Georgia vs. Ole Miss score: No. 16 Rebels alive in playoff race as Lane Kiffin picks up elusive signature win

Ole Miss stays in line for an at-large berth after securing a win over the Dawgs in Oxford

By David Cobb

& John Talty

Nov 10, 2024 • 1 min read

Ole Miss earned one of its biggest wins in program history on Saturday as the No. 16 Rebels edged Georgia 28-10 on a rainy day before a record crowd of 68,126 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. The win marked the first time the Rebels have ever beaten a top-two AP-ranked foe inside their home stadium after going 0-11 previously.

The Bulldogs, who entered at No. 2 in the AP Top 25 poll and No. 3 in the College Football Playoff Rankings, have now lost multiple games in a season for the first time since 2020. It was their first defeat against a team other than Alabama since 2020.

Such an outcome seemed unlikely in the first 5 minutes as the Bulldogs jumped out to an early 7-0 lead following a disastrous start by Ole Miss. Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart was intercepted and injured on the game's opening possession, and Georgia used a short field to jump ahead 7-0 early.

Just a year after the Bulldogs wrecked Ole Miss 52-17 in a battle of top-10 teams, the start raised the possibility of another similarly lopsided outcome. But even with Dart sidelined for a possession, the Rebels found a rhythm. Backup quarterback Austin Simmons led a 75-yard, game-tying touchdown drive in the first quarter and the Rebels never looked back.

Dart returned late in the first quarter and led three consecutive drives for field goals as Ole Miss took a 16-7 lead into halftime. Georgia's struggling offense came out with renewed vigor in the third quarter but eventually stalled out in key moments in the second half while struggling to finish drives.

The outcome showcased Ole Miss' defensive improvement following a series of high-profile transfer portal acquisitions meant to bolster the physicality of their front seven exactly for games like this. At 8-2 (4-2 SEC), the Rebels will remain part of the College Football Playoff race for another week. The Bulldogs (7-2, 5-2) will likely need to beat Tennessee next week to keep their CFP hopes alive.

The win was Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin's first against a top-five team since he coached USC to a win over Oregon in 2011.
Ole Miss has won 8+ games in four consecutive seasons for the first time since 1957-1962.
The loss ended Georgia's streak of 52 straight wins against teams not named Alabama.

Read on below for takeaways from Ole Miss' much-needed win on Saturday over Georgia.

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Program-defining victory

That's exactly what this was for Ole Miss, which entered the season ranked No. 6 in the preseason AP poll. That was the Rebels' highest placement in a preseason poll since 1970 when Archie Manning was the quarterback. But all those expectations appeared to be at risk after an embarrassing home loss to Kentucky on Sept. 28 threw a wrench in the grand plan. Then, on Oct. 12, the Rebels managed to lose in overtime at LSU despite the fact they never trailed in regulation. Both were maddening losses, and they backed Ole Miss into a corner midway through the season. Could the Rebels rally, give Georgia a game and resurrect their CFP hopes? Ole Miss answered each of those questions with a resounding yes on Saturday.

Georgia has multiple issues

Ole Miss exposed Georgia's shortcomings on both sides of the football. Defensively, the Bulldogs were out-schemed throughout the afternoon as the Rebels repeatedly found advantageous matchups on quick throws over the middle of the field. Quarterbacks Jaxson Dart and Austin Simmons combined to complete 18 of 28 passes for 263 yards, which was good for an average of 14.6 yards per completion. The Rebels surrendered just one sack as their quarterbacks were precise on their reads and dissected Georgia's defense for chunk gains. Offensively, the Bulldogs' offensive line was outworked by the Ole Miss defensive front, which teed off for five sacks and nine tackles for loss. On the occasions when Carson Beck had time to throw, his receivers rarely had the separation needed to generate explosive plays. The Bulldogs' had just two passing plays of 20 yards or longer, and they continued to be haunted by drops.

