A clash between one of the nation’s best offenses and defenses. This weekend’s SEC night game is sure to provide fantastic television. Two programs that faced off last year in the College Football Playoff meet again under the spotlight. Last season, the Rebels got the best of the Bulldogs in New Orleans. Now, it’s set to be a home game for Mississippi in Oxford.
The Georgia defense seemed to be back against Florida in Atlanta last weekend. Forcing four total turnovers against the Gators. While some of them may have been sloppy mistakes, others were elite defensive plays. Quintavius Johnson forced a fumble, recovered by Chris Cole for a touchdown, making it two for Cole on the season. He continues to be everywhere on the field for the Bulldogs.
It was a quiet day offensively, however. Part of that can be attributed to Georgia’s short field after turnovers, while part of it boils down to execution. This will have to change heading into a hostile environment against a team with one of the best playmakers in the country. By now, Georgia fans are familiar with the name Trinidad Chambliss. He has just under 2,000 passing yards on the season with 16 touchdowns in the air.
The Rebels have already lost two games so far this year, seemingly making Saturday’s game a must-win for their program. They fell to both Florida and Texas on the road. Mississippi held their own against the Longhorns and bounced back with a big win at home over Auburn. At the same time, a win for Georgia would put them in a position to have a great shot at another straight SEC Championship berth. The SEC is still all over the place, and questions are beginning to arise whether or not a three-loss SEC team could make the 12-team playoff.
From Athens, this is the second longest trip of the regular season behind Fayetteville back in week three. Georgia fans may be able to enjoy The Grove a bit more this year. Two years ago when these two teams met, it was a wet and muggy day in Oxford. This coming Saturday is expected to be cloudy, hopefully providing some tailgating opportunities before the night kick.
The Bulldogs hold a 34-15-1 all-time record against the Rebels, seeking a chance at revenge against the team that crushed their playoff hopes less than a year ago.
