For two teams that have been in the same conference for nearly 100 years, the Bulldogs and Rebels don’t have much notable history with each other. But it’s picking up lately. The programs have played 48 times, with Georgia winning 34. They have met each of the past three seasons, with both teams ranked in the top 16 in all those games.
The most significant win of Lane Kiffin’s tenure as Rebels coach came last year against the Bulldogs, 28-10 in Oxford. Ole Miss looked as if it was going to make it two straight against Kirby Smart’s team this season, taking a nine-point lead into the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs then scored the last 17 points, handing the Rebels their only loss of the season in a 43-35 result.
Georgia has become a Playoff fixture under Smart, with five appearances and two national titles (2021 and 2022). The Bulldogs were knocked out in the quarterfinals of the first 12-team Playoff last season by Notre Dame. Ole Miss hasn’t been this close to a national championship since Johnny Vaught roamed the Rebels’ sideline. Ole Miss finished second in the AP poll in both 1959 and 1960. The school claims three national titles from that era, but it never finished the season No. 1 in one of the major polls.
Oddly, last year’s Ole Miss team that beat Georgia was probably more talented up and down the roster, but this year’s Rebels avoided the upsets that kept them out of the CFP last year. Then Kiffin bailed for LSU after the regular-season finale, and Ole Miss promoted defensive coordinator Pete Golding to head coach.