Showdown in Athens: Breaking down what the Ole Miss defense must do to beat Georgia

ATHENS — The biggest game of the season for Ole Miss, at least thus far, is almost upon us. Against Georgia on Saturday, the No. 5 Rebels have a chance to prove to the entire nation they belong.

This feels like a game for “all the marbles” doesn’t it?  It marks the first top 10 matchup on Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium since these two teams met in 2023. ESPN’S College Gameday is in Athens, with Kirk Herbstreit and Chris Fowler on the call. The game offers the opportunity for Lane Kiffin or Kirby Smart to take the lead against the other, as the coaches have split the last two meetings between their two teams.

There were questions throughout the offseason about Pete Golding’s defense as they entered the 2025 season. How would this unit compare to the historic 2024 defense? Would the secondary be enough? And how, exactly, would they replace four guys on the defensive front that moved on to the NFL?

In what was supposed to be a “rebuild” year for Ole Miss, Kiffin’s squad has found themselves 6-0, and ranked No. 5 in the country going into the matchup with the Bulldogs.

But as Lane Kiffin and his players have reiterated every week, none of that matters. The job is to go 1-0 each week, and they must continue doing so if they want an opportunity to make a trip to the SEC championship game.

Kirby Smart has called for Georgia fans to make this weekend “the best atmosphere ever,” so the test will be tough — but Ole Miss has the tools to make it happen.

The Ole Miss defense bowed its neck late against Washington State, but they struggled early and squandered some big opportunities against the Cougars’ offense. Things will need to be different against Georgia if the Rebels want to leave with a win.

So what does Pete Golding’s squad need to do to defeat Georgia? 

1. Contain the run game

Note, “contain” not stop. Stopping an offense that puts up 185.5 rushing yards per game will be a task, but Ole Miss doesn’t need to stop Georgia to win, they just need to contain the Bulldogs’ run game.

A quick glance of the numbers shows the 2025 Ole Miss defense has played significantly better in the pass game, allowing just 180 passing yards per game, ranking 28th in the country this season, compared to last season’s team that allowed 230.8 yards per game.

The struggles have come against the run, where the Rebels have allowed 157.7 yards per game — ranking the unit No. 95 in the nation currently — compared to 80.5 per game in 2024, which ranked as second in the entire nation last year.

The Rebels’ defense currently ranks third-to-last in the SEC in rushing defense. That being said, Ole Miss held Washington State to 127 rushing yards Saturday, their second lowest tally of the season with their team best of 57 yards coming against LSU.

The run problems stem from a collection of things, firstly, dual-threat quarterbacks. Arkansas QB Taylen Green and Tulane QB Jake Retzlaff both led in rushing yards for their respective teams against the Rebels’ defense, but how much of that is related to schemes?

The Arkansas game was the biggest example of this. The Ole Miss defense gave up some hefty plays, but how much of that was Taylen Green being great? Ole Miss recorded five QB hurries against the Razorbacks. Now that may not sound like a lot, but for comparison, the Razorbacks had zero hurries against Trinidad Chambliss.

Green made a lot out of nothing in Oxford, and that’s what the Rebels have to stop Gunner Stockton from doing this weekend. Stockton only has 63 rushing yards on the season, but he leads the Bulldogs in rushing touchdowns with six on the season.

Georgia runs a lot of designed QB runs in the red zone for Stockton, and this has likely been a key while Ole Miss watched film this week on the Bulldogs.

Stockton’s agility and speed on the outside have been key for the Bulldogs’ offense, and Ole Miss will need to do their best to avoid the Bulldogs getting into the red zone. Limiting Stockton will force Georgia to throw on the outside more and attempt more big plays in the air.

2. Start hot and limit penalties

The Ole Miss defense has committed at least two penalties in each game this season. If you’re a Rebels’ fan, you want to see your team avoid shooting itself in the foot. The Ole Miss defense committed six penalties against LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier-led offense, but they won’t be able to get away with that against the Bulldogs’ offense.

This Georgia offense can put up points, but they can also be limited as shown in games against Alabama and Auburn. The Rebels’ defense has been penalized 22 times, and of those 22 times, seven have come in the first quarter.

So, Ole Miss has to start hot, and they have to give every effort possible to keep Georgia from making a comeback. As coaches say, “this is a four quarter game,” and that is exactly the task at hand when facing Kirby Smart in any year.

“It was a tale of two halves,” Smart said after his team’s comeback with over Auburn last weekend.

— Kirby Smart after the Auburn game

Georgia fell behind early against Tennessee, Alabama, and Auburn, and finished with a 2-1 record in those three games.

In my opinion, the ball is in the hands of the Ole Miss front seven. With Georgia producing six different offensive line units this season due to injury, the Rebels have a great advantage in this department. But don’t underestimate the Bulldogs’ line, as this group has been solid, while even starting some freshmen this season.

Avoiding penalties, putting Stockton on the ground early, and creating some momentum will be key for the Ole Miss defense. The Rebels will  need to preserve their energy to last all four quarters, meaning they need to get off the field on third downs.

3. Take advantage of the moments 

The moment cannot be too big for the Ole Miss defense, as the unit will have to rely on trusting the call and making big plays in the open field.

Players in the secondary like Kapena Gushiken, Sage Ryan, Jaylen Braxton and others, will have to make big plays in the run game, and make open field tackles to help the Rebels avoid getting away from their gameplan.

How much will Ole Miss rely on the three true down linemen set against Georgia? Pete Golding has essentially relied on a different set this season, for better or worse. Those schemes worked to an extent, and it would’ve worked better if Ole Miss didn’t drop interceptions and miss out on sacks by allowing opposing QBs to scurry out of the pocket and make plays with their legs after being inches away from being sacked.

Ole Miss missed out on opportunity after opportunity against Arkansas, with three dropped interceptions and a plethora of missed sack opportunities. They will need to make the most of the big moments against Georgia and avoid giving up the long drives.

Ole Miss ranks third in the conference in red zone defense and will need to continue this momentum Saturday. Miscommunication within the secondary seemed to be a big problem for Ole Miss early against both LSU and Washington State. Georgia will look to take advantage of this and will not squander a big lead if given to them.

Kam Franklin, Suntarine Perkins, and Will Echoles will need to have monster games for Ole Miss to defeat the Georgia offense. These players have consistently been key for the Ole Miss defense this season. T.J. Dottery will need help from his teammates in the linebacker corps; Jaden Yates and Tahj Chambers have improved every week, and will be critical in the run game against Chauncey Bowens and Gunner Stockton.

Game info

Ole Miss and Georgia kick off at 2:30 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on ABC.