By Billy Watkins
They aren’t afraid or intimidated.
Thank the SEC schedule-makers for that by sending the Ole Miss Rebels on the road to Georgia on October 18.
Yes, they lost that matchup 43-35, — their only blemish of the 12-1 season thus far. Players have said all week they welcome Thursday night’s rematch in the quarterfinal round of the College Football Playoffs in the Sugar Bowl.
“I’m very excited to play Georgia again,” quarterback Trinidad Chambliss said at a recent press conference in Oxford. “The first outcome wasn’t the outcome that we wanted. We felt like we were the better team that day, and we felt like we should’ve won that game.”
Only a handful of this year’s starters were on the 2024 team that beat Georgia in Oxford, 28-10, but no one seems overly impressed that Georgia won national championships in 2021 and 2022 and SEC titles three of the past four years.
Maybe it’s because Ole Miss is 33-6 the past three seasons. Winning breeds confidence and expectations.
Standout defensive tackle Will Echoles, who played in the 2024 win, was asked this week about Georgia offensive linemen Juan Gaston, who stands 6-foot-7, 360 pounds.
“He’s a good player,” answered the 6-3, 310-pound Echoles, “but nothing special.”
This Ole Miss bunch has a unique vibe. And if No. 3 Georgia (12-1) prevails, it won’t be because the No. 6 Rebels were starstruck.
************
Ole Miss led 35-26 entering the fourth quarter that afternoon in Athens.
Over the final 15 minutes, the Rebels ran only 11 plays and gained 13 yards while Georgia outscored them 17-0.
Everything seemed to change on the Rebels’ first play of that quarter. Tight end Dae’Quan Wright was open for big yards, but Chambliss’ pass landed woefully short. It was so out of character for a guy who has thrown for 3,209 yards, 19 touchdowns and just three interceptions, that it shook the entire team.
They ran the same play later in the quarter, but to the left this time. Again, Wright was open for big yardage. Again, the pass nosedived into the grass.
Chambliss hasn’t dodged the errors. He spoke about them at a press conference leading up to the Sugar Bowl.
“I wouldn’t say the environment was too crazy,” he said. “I kinda got in my own head a little bit after that one throw to Dae’Quan was in the dirt. Just short-arming throws.
“I feel like if I had made those throws, the outcome would’ve been different. I think we would’ve won that game.
“I know we should’ve stopped them on a fourth down. That was crucial .We would’ve got the ball back at midfield. But at the end of the day, I’m the quarterback and I’ve got to make the plays.”
He added: “It’s the playoffs. You don’t want to be the reason your team loses, or the reason you’re not playing again next week. You’ve just got to execute, play fast, play physical, ball out and have fun.”
Consider, the Georgia game was only his fifth start of the season, coming from Division II Ferris State. It was his first start on the road, with 93,033 crammed into Sanford Stadium.
Chambliss bounced back the next week throwing for 315 yards and a score, plus rushing for 53 in a 34-26 victory at Oklahoma. He’s been lights out since.
Without him, Ole Miss certainly wouldn’t be in the playoffs. Head coach Pete Golding talks of his “out of this world” competitive nature. He’s handled success as well as any player could. And he’s a veteran now. This will be his 12th Division I start.
**********
The defense had its problems against the Dawgs.
“We just couldn’t get off the field,” Echoles said.
The linebackers and secondary turned receivers loose for long gains and touchdowns. Georgia tight end Lawson Luckie has 14 catches and four touchdowns this season. Five of those receptions and three of his TDs came against Ole Miss.
“We didn’t communicate well,” said linebacker TJ Dottery. “I feel like a lot of times, a guy was misaligned or missed an assignment versus them winning a play one on one.”
Ole Miss will get a boost in the secondary this time around with a much healthier Jaylon Braxton available at cornerback. He played only sparingly against Georgia in October.
A transfer from Arkansas prior to this season, Braxton has been recovering from what co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach Bryan Brown called “a horrendous (knee) injury” in the Razorbacks’ second game of the 2024 season.
Braxton said in a press briefing this week that he didn’t feel physically comfortable until the Florida game Nov. 15. He had five tackles — fifth-most on the team — in the Egg Bowl victory. He made a dandy interception and broke up two passes in the CFP first-round win over Tulane.
With cornerback Antonio Kite healthy again, an improved and active safety in Wydett Williams, and Braxton’s resurgence, the secondary should be better.
Brown said following the playoff win over Tulane: “For (Braxton) to be able to come back from the surgery he had, it took some time. I think anytime you’re out of the game of football, if you’re not practicing every day and you don’t have that strength in your leg that you need — especially for a defensive back coming in and out of breaks — it’s gonna take some time.
“He’s a smart, high IQ football guy so he doesn’t require a lot of reps. But he does need the cognitive motor skills to cut and run in and out of his breaks. He’s progressed and gotten better. I’m so proud of him.”
While the Rebels have played well — sometimes great — down the stretch, they haven’t played a complete game yet.
Thursday night would be the perfect time to do so.
#########
