Happy New Years, Bulldog fans! I’ll forgo all the wishes for prosperity and peace t the moment, because it is game day and I have a lot of Munsoning with you people. But first, here’s why I’m NOT worried
about the Magnolia State Matriculators:
1. Kewan Lacy is an incredible running back for Ole Miss, and the perfect complement for Lane Kiffin’s Charlie Weiss’s air game. But not only did Georgia throttle him last time, holding him to his lowest production of the season, but Lacy left the Tulane CFP game with an injury. QB Trinidad Chambliss is definitely a running threat, and calls his own number a lot near the goal line, but no one else in the Baby Blue backfield has meaningful carries. And the Georgia run defense has been outstanding the last couple of months, allowing less than 2 yards per carry and no rushing scores the last 4 games (3 of which were ranked opponents).
2. Look, we’re probably going to punt this time. Let’s be real and understand the chances of Georgia playing a CFP game against a top 6 team and not punting are slim, and Slim just got through TSA. Everyone’s making a big deal about “zero punts”, but honestly it’s not that special. Just ask Brett Thorson, Bulldog punter and social media savant. His twitter beef with Stetson Bennett not allowing him to punt (by successfully ending offensive series with scores) happened more than once.
And oh yeah, Brett Thorson is also the current Ray Guy award winner – going to the best punter in college football. Georgia has to punt? To be honest, no big deal.
3. Georgia has had a problem with back-up quarterbacks, especially in the college football post-season. Whether it be Tua Tagovailoa, or Jalen Hurts in a QB2 role, Bulldog defenses have been burned by the change of pace. Austin Simmons is not that.
I admit he looked the part in October 2024 in Oxford, where he subbed in for a banged up Jaxson Dart, marching the Rebels right down the field. But he was pulled out quickly, and he was pulled out of the Ole Miss starters role just as quickly this season. Lane Kiffin, or whoever is supposedly making decisions on offense, attempted all season to install packages and situations for Simmons to play – mostly goal-line. But the handful of times I saw him, he was lost, had no confidence, and couldn’t execute. There’s a reason Chambliss was able to lock down QB1.
Now forgive me, as I was weaned at the nipple of Larry Munson’s scratch so here’s what does worry me about playing the team whose only mistake is that they played football in Athens this season:
1. If you do shut down their best weapon, or at least make Ole Miss left-handed by taking away the run game, Trinidad Chambliss can spread you out. In the last 6 games since they left Athens, the ReBears are averaging 322 yards passing and tossing 2 scores a game.
They have 5 receivers with at least 35 catches on the year. That includes tight end Dae’Quan Wright, a big body who has more receptions on the year than UGA’s own Oscar Delp and Lawson Luckie combined. So good luck stopping the run, containing the QB in the pocket and preventing big scrambles, all when you’ve got to cover the entire field short, long, and wide. And we will be missing the services of Joenel Aguero, who is officially out Thursday. The DB had a breakout game when these teams last played, as the 2nd leading tackler on the Georgia defense.
2 . As Trinidad Chambliss goes, so does the University of Mississippi at Oxford. Since the October 18th game in Athens, #6 is tossing over 290 yards a game with 11 scores and only 2 picks. All at a 70% clip. And that is largely why Lane Kiffin’s old team has won their last 6 games by an average of 22 points.
And don’t forget he has 8 rushing touchdowns on the year. Their run styles may be different, but his run stats are eerily similar to Gunner Stockton’s. Chambliss just throws for 50 more yards a game on top of that. Ole Miss has only lost 1 game, and they were leading until the Bulldog defense finally confused him enough to produce a 1-11 fourth quarter.
We’re going to need a CJ Allen performance, just one more time. With Gabe Harris in a walking boot, Allen and Raylen Wilson and others will be tasked with filling gaps, spying on Chambliss, and having to read and react all over the field.
3 . The Ole Miss offense is a little hard to pin down. They run fairly quick tempo, and as such don’t typically have a big edge in time of possession. Yet they also lead the nation in first downs gained. Plus they’re 2nd in the nation in plays from scrimmage gaining at least 10 yards. And they are #1 in 30+ yard plays. So they get a lot of first downs, and get a lot of chunk plays. They’re 33rd in rushing with aforementioned Kewan Lacy, and they’re 3rd in passing offense at over 312 yards per game.
So they run fast and make big plays. But not so big that they can’t just eat you alive with first down after first down, sustaining drives until they score. They have the best running back in the conference, and one of the best passing attacks in the country. Our boys in red and black have been off for 3-4 weeks and facing this tempo will take some getting used to with the signals, communication, substitutions, etc.
Call me crazy, just don’t call me late for collards and black eyed peas. Let us know in the comments what you’re feeling about having a rematch for the 2nd game in a row. And as always…
GO ‘DAWGS!!!
