightening, Georgias Week 10 trip to face Ole Miss has the feel of a game that could reshape the conversation for both teams. Ole Miss has leaned on quarterback Trinidad Chambliss to keep its offense moving, while Georgia continues to bring one of the SECs most reliable rushing attacks into a matchup that figures to test every phase of both teams.
The Rebels home-field edge only adds to the challenge, especially with the status of running back Kewan Lacy hanging over the buildup. Georgia has the kind of balance that can travel, but this is the sort of road game where a single swing in field position or one explosive drive can change the entire tone of the night, which is why the prediction attached to this one carries so much weight. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Faces A CFP Test That Could Tighten The SEC Race
Week 10 brings another round of SEC games with real playoff weight, and Georgias trip to Ole Miss sits near the center of it. The Bulldogs are in the kind of November stretch where every result can reshape the College Football Playoff picture, and this matchup comes with the added pressure of a league race that still has plenty of moving parts. Alabama at LSU is drawing plenty of attention too, but Georgias road test is one of the games that could most directly affect how the conference pecking order looks by Sunday.
For Georgia, the challenge is as much about staying positioned as it is about surviving a tough environment. The SEC schedule preview puts this game among the weeks most important, with broadcast details and kickoff times underscoring how much national attention the Bulldogs are carrying into the weekend. A win would help keep Georgia on track in the playoff conversation, while any stumble could tighten the race in a hurry and leave the Bulldogs sorting through the fallout. [Read more 🡒]