The 2026 Sugar Bowl kicks off New Year's Day in New Orleans at 8:00 pm EST. This matchup features Georgia and Ole Miss in a rematch from earlier this year that was an absolute shootout where the final score ended up favoring Georgia 43-35.
Ole Miss began this game scoring five straight touchdowns on their first five possessions of the game. But Georgia's defense held them scoreless in the fourth quarter when it mattered most. Was that a turning point in the season for Georgia's defense?
First meeting with Ole Miss was the turnaround Georgia needed
UGA's defense has now given up 10 points or less in each of their last four games. Georgia was averaging one sack per game for their first eight games to start the year, but over their last five games they have sacked the quarterback 12 times. The buzz around Athens is that this Ole Miss game was where the defense found its identity and returned to the Georgia defense this nation is used to seeing over the last five years.
Will this game be another shootout similar to the one a few months ago? Based on how well Georgia has been playing recently that probably will not happen. One reason being quarterback Gunner Stockton played a flawless second half in that game, completing all 12 of his passes for 135 yards and three touchdowns, that will be tough to replicate.
Another obvious reasons, and the elephant in the room, is former head coach Lane Kiffin heading to Baton Rouge. So is Ole Miss really going to score on all five of their possessions to start the game again with Kiffin no longer with the team? The answer is no. Not that Georgia didn't already have the coaching edge in this one, but now that gap has widened and Kirby Smart is not going to allow that to happen again.
Ole Miss still presents serious challenges for Georgia
With all that said above, Ole Miss quarterbackTrindad Chambliss is a serious problem. This Ole Miss offense is probably the most dynamic this Georgia team has faced all year. Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy is second in the nation in rushing touchdowns with 21 on the year. Kewan and Trinadad account for 48 of Ole Miss' touchdowns this season. Smart should, in theory, have his players ready to contain them, but if they get hot this game will be closer than Georgia fans would like.
On the other side, Stockton has been unbelievable in big games. Big-game Stockton is starting to showcase how good he really is in these types of matchups. Granted he did struggle against Georgia Tech, but he did enough to get Georgia the win. He's got the moxie, he's got the talent, and he's got that dawg in him to will his way to victory in this game.
Good news for Stockton, wide receiver Colbie Young will be available for Georgia as he returns from a leg injury that has kept him sidelined since the first game against Ole Miss. Keep an eye on Georgia's running game in this one as well as their ground game has been resurrected this season and will be tough for Ole Miss to slow down.
The way Georgia wins this game is if they can contain this Ole Miss offense and not suffer from what "Lid Lifters" — plays of over 40 yards — which Ole Miss is top 10 in the country in. If Georgia's defense plays the way they finished the season it could be a long night for the Ole Miss offense.
Final prediction: Georgia wins 27-21