The Red and Black sports editor Wilson Alexander: Eason has taken control of this offense. Unless he begins to play poorly, then the job is his. You could see it on that fourth-and-10 pass to beat Missouri that he just has the “it” factor, which is what Isaiah McKenzie said after the game, actually. All of Georgia’s players said how calm, cool and collected he was on that drive, which is impressive for a freshman.
WA: It doesn’t actually. They’re very good at stay even-keel and not showing frustration or elation or anything in between. It’s tough to read them as a reporter. The person that seems most stressed is Kirby Smart. On Monday he pointed out that he hadn’t shaved because of how much he’s prepping for Chad Kelly and the Ole Miss offense. However, this is undoubtedly a huge game for Georgia. If it wins, it goes to 4-0 with Tennessee coming to town next week. This week and next week are Georgia’s two biggest games, and a win would set it up very nicely for the rest of the season, to say the least.
Prediction?
WA: Although I wouldn’t be shocked if Georgia won, the lack of the running game has me picking Ole Miss 31-21.
What have Ole Miss’ players and Head Coach Hugh Freeze been saying this week about Georgia?
The Daily Mississippian sports editor Brian Scott Rippee: Hugh said after the game [against Alabama] on Saturday it’s going to sting for a little bit, but the challenge is going to be throwing it in the trash and getting ready for a good Georgia team with a lot of talent. Honestly, they’ve tried to forget about Saturday. They’ve heard the whole thing that they’ve blown two 21-point leads. They’re fully aware of that. The goal that they had at the beginning of the season is no longer in their control. They can’t start 1-3, so it’s a must-win for them.
How has Ole Miss reacted to giving up those two 21-or-more-point leads in two of its first three games?
BSR: It stings, and I think you could definitely see that. After the game Saturday, Chad Kelly immediately came in and put the loss on him. Obviously it wasn’t entirely his fault, but he took responsibility. Senior tight end Evan Engram came in and went into the locker room and said they have to start playing for each other. You can tell it has definitely taken a toll on them. I think more than the sting of the two 21-point losses is the physical toll that this month of September has taken. I mean, playing the AP No. 1 and No. 4 in three weeks can take a huge toll on a team.
Do you think losing those two games in the fashion they have might motivate them more for this game?
BSR: I do. A couple of questions I’ve gotten from people around campus is, “Are they going to pack it in this year?” That’s never really been the M.O. of Freeze’s teams. They’ve had tough loses over the years. Whether it was the Treadwell injury with Auburn two years ago or that fourth-and-25 last year [versus Arkansas], the guys on the team have been through a lot of adversity, and it’s never been in their nature to pack it in. So, I do think it can motivate them. They know after Saturday their back is up against the wall. I think it will motivate them to finish strong.
Kelly is probably licking his lips watching a Georgia secondary that gave up 376 yards to Drew Lock last week. What kind of player is he? Kirby called him a ‘rodeo bull rider.’
BSR: [laughs] I’m guessing that’a a reference to his aggressiveness and the loose cannon feel to him. Last year, about the last seven games of the year, he really came on. You can see what he can do with his arm, and he can make a lot of great throws and a lot of pro-style throws. But what he did down the stretch last year was he beat teams with his feet. He was actually Ole Miss’ leading rusher a year ago. Especially with the offensive line situation the way it is and all the injuries they’ve had at running back, his ability to extend plays with his feet has kept them in a lot of games this year. You saw it especially in that Florida State game when they were on life support at the end. I think one of the most underrated qualities he has is to turn what might be a sack into a five- or six-yard gain.
How has Ole Miss’ defense played this year, and how might it matchup against Georgia?
At linebacker they’re a little thin. They’ve got a transfer in Rommel Mageo that came from Oregon State that’s played pretty well, but the real kicker here is their secondary is very young. They play two freshmen safeties in Myles Hartsfield and Deontay Anderson. They lost their best cover corner on the second drive of the game at Florida State in Ken Webster. I think they’re still pretty equipped to not necessarily stop Nick Chubb but neutralize him. They did pretty good against Alabama’s running game until [Jalen] Hurts, the quarterback, started making plays with his feet. I would say they’re most vulnerable in the secondary for sure because they’re playing a lot of guys that haven’t played very much football. It shows.
The Georgia running game has been struggling the last two games. How might that defense be able to take advantage of that?
BSR: I would say the aspect of making a young quarterback in Eason beat you with his arm, but from what I’ve seen Eason can make all the throws. He’s on his way to being a star even though he’s a true freshman. I think being able to stop the run will help them because it might make Georgia become one dimensional, but then again they’ve struggled to defend pretty much anybody in the passing game. It might end up being a wash.
What is your prediction for the game?
BSR: I want to say Ole Miss rebounds at home, and I want to say they win. I think 30-20 might be fair, but it’s really hard to tell. If I had to make a prediction right now, I would say they do get the win, but obviously with the way the first three games have gone, you really don’t know.
