Ole Miss Rolls Past Tulane, Sets Up CFP Quarterfinal Rematch with Georgia
The College Football Playoff debut couldn’t have gone much better for Ole Miss.
With a dominant 41-10 win over Tulane at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, the Rebels punched their ticket to the CFP quarterfinals in emphatic fashion. It was a statement win - not just because it marked Ole Miss’ first-ever playoff appearance, but because of how quickly and decisively they took control of the game.
Fast Start, No Looking Back
Ole Miss wasted no time setting the tone. The Rebels took the opening kickoff and needed just three plays and 59 seconds to find the end zone. That early burst turned out to be more than just a spark - it was a signal that Lane Kiffin’s squad came ready to play, and that Tulane was in for a long night.
By the time the first quarter was in the books, Ole Miss was already up 14-0. Tulane, also making its first playoff appearance, never really found its footing. The Green Wave struggled to generate any sustained offense, and the Rebels’ defense made sure it stayed that way.
Next Stop: New Orleans
With the win, Ole Miss advances to the quarterfinal round of the College Football Playoff, where a familiar foe awaits - the Georgia Bulldogs.
The matchup is set for January 1 in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans (7 p.m. ET, ESPN), and it’s one that carries plenty of intrigue. These two teams already met once this season, back on October 18, when Georgia handed Ole Miss its only loss of the year in a 43-35 shootout in Athens.
Now, the stage shifts to a neutral site with much higher stakes. And while Georgia got the better of that first meeting, Ole Miss has clearly grown since then - and they’ll be eager to show it.
What to Know About Georgia
The Bulldogs are no strangers to this stage. At 12-1, Georgia enters the CFP once again with championship aspirations and a résumé to back it up. Their lone loss came during the regular season, but they bounced back in a big way, taking down Alabama in the SEC Championship and securing wins over Texas and Ole Miss along the way.
This marks Georgia’s ninth straight appearance in a New Year’s Six Bowl - a staggering level of consistency. They’ve been here before, and they’ve thrived. The Bulldogs won the CFP in both 2021 and 2022, and they’ve made deep playoff runs a regular part of the program’s DNA under Kirby Smart.
What’s at Stake
For Ole Miss, this is uncharted territory. But that doesn’t mean they’re out of place. This team has earned its spot, and the way they dismantled Tulane shows they’re not just happy to be here - they’re ready to compete.
Georgia, on the other hand, is playing with the weight of expectation. They’ve been the standard in college football for the better part of the last half-decade. Anything short of another deep run would feel like a disappointment.
So, what we’ve got is a classic playoff setup: a perennial powerhouse with a championship pedigree versus a hungry up-and-comer looking to flip the script. January 1 in New Orleans is shaping up to be must-watch football.
And if the first meeting was any indication, we’re in for another high-octane battle. Buckle up.