Georgia 43, Ole Miss 35

 

That was one exciting game!

Uncharacteristically, the No. 9 Georgia Bulldogs scored first in this game, although due to offensive pass interference, had to settle for a field goal even though they had advanced the ball all the way to the Rebels' 24-yard line. After that, it was time to buckle up and tighten your seat belt, because both teams swapped TDs on the next five possessions, with Georgia scoring two and No. 5 Ole Miss, three. After another Georgia FG as the clock expired, the Rebels led, 21-20, at the half.

Everyone knows Georgia's pattern by now and expected Coach Smart to make his halftime adjustments and the Dawgs to come out in the second half with guns blazing. But Ole Miss knocked the wind out of our sails by starting the half by scoring a TD in two plays, including a 75-yard pass. The Dawgs scored a TD on their next possession, an 11-play drive, but failed to make the two-point conversion and had to settle for six points. Ole Miss scored another TD on their next drive and took a 35-26 lead. Things weren't looking good for the Bulldogs.

That's when fortune turned around for Georgia. On their next possession, a 13-play drive, Georgia gambled on a 4th-and-one and got the first down and then the subsequent TD. Then, in the fourth quarter and for the first time in the entire game, Georgia prevented Ole Miss from scoring on a drive and forced the first punt of the game. Georgia scored a TD again, forced another Ole Miss punt, only the second by either team in the whole game, and got a field goal. Georgia then held the Rebels to 22 yards on their final possession and forced a turnover on downs. The Bulldogs ran out the clock and the game ended, 43-35, Georgia.

During the regular season last year, the Dawgs lost two games, one to Alabama and one to Ole Miss. This year, we had already lost to Alabama again and for a while there, it looked like we were going to lose to Ole Miss again, too. But history did not repeat itself, and Georgia is now 6-1 and Ole Miss took their first loss of the season and are 6-1 as well.      

Georgia is 4-1 in the SEC, second to A&M and Alabama (3-0). Ole Miss is 3-1. 

Mercifully, Georgia has a bye week next weekend, and then the annual rivalry game against unranked Florida (3-4).

What a game! What a thrilling Bulldog win!