Another Caden Davis field goal

3:22 4Q: Ole Miss 25, Georgia 10

Caden Davis just made his fourth field goal of the day from 25 yards out to increase the Ole Miss lead to 15 points. Georgia is out of timeouts and will need two touchdowns and at least one 2-point conversion. Davis has been a star today with makes from 23, 24, 43 and 53 yards.

Unexpected heroes

Ole Miss kicker Caden Davis drilled all five of his field goal attempts, accounting for 15 of the Rebels' 28 points on makes from 23, 24, 32, 43 and 53 yards. Lane Kiffin has developed a reputation as a fourth-down gambler, but while nursing a lead for most of the day, he was able to play it safe and trust his kicker, who had a memorable day. Another unsung hero is backup quarterback Austin Simmons. The redshirt freshman turned 19 on Saturday and had never logged playing time in a close game. But when Dart exited for a series in the first quarter, Simmons entered and was excellent. The lefty completed 5 of 6 passes for 64 yards to lead a touchdown drive that tied the game at 7-7. It may go overlooked amid the mayhem, but Simmons' calmness under pressure with the Rebels facing an early deficit was critical in getting Ole Miss leveled out following a shaky start.

Rebels putting it on ice

Ole Miss is salting this one away by running the football on Georgia with Dominique Thomas, Jordan Watkins and Jaxson Dart each in on the action as the Rebels bleed clock and Georgia's defense caves in.

Ole Miss delivers

4Q: Ole Miss 22, Georgia 10

In a weekend that has been builded as one of the biggest in Ole Miss football history, the Rebels have delivered one of the best performances of the Lane Kiffin era. The defense, in particular, has been lights out in harassing Carson Beck all day and forcing him into poor throws. The latest one -- an interception -- should all but finish the Bulldogs and give Kiffin his best win as Ole Miss' head coach.

Carson Beck intercepted

Carson Beck just threw his first interception of the game with Georgia facing a fourth-and-10 from within field goal range. Going for it was the right call because kicking still would have left it a two-possession game. However, the throw over the middle intended for Dominic Lovett never looked like it had a chance as Jared Ivey jumped it for the interception. The Bulldogs were given a gift with the facemark penalty to keep that drive alive, but they squandered it.

Georgia bailed out

Georgia was bailed out in an almost unfathomable way during an absolutely critical moment. Facing a third-and-3 at Georgia's 40-yard line, Carson Beck was sacked for a big loss and fumbled in the process. But as Cash Jones recovered the fumble at Georgia's 22-yard line, he was brought down by his facemark. Instead of facing fourth-and-a mile, Georgia got an automatic first down in Ole Miss territory.

Georgia's back against the wall

End 3Q: Ole Miss 22, Georgia 10

Georgia looked much better offensively in the third quarter but produced just three points as a Nate Frazier cost the Bulldogs an opportunity to make it a one-possession game entering the fourth quarter. Ole Miss went 75 yards on eight plays for a touchdown on the first of its two offensive possessions in the quarter. But the Bulldogs have the football to begin the fourth, and this one is far from over. One potential problem for the Rebels in the fourth quarter is their inability to run the football. Milking the clock is not a strength of this Ole Miss team because of how reliant it is on the passing game.

Key stop for Georgia

Georgia's defense just found its bearings in a critical moment, forcing three straight incompletions from Jaxson Dart. Warren Brunson and CJ Allen hurried Dart on a third-and-10 play. The Bulldogs will have to cover 91 yards on this drive, but their offense has been humming in the third quarter.

Costly turnover for Georgia

Georgia's offense has looked demonstrably better on its two possessions in the third quarter. But even after putting together two great drives, the Bulldogs have just three points to show for it following that costly Nate Fraizer fumble. UGA was winning the turnover battle 1-0. No longer. This is where Georgia needs to show it has a championship-caliber defense capable of coming up with the type of momentum-changing plays we've been accustomed to seeing from this program over the past few seasons.

