Three Takeaways: Ole Miss Dominates Georgia in Must-Win Game

The Ole Miss Rebels dominated the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday night at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

Nov 9, 2024; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Georgia Bulldogs running back Trevor Etienne (1) runs the ball as Mississippi Rebels defensive back Trey Amos (9) makes the tackle during the first half at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

History was made on Saturday night in Oxford, Mississippi.

The No. 16 Ole Miss Rebels (8-2, 4-2 SEC) needed a win over the No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs to keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive, and they secured that mark convincingly, winning the game 28-10 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

This marked Ole Miss' first top-five win since it took down Alabama in 2015, and the Rebels have now joined Alabama as the only teams to beat Georgia since 2021.

It was a huge night, but what do we take away from a game such as this? Let's dive in below.

1. Ole Miss played like a playoff team.

This is probably the biggest takeaway from tonight. The Rebels faced a daunting challenge against one of the top programs in college football on Saturday, and they answered the bell. Quarterback Jaxson Dart played about 99 percent of the game injured, and he helped pilot the offense to an impressive performance, even if it only secured two touchdowns on the night.

Once again, however, the defense stole the show in Oxford. Ole Miss sacked Georgia quarterback Carson Beck five times on Saturday, and it also forced three turnovers, one of which was a critical interception made halfway through the fourth quarter that helped the Rebels begin to drain the clock.

A lot of things went right for Ole Miss this weekend, but it wasn't luck. The Rebels simply outplayed the Bulldogs in this one.

2. Speaking of Dart, this is a legacy game for him.

Despite being visibly less than 100 percent healthy after the first series, Dart played through the pain and helped Ole Miss make critical plays when it mattered most. If the Rebels go on to make the playoff this season, Saturday's win over Georgia will go down as a career-defining game for the senior from Kaysville, Utah.

Oh, and on the drive where Dart was in the locker room tending to his injury, backup quarterback Austin Simmons looked superb. Ole Miss fans may have a lot to look forward to, if Simmons is the guy to take over the offense after Dart's collegiate career comes to a close.

3. Defense, defense, defense.

Games like this are why Ole Miss went so trench-heavy in the transfer portal over the offseason. Lane Kiffin has said it himself that last season's loss to Georgia showed a discrepancy in the size between the Rebels and the SEC's elite, and tonight proved that the offseason strategy paid off.

A game like this also can define Kiffin's tenure at Ole Miss, once it's all said and done. This is a big one, and the narrative that he "can't win the big game" probably went out the window on Saturday.