The Georgia Bulldogs suffered a very deflating loss to the Ole Miss Rebels . After weeks of offensive irregularities, the Bulldogs finally paid the price for their struggles and fell in a big-ranked SEC matchup. The Dawgs’ spirit was deeply affected by this defeat and head coach Kirby Smart revealed the message he delivered to his players after the game.
Georgia dropped nine spots (from No. 2 to No. 11) in the AP Poll after the loss to Ole Miss. The latter surpassed them as they now stand in tenth place. The Rebels’ offense has put the NCAA on notice, yet the Dawgs thought they were ready for Jaxson Dart and company. They weren’t and they took a big hit because of it.
The Dawgs’ offense stalled once again. Against Ole Miss, Carson Beck was not able to get going and Georgia paid the price for it. It was Beck’s third consecutive game with more interceptions thrown than touchdown passes. Beck threw for 186 yards and an interception. After the game, Smart addressed his message to the roster going through this concerning stage of the season.
“It’s on to the next. I mean, welcome to the SEC, baby,” Smart told reporters postgame. “I mean, I said when the season started that it was going to be the toughest schedule we’ve ever had in the SEC with the addition of the Texas game on top of all the others we had to play. It’s extremely tough. It’s difficult. We’ve got a big game next week. We’ve got to go out, and we’ve got to find a way to execute at a higher level.”
Head coach Kirby Smart of the Georgia Bulldogs reacts during the fourth quarter against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium on November 25, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Jaxson Dart sends message to the rest of the league
Dart has become a sensation in the country. The senior-year QB is in second place for most passing yards (3,409) in college football and leads Ole Miss to an 8-2 record. After the statement 28-10 win versus Georgia, the Rebels ratified their claim for a Playoffs berth. Dart sneaked in a warning message to the league during the postgame press conference.
see also
Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart sends strong warning to rest of the NCAAF teams after win vs Georgia
“It feels great,” Dart stated. “Everybody counted us out after the LSU game, but we feel like we’re a couple of plays away from being the No. 1 team in the country. We’re peaking and I think everybody sees that.”
Ole Miss hopes to finish the season with a 10-2 record as they will face the Florida Gators and the Mississippi State Bulldogs in the upcoming weeks. If they do so, the Rebels would make a solid case to punch their ticket to the postseason.
If that’s the case, the CFP Selection Committee is going to have their hands full when deciding which schools make the bracket and which are left out.
Georgia has no margin of error
The Bulldogs are down to one last strike after the loss to Ole Miss. Up next, the Dawgs will host the visiting No. 6 Tennessee Volunteers. Tennessee (8-1, 5-1 SEC) and Georgia (7-2, 5-2 SEC) will face off on November 16th in Athens at 7:30p.m. ET.