Give Golding a raise

Ole Miss' defense under Pete Golding has put together a fantastic game against Carson Beck and the Georgia Bulldogs on a rainy night in Oxford. The latest development prompted a fired up Lane Kiffin to let out a huge fist pump when Zxavian Harris forced a fumble that Walter Nolen recovered. With how well Ole Miss' defense is playing, another Rebels score could put this one out of reach for the Bulldogs.

Ole Miss is cooking

3Q: Ole Miss 22, Georgia 10

Jaxson Dart threw a laser to Juice Wells for a 10-yard touchdown to give the Rebels a two-score lead. Dart carved Georgia's defense up getting inside receivers out in space against linebackers and safeties. Georgia could not get the right defensive matchup against Cayden Lee who had catches of 23 and 26 yards to power the offense down the field.

Pass defense remains a problem

Pass defense remains a problem for Georgia, which just gave up a relatively easy Ole Miss touchdown drive. Jaxson Dart went 4 for 4 on that drive with completions of 9, 23 and 26 yards before hitting Juice Wells for a 10-yard touchdown strike on third-and-6. Part of the problem for the Bulldogs is that they aren't generating much of a pass rush. Dart is playing through an injury, but Georgia hasn't forced him to be particularly mobile.

Georgia starts strong

Georgia's offense was humming from the jump to begin the third quarter and was even able to bounce back from an early penalty that wiped out a 15-yard gain. Beck completed passes of 14, 16, and 29 yards to get the Bulldogs in business. Ultimately, a third-and-goal underneath route yielded just a 1-yard gain, forcing the Bulldogs to settle for a 23-yard field goal. But that was an encouraging start for an offense that struggled in the first half.

Injured Rebel

Ole Miss starter JJ Pegues had to be helped off the field after he was down for an extended time. The loss of Pegues would be signifiant for Ole Miss as he's not only a key piece of the defensive front but also used on offense in short-yard situations.

Will Georgia open it up?

The tone of Georgia's first possession of the second half should be telling. Will Mike Bobo and the Bulldogs open it up and show some faith in quarterback Carson Beck? Ole Miss limited Nate Frazier and Trevor Etienne to a combined 43 yards on 13 carries in the first half. The long rush for either back was just six yards. It's as if the Rebels are daring the turnover-prone Beck to beat them through the air. In the first half, the Bulldogs were unwilling to bite.

Ole miss in command

Half: Ole Miss 16, Georgia 7

No. 16 Ole Miss recovered from a disastrous start to take a 16-7 lead on No. 3 Georgia into halftime of their SEC showdown on Saturday at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. The Rebels scored 16 unanswered points to close the half following an interception on the game's opening possession that led to Georgia's only score.

That early miscue aside, the Rebels controlled the game behind a swarming defense and an effective aerial attack. Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart left the game for a series in the first quarter, yielding to backup Austin Simmons, who led a 75-yard touchdown drive in the most important playing time of his career.

Dart then returned and led three straight drives ending in Caden Davis field goals. Georgia's offense struggled to piece together positive plays, bumbling through four consecutive fruitless possessions to end the half. UGA quarterback Carson Beck completed 6 of 10 passes for 49 yards in the first half.

Disastrous drop for Georgia

Carson Beck had tight end Ben Yurosek wide open on a really good play design on second-and-6. Beck hit him in the chest, but Yurosek couldn't catch it. Beck was sacked for a loss of eight on the next play, and the Bulldogs were forced to punt. That two-play sequence pretty well summed up the first half for Georgia, which has been unable to string together positive offensive plays against a swarming Ole Miss defense.

Georgia struggling against the pass

As expected, Georgia has been able to prevent Ole Miss from generating much yardage in the run game. However, the Rebels are generating chunk gains through the air, despite the poor weather conditions. The Rebels are averaging 13.9 yards per completion and are 14 of 20 through the air for 195 yards. Georgia has done well to force the Rebels into field goals, but they've struggled early during Ole Miss possessions.

College kickers!

