SEC East Champ Bulldogs Pound Ole Miss 52-17

With back-to-back CFB championship wins, 9 consecutive season wins, and 26 total wins since the 2021 SEC Championships, the Georgia Bulldogs have little to prove to anyone, but nevertheless, they played tonight like they had everything to prove.

In a loud and packed Sanford Stadium, the Bulldogs defeated a tough Ole Miss Rebels, a team that came ready to spoil the Dawgs’ dreams of coasting into their third championship year without a loss. But as the game progressed, it was apparent Ole Miss couldn’t even keep up with the Dawgs on their home turf. That fact is confirmed by the lopsided final score, Dawgs 52, Rebels 17.

It came on the same night when the Dawgs became the SEC East Champs after Tennessee was defeated. The team will face Alabama for the SEC title on December 2nd, but let’s focus on tonight for this post.

Dawgs on Top tonight! pic.twitter.com/kbbWi2ePLl

— Aaron Murray (@aaronmurray11) November 12, 2023

On a night where former Bulldogs QB Stetson Bennett, former head coach Mark Richt, and Braves pitcher AJ Minter were in the audience, the Bulldogs literally and figuratively ran circles around Ole Miss, amassing a colossal 611 total yards to the visitors’ 352. They scored seven touchdowns, at least one in all four quarters, to the #9 ranked Ole Miss, which could not get but two touchdowns from Georgia’s stingy defense.

Welcome back Between the Hedges, Stetson!#GoDawgs pic.twitter.com/6d0HwmAkm2

— Georgia Bulldogs (@UGAAthletics) November 12, 2023

Georgia quarterback Carson Beck impressed tonight. He went 18 of 25 for 306 yards, 2 TD’s, and a single interception. Ole Miss’s Jaxon Dart went 10 of 17 for 112 yards and an interception. No TDs were credited to him.

“[I’m] super proud of everybody,” Beck told reporters after the game. “Defense, special teams, offense…we played so well [and] executed at such a high level.”

Five different Bulldogs crossed the red zone tonight. Kendall Minton had the biggest numbers with 127 rushing yards from 9 carries. He scored 2 TDs. Ladd McConkey got 81 receiving yards from 4 receptions. Dejaun Edwards ran to the endzone twice (4 yards total). Andrew Paul scored his first 4-yard TD run of the night.

Minton told the press after the game, “This was real Georgia football to me. This is the Georgia that I grew up watching. This is the Georgia I came in as a freshman. This is the standard of Georgia football so I feel like you know we got a foot in the door.”

Brock Bowers returned to the field in grand style after an ankle injury and subsequent surgery kept him out of action since the Vanderbilt game. He left no doubt after his performance on the field he was back in top form. He ran for 8 yards to score his first touchdown since that game. He got 34 total yards from 3 receptions.

Head coach Kirby Smart said after the game that Bowers was told by un-named people to take the season off after his injury, but those comments only served to “piss him off.” Apparently, he used that anger to propel his performance on the field today.

JUICED🧃#GoDawgs pic.twitter.com/Uc2UxoWK4A

— Georgia Football (@GeorgiaFootball) November 12, 2023

Ole Miss Quinshun Judkins got 22 carries for 75 rushing yards and two TDs.

With such a decisive win over a tough competitor (Ole Miss is 8-2), one wonders whether the CFB Playoff ranking committee was paying attention and will finally move the Dawgs out of the #2 slot they held for the past two weeks and into number one on this closely watched list? The current leader, Ohio State Buckeyes, beat the 3-7 Michigan State Spartans by a convincing 38-3. We will find out who’s on top on Tuesday.

But regardless of where Georgia eventually ranks, tonight was a statement game that proves the Dawgs can and will defend their championship status with authority on their home turf against tough competition. That’s what champions do.

The Bulldog’s regular season continues with their next game against Tennessee at Neyland Stadium next Saturday.

Image credit: Aaron Murray, Georgia Football, X