Ole Miss and Georgia are set to cross paths for the third time in a calendar year on Saturday, and the Rebels know exactly where the pressure point is. If they’re going to beat the Bulldogs, they need to make Gunner Stockton work for everything.
Georgia handled the first meeting 43-35 with a fourth-quarter comeback, then Pete Golding’s team answered in the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal. Now the rematch gives both sides a chance to make a statement: Ole Miss can show it belongs on the SEC’s biggest stage, while Georgia can put the Auburn loss in the rearview mirror.
Stockton’s latest outing offered Ole Miss a clear blueprint. Against Florida last week, he finished with 13 completions for 101 yards and 12 carries for 45 yards.
It was the first game he finished without a rushing or passing touchdown since Nov. 22, 2025.
Georgia didn’t need fireworks from its quarterback because the rest of the offense did the heavy lifting, piling up 217 rushing yards and controlling the ball for 32 minutes.
That’s been the Bulldogs’ formula all season. They average 41 points per game, but the attack is built on patience and control. In SEC play, Georgia ranks third in rushing yards per game at 200, is tied for first in third-down conversion percentage at 52%, and sits sixth in average time of possession at 30:45.
For Ole Miss, the mission is straightforward: force Stockton into obvious passing downs and make Georgia throw more than it wants to. In the Bulldogs’ only loss of the season to Auburn, Stockton’s 34 pass attempts were a season high. He’s usually careful with the football, but the more often he’s asked to drop back, the more chances there are for mistakes.
Of course, that plan only works if the Rebels’ offense holds up its end. Georgia was comfortable letting Florida stay in the game because it knew the Gators couldn’t match score for score. If Trinidad Chambliss can keep Ole Miss ahead and turn drives into touchdowns, that changes the way Georgia can attack the game.
Golding described Stockton as an “elite game manager.” “Doesn’t press, doesn’t try to do too much.
Has a really good understanding of their system. And takes what the defense gives them, gets them in and out of a lot of different things, checks a lot of protections in the run game at the line of scrimmage that you could see on tape,” Golding said.
That’s the challenge in front of Ole Miss. Stockton isn’t reckless, and Georgia doesn’t hand out easy chances. The Rebels’ defense has been improving, but if they want to leave Saturday with a win, they’ll need to disrupt Georgia’s rhythm and make the Bulldogs play a different kind of game.
In Other News...
Georgia Heads To Ole Miss With Gunner Stockton Facing His Toughest Test
Georgias trip to Oxford brings a different kind of stress test for Gunner Stockton, one that goes beyond the usual road-game noise. Ole Miss has made it clear it wants to get hands on receivers early, shrink the easy throws and make the Georgia quarterback hold the ball long enough for pressure to arrive.
For a Bulldogs offense still settling around Stockton, that means the passing game has to answer a defense built to disrupt timing and force uncomfortable decisions. The Rebels approach is straightforward enough in theory, but it can change the rhythm of a game quickly if Georgia cannot win cleanly at the line and keep Stockton on schedule. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Faces One Huge Test In Trying To Topple Georgia
Auburns upset of No. 1 Georgia offered Ole Miss a useful blueprint, but not necessarily a realistic one. The Tigers won the turnover battle by three and kept drives alive with successful fourth-down conversions, two ingredients that can change a game against a heavyweight in a hurry. Now the Rebels are preparing to host No. 2 Georgia, and the challenge is figuring out how much of that formula can actually carry over to Oxford.
Ole Miss has been solid but not dominant in turnover luck this season, sitting at even in that department, while Georgia remains one of the nations best teams at taking care of the ball. That puts extra pressure on the Rebels to find other ways to create an edge, whether through aggressive fourth-down calls or a more balanced offense that can keep the Bulldogs from settling in. Against a team like Georgia, the margin for error is thin, and Ole Miss will need more than just a good plan to make the upset feel possible. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Faces A Hidden Georgia Edge In Top 10 Showdown
Field position has a way of quietly shaping big games, and that is part of the backdrop for Ole Miss upcoming top 10 showdown with Georgia. The numbers are close enough to miss at first glance, but they matter: Ole Miss has been starting its drives at its own 27.5-yard line on average, while Georgia has been getting a little more breathing room at the 31.5. In a matchup where possessions are likely to be at a premium, even a few yards of difference can affect how often an offense has to work for points.
For Ole Miss, that means the Rebels may have to be a little sharper in the hidden parts of the game, especially if they want to keep pace with a Georgia team that has enjoyed a slightly better setup on its possessions. It does not decide anything by itself, and it certainly does not settle a game this loaded with talent, but it does add another layer to a meeting that already feels like it could turn on small margins. [Read more 🡒]