2Q: Ole Miss 16, Georgia 7

Caden Davis is Ole Miss' early MVP after going 3 for 3 on first-half field goals. After initially considering going for it on 4th-and-7, Lane Kiffin instead opts for a 53-yard field goal coming out of a timeout and Davis made him look smart. That Ole Miss finished with points at all after starting the drive on its own 1-yard line is supremely impressive and equally frustrating for the Georgia sideline.

Georgia hesitant on the trigger

Georgia looks hesitant in the passing game after Carson Beck's 11 interceptions in the past five games. With the rain coming down, the Bulldogs haven't tried to air it out much. Beck is 4 of 7 for 22 yards, and Georgia just punted for a third straight possession. Brett Thorson dropped a 44-yard beauty down at the 1-yard line to pin the Rebels.

Rebels swarming on D

A big question after a blowout loss to Georgia last season is whether Ole Miss could really compete in the trenches against this team. So far, so good. Ole Miss is getting pressure on Carson Beck, making good open-field tackles and not letting Georgia get into much of an offensive rhythm. Defensive coordinator Pete Golding is off to a hot start.

Ole Miss extends lead

2Q: Ole Miss 13, Georgia 7

A loose squirrel on the field elicited the biggest cheers from the Ole Miss faithful, but they were pretty happy about Caden Davis' 43-yard field goal, too. Ole Miss' offense continues to hum with Jaxson Dart back out there, though you have to wonder if Lane Kiffin is nervous about leaving points on the board against a team like Georgia.

Needed stand for Georgia's defense

Georgia's defense made a nice stand to keep Ole Miss from reaching the red zone after the Rebels picked up a couple of quick first downs. Raylen Wilson had a TFL, then UGA had Jordan Watkins well-covered on a deep throw down the left sideline. Ultimately, the Dawgs forced Ole Miss to settle for another field goal. Now it's up to the Bulldogs' offense to carry its weight after consecutive three-and-outs.

Ole Miss leads entering the second

End 1Q: Ole Miss 10, Georgia 7

Ole Miss recovered from a disastrous start to take a 10-7 lead on Georgia into the second quarter in a marquee SEC showdown. Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart was intercepted and injured on the game's first series, which led to a quick Georgia touchdown. But with backup QB Austin Simmons in the game, Ole Miss drove 75 yards for a touchdown on its second possession. The Rebels then flexed defensively by forcing a pair of three-and-outs as Dart returned to the field and led a drive capped by a Caden Davis field goal. The two Ole Miss quarterbacks were a combined 10 of 13 for 147 yards in the first quarter.

Stymied on third down

Georgia was stymied on third-and-4 and has now gone three-and-out on consecutive possessions since scoring with a short field early in the quarter. Carson Beck had London Humphreys, but Humphreys couldn't hang onto the ball was he was blasted by John Saunders. Beck is 2 of 4 for 10 yards so far.

Georgia bends, doesn't break

Georgia's intermediate pass defense has been suspect in the first quarter as Ole Miss quarterbacks have distributed the football successfully over the middle on a variety of quick-hit concepts. UGA bottled up running back Ulysses Bentley on a third-and-8 carry to force the Rebels to settle for a field goal. But defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann has some adjustments to make after consecutive Ole Miss scoring drives.

Rebs go up

1Q: Ole Miss 10, Georgia 7

Jaxson Dart looked solid on his first drive back, leading Ole Miss on a scoring drive that resulted in a Caden Davis 33-yard field goal. Dart got the drive moving with a 26-yard pass to Caden Prieskorn. It's a positive development after Dart looked pretty hobbled following his interception on the first drive of the series. Ole Miss is going to struggle to run the ball against Georgia without Henry Parrish, putting even more pressure on Dart to deliver through the air.

Dart back in

After missing a series after an injury, Jaxson Dart is back in for the Rebels. Dart was throwing throughout the last TV timeout to get ready to go back in. Will be interesting to see how much that earlier injury hampers him especially his running ability.

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