Ole Miss Rebels Week 3 Notebook: Observations From Home Win vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

The No. 17 Ole Miss Rebels overcame a slow start on Saturday night to dismantle the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 48-23.

OXFORD, Miss. -- After a rocky first half, the No. 17 Ole Miss Rebels were able to squash the Georiga Tech Yellow Jackets 48-23 in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Saturday night.

This was not the same Georgia Tech team that Ole Miss faced a year ago, as the Rebels entered halftime winning by a score of 10-3. In 2022, Lane Kiffin's squad shut out the Yellow Jackets 42-0 on the road, but Georgia Tech came to play this season under first-year coach Brent Key.

In Week 4, the Rebels will hit the road to take on their first SEC opponent of 2023, the Alabama Crimson Tide. Ole Miss vs. Alabama is set to kick off at 2:30 p.m. CT in Tuscaloosa and the game will be televised on CBS Sports.

Below are my notes and observations from Ole Miss' Week 3 home win over Georgia Tech.

Jaxson Dart Carries Ole Miss Offense vs. Georgia Tech

Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart kept the offense churning on Saturday with 387 yards of total offense and three total touchdowns. Dart threw for 251 passing yards and also led the Rebels on the ground with a career-high 136 rushing yards on 14 carries. Dart forced himself into the endzone on two short-yardage situations and found receiver Jordan Watkins late in the game for a 68-yard touchdown reception.

Quinshon Judkins Contributes Depsite "Doubtful" Status Ahead of Week 3

Running back Quinshon Judkins was labeled as "doubtful" ahead of Ole Miss' home game versus Georgia Tech with an injury, but the superstar still managed to find his way onto the field to help move the Rebels' offense. Versus Georgia Tech, Judkins recorded 37 rushing yards and one touchdown on 13 carries and also racked up 27 receiving yards on two receptions.

Ole Miss running back Ulysses Bentley IV stepped up, however, with Judkins in a limited role, rushing for 61 yards and his first touchdown of 2023 on six carries. Matt Jones also found the endzone on his only carry of the game.

Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart vs. Georgia Tech / Carleigh Harbin-The Grove Report

Georgia Tech Rushing Attack Gives Ole Miss Defense Trouble

The Yellow Jacket offense took a lot from the Ole Miss defense on Saturday. A handful of times, Georgia Tech brought the game back within one score, but thanks to a resurgence from its offense in the second half, Ole Miss remains undefeated entering Week 4. Georgia Tech was able to keep it close thanks to hard running from its tailbacks, Jamal Haynes and Trey Cooley. The two running backs combined for 123 rushing yards versus Ole Miss, and the Rebels allowed a total of 167 yards on the ground.

Ole Miss Needs its Weapons to Get Healthy

Dart was able to get the job done on Saturday, but he needs his weapons fully healthy if Ole Miss wants to be competitive as its schedule gets tougher. Receiver Tre Harris missed Saturday's contest and wideout Zakhari Franklin missed his third straight game of 2023. Tight end Caden Prieskorn has not appeared in a game this season and his vacancy has also been felt in the run game. Fortunately, the Rebels have the depth to fill these openings, but this offense cannot reach its full potential with its playmakers sidelined.

Suntarine Perkins Needs to See the Field More

The middle of Ole Miss' defense looked a little soft on Saturday, except when true freshman Suntarine Perkins was patrolling the field. After barely seeing the field in Week 2, Perkins was back in Ole Miss' defensive rotation and recorded four tackles. The stat sheet will tell you that he did not do much, but Perkins' made his presence felt in his limited reps, whether he was getting in the backfield or chasing a runner down from behind. I understand that Ole Miss' new rotation on defense keeps players fresh, but Perkins is the kind of player who needs to be on the field every play.