3 burning questions answered as Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss Rebels get ready for Georgia in Week 11 SEC matchup
The Ole Miss Rebels' 2024 college football season comes down to this one matchup against Georgia. If Lane Kiffin, star quarterback Jaxson Dart, and the best pass rush in football can defeat Kirby Smart and his Bulldogs then they're almost assuredly guaranteed a spot in the College Football Playoff. But can they do it? To […]
The Ole Miss Rebels' 2024 college football season comes down to this one matchup against Georgia. If Lane Kiffin, star quarterback Jaxson Dart, and the best pass rush in football can defeat Kirby Smart and his Bulldogs then they're almost assuredly guaranteed a spot in the College Football Playoff. But can they do it?
To help answer that question (among others), we turn to A to Z Sports Georgia beat writer Kelsey Kramer. She answers three key burning questions that will define Ole Miss' chances against the Georgia Bulldogs this week.
Three important questions to ask for Ole Miss Rebels vs. Georgia Bulldogs
What's wrong with Carson Beck? How can Ole Miss make sure they continue to force Beck to throw interceptions?
I can’t answer exactly what is going on with Carson Beck, but one really has to wonder why Kirby Smart is defending his starting quarterback who has thrown 11 interceptions over the last five games after starting the season off with none early on. Georgia’s offensive line is giving him plenty of time in the pocket but his ability to read coverages and overall decision-making has been terrible. It doesn’t help that he doesn’t have a go-to guy like he did in Brock Bowers or even a reliable second option like Ladd McConkey. If Ole Miss can shut down Beck’s current top targets in Arian Smith and Dominic Lovett then he will be forced to look elsewhere – which could be right into the hands of a Rebels defender.
Which version of Georgia's pass rush should Ole Miss expect to see? The one who pressured Texas 30 times and sacked their QBs 7 times, or the one that could only pressure Florida a total of 7 times at all??
Georgia’s pass rush has been far from consistent this season, but they’ve shown up when it matters most. This week is one of those “matters most” weeks after they took a backseat in the win over Florida. Expect the defense to be very disruptive and humble Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart early on.
What playmakers on the offensive side of the ball should have Ole Miss fans worried most?
Ole Miss might have a dangerous run defense but they’re going to need to worry about facing Trevor Etienne who managed to put up 87 yards and three touchdowns against “the best defense” in the country in Week 8 vs. Texas. Aside from the obvious, Arian Smith, Dominic Lovett, and Dillon Bell, Ole Miss needs to watch out for emerging star tight end Lawson Luckie and dual-threat running back Cash Jones. The skill position groups are deeper than most think for Georgia.
We'll be back with more Ole Miss Rebels coverage here at A to Z Sports all season long! Follow me (@FF_TravisM) and A to Z Sports (@AtoZSportsNFL) on X for all the latest football news!
