Georgia Football: Predicting Georgia vs. Ole Miss

Georgia football takes on Ole Miss in a highly anticipated matchup between two top-ten teams. This game is getting the primetime treatment with ESPN College Gameday coming to Athens, the primetime announcing crew for ESPN College Football, Chirs Fowler, and Kirk Herbistreit. Nothing lasts forever, but these are the glory days for Kirby Smart and Georgia football.

I have looked at this game all offseason and the entire season and have been incredibly nervous about this matchup.  Right after the Mizzou game, I considered how Georgia would fare against the Rebels. But we all know that our hearts can change, and mine did when doing more research on this Ole Miss squad.

Not many teams can hold a candle to the production the Ole Miss offense creates. But here is something of note: Ole Miss points on the road versus when they play at home is astronomical. It is nearly a 20-point difference. Ole Miss scores 20 points less on the road than at home.

To give you an idea of how wide that margin is, Georgia only scores 3 points less than its average on the road compared to playing at home. The Rebel offense will struggle with this environment because it is too complicated.

Here are other numbers to remember before the Dawgs take on the Rebels: Ole Miss is 116th in penalties. The Rebels average 7 per game, which does not benefit them, given the hostile crowd in Sanford.

Furthermore, all games come down to 3rd down. Ole Miss’s offense is 97th in converting third down, and Georgia’s defense is third-best in the country at stopping offenses on third down. Ole Miss’s defense is 78th in the nation at stopping offenses on third down, and Georgia’s offense is fourth-best in the country in converting third downs on offense.

I have also seen issues with Ole Miss special teams. In multiple games, I have witnessed muffed punts and block field goals. I also saw Ole Miss gives a ton up in both kickoff and punt returns.

Special teams are the game’s third phase and have the most significant impact in a tight game.  Kirby Smart and the Georgia coaching staff pride themselves on sound special teams’ play. So, I would not be shocked if we saw Georgia take advantage of Ole Miss’s poor special teams.

You can find this game’s point spread anywhere from 10.5 to 11.5. But this game has blowout written all over it. But on the other hand, it is supposed to rain, and weather can be a great equalizer. Nobody likes to stand in the cold November rain. But then again, I think a rainy, cold game benefits Georgia. So, to me, almost everything points to the Dawgs winning this one.

Georgia should win this game; they are the better team in the trenches, and in almost every position, Georgia is better than Ole Miss. Kirby Smart teams are ready for this type of game, and Lane Kiffin teams get beat.

For those worried, don’t be. Kirby Smart and these players love the big spotlight. This isn’t 15 years ago where, if Georgia were in this spot, they would have been in the Ole Miss in this situation- always coming up short. This is a new era of Georgia football; we play in big games and win.

Ole Miss will score in this game. I would love to live in “LA LA Land” and say they can’t, but the Rebels will be able to score some- but not enough! Give me the Dawgs 42-21 in this one. Georgia will make a statement on Saturday and win the SEC East.