Ole Miss Rebels Dominated in Athens By Talent Differential of Georgia Bulldogs

The Ole Miss Rebels are a good team...but they are not an elite team just yet.

At the end of the day, Saturday was about a talent differential. 

The No. 9 Ole Miss Rebels have elevated themselves into an upper tier of college football since Lane Kiffin arrived in Oxford. This is a good team that resides in Oxford..."good" being the important term. Saturday night showed that this is not an elite team, however. 

The Georgia Bulldogs largely-dominated Ole Miss after the Rebels enjoyed a fast start on offense to begin Saturday night's game, picking up a 52-17 win in Athens. Ole Miss' offense wasn't horrendous, but its defense failed to produce consistent stops, and that's a dangerous recipe on the road against the two-time defending national champions.

You can blame scheme, coaching, or whatever you want to, but Saturday's loss was about talent. Ole Miss is very good, especially compared to the state of the program prior to Lane Kiffin's arrival, but it does not have the five-star horses on its sideline like Georgia. 

Nov 11, 2023; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs defensive lineman Tramel Walthour (90) and linebacker Chaz Chambliss (32) tackle Mississippi Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart (2) during the first half at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports / © Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Lane Kiffin put it bluntly during media availability this week: facing Georgia in Athens was a "trifecta" of elite talent, elite coaching and a hostile road environment. Ole Miss, simply put, was not up to the challenge.

That shouldn't dampen what has been a really strong season in Oxford. Coming into the year, most Ole Miss fans would have automatically chalked up losses to Alabama and Georgia, and they would have jumped at a possible 10-2 season. If the Rebels win out against Louisiana-Monroe and Mississippi State (two games they will almost-certainly be favored in), 10-2 becomes a reality along with a good postseason destination.

Being able to challenge for national championships will become a reachable possibility for Ole Miss next season when the College Football Playoff expands to 12 teams, but, for now, Ole Miss is just a good team that got dominated by an elite one on Saturday night. 

Now, the Rebels have to refocus if they want to secure a second 10-win season in the last three years. Following a loss to Alabama a year ago, Ole Miss imploded down the stretch. If they can avoid a similar collapse in 2023, the sour taste from Athens will likely not last long.