Lane Kiffin typically avoids conversations about playoffs and championships. This week is an exception.
There’s no disguising the situation facing Kiffin and No. 16 Mississipp i: They need to win to keep their postseason hopes intact, starting Saturday against powerhouse No. 2 Georgia.
“I told our players — because they hear it all the time — you still live that stuff,” Kiffin said. “In my opinion, whoever is going to win it is going to have to go through Georgia at some point. They are the most important program in college football.”
The Bulldogs (7-1, 5-1 Southeastern Conference, No. 3 CFP) have won two of the last three national titles and have already toppled then-No. 1Texas. Only a loss to Alabama spoils their record.
The Rebels (7-2, 3-2, No. 16) have lost two games by a field goal each against Kentucky and LSU.
They posted a record-breaking offensive performance in a 63-31 win over Arkansas. But leading rusher Henry Parrish Jr. is out and star receiver Tre Harris – who hasn’t played in the last two games – is listed as questionable with injuries on the SEC’s availability report.
Injured runners
Ole Miss will be without Parrish. Georgia’s top running back, Trevor Etienne, left last week’s win against Florida with a rib injury. It was not listed in the availability report.
Georgia quarterback Carson Beck (15) throws a pass during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Florida, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in Jacksonville, Florida. Credit: AP/John Raoux
“The biggest thing is just his ability to take a little bit of pain and deal with it, because he’s going to get that,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “But he’s a tough kid, and I think he’ll do well with it.”
Ole Miss had Ulysses Bentley IV, Matt Jones and Domonique Thomas behind Parrish. Parrish has 678 yards and 10 touchdowns. Etienne has 453 rushing yards and seven touchdowns.
Beck’s choices
Georgia quarterback Carson Beck has three straight games with multiple interceptions. Kiffin manages to put a positive spin on it, thinking it’s a solvable problem for a talented passer.
“Compared to some people in the country you go to, they protect the ball, but the quarterback can’t make the throws,” the Ole Miss coach said. “It’s a good problem to have.”
Mississippi quarterback Jaxson Dart (2) throws a pass against Arkansas during the first half of an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in Fayetteville, Ark. Credit: AP/Michael Woods
The big game of Dart
Mississippi quarterback Jaxson Dart broke Archie Manning’s school record with 562 yards (515 passing, 47 rushing) in the Rebels’ win at Arkansas. He also had six touchdown passes.
“This guy plays scary football when you talk about the accuracy, the completion percentage and the yards he throws for,” Smart said. “He’s not throwing dink and dunk passes right now. This man throws the ball vertically across the field, shots. Then let’s say you handle all that, and when you do, he can take off and run.
Jordan Watkins had 254 receiving yards and five touchdown catches.
Thriving in fourth place
Smart continues to have success leaving the offense on the field on fourth downs. Georgia has been successful on 11 of 13 fourth downs this season, with an 85% percentage that tops the SEC. The Bulldogs have scored two touchdowns on fourth-down plays, including one by Etienne against Texas.
In Smart’s nine seasons at Georgia, the Bulldogs have a 64% success rate on fourth down (74 of 115) with 12 touchdowns.
Improved front end
The Bulldogs won last season’s meeting 52-17, prompting Kiffin to reflect on the talent gap on the offensive and defensive fronts.
They certainly made some upgrades on the defensive line with players like Walter Nolen and Princely Umanmielen, and at linebacker with Chris Paul Jr.
“We’re very different there,” Kiffin said, “and hopefully that will help us.”
Smart said of the Rebels defensive linemen: “Great people. Big, fast people and motionless objects with jerks and twists.”
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AP sports writer Charles Odum in Athens, Georgia, contributed to this report.