The last two times Georgia and Ole Miss have done battle it’s been a track meet. First, Georgia rallied in the fourth quarter to win a 43-35 regular season thriller in Athens last year. Then in the Sugar Bowl, Mississippi stunned the Bulldogs 39-34 in a College Football Playoff upset
Both matchups were high-flying, fast-paced games where neither offense had much margin for error. With a quarterback like Trinidad Chambliss, that’s the kind of game Ole Miss is quite comfortable playing in. The Rebels run a high-tempo offense that ranks 23rd in the country in plays run per game.
But Georgia has been happy to slow things down. This year, the Bulldogs rank 120th in the country in plays per game.
Georgia's slow pace of play could work to their advantage
The Bulldogs have won their fair share of shootouts with Kirby Smart at the helm, but his teams have always looked like the truest version of themselves when it’s more of a struggle. This Georgia team would like nothing more than to get you into a slow-paced, physical slugfest where the defenses dictate the tone, and a few explosive plays make the difference.
This year, the Bulldogs rank third in the SEC in rushing yards per game. They’ve rebounded from injuries to their top two running backs Nate Frazier and Chauncey Bowens that have caused each player to miss multiple games.
Dwight Phillips Jr. has emerged as one of the most explosive players in the country. Bo Walker has been dangerous between the tackles. Now Frazier, arguably the most talented back in that room, is finally healthy, and Bowens could be back soon, too.
Mississippi head coach Pete Golding was well aware of what makes Georgia go.
“If you can't stop the run versus those guys, it's a long night and has been for a long time,” he said of the Bulldogs. “So, we’ve got to play really physical up front. We’ve got to be really sound at the second level and have erasers, and you can't give up explosives versus these guys.”
Georgia’s offensive line is getting more push than just about anyone in college football right now, and the running backs are taking full advantage of all the space, especially on zone schemes. Plus, they’ve got enough freak athletes at tight end to be able to live in multi-tight end sets.
It’s allowed Georgia to control the tempo of games and make opponents play to their terms.
The one time the Bulldogs failed to consistently run the ball well (and feed Phillips), they were upset by Auburn in shocking fashion. Georgia cannot and should not get away from the run.
Stopping the run has not been a strength for this Mississippi defense. Their 148.9 yards per game allowed on the ground are the fourth-highest in the SEC. Florida ran for over 300 yards in its blowout win over Mississippi, and Texas rushed for over 200 in its upset win.
Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton can make the big plays at the end to win games. But keeping up with Chambliss over the course of a shootout is a different story. A dominant, 200+ yard night on the ground would go a long way in slowing the game down, and keeping pressure off of Stockton. It looks like the best way for the Bulldogs to turn this road game into a more familiar game for them.
Tackling has been an issue for Mississippi. When running backs get beyond the first level against this defense, they’ve been able to break the second-level tackle and get a healthy gain.
That looks like the key for Georgia in this one— make Mississippi tackle. Stringing together five and six-yard gains over the course of the game is how you wear a defense down and control the ball. Against Chambliss, the Bulldogs’ best defense might be their offense.
If they can break tackles, hog the ball and keep the Mississippi offense off the field, the Bulldogs could all but punch their ticket to the College Football Playoff, while likely eliminating Golding’s team. If it’s another high-flying shootout, then it’s anyone’s game.
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