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As Kevin Garnett would say, "Anything is possible" (although his version includes a lot more capital letters and exclamation points). In the SEC, that phrase always holds true.
So, even though the No. 6 Georgia Bulldogs, coming off a huge win over No. 7 Florida, are big favorites against the No. 8-in-the-SEC Mississippi Rebels, don't expect the, um, expected.
Georgia could very well be in line for a letdown following last Saturday's thriller, especially with a remaining schedule filled with mostly delicious cupcakes, while Ole Miss has momentum after two straight SEC wins.
Let's take a look at everything you need to know about this better-than-you-think matchup.
When: Saturday, Nov. 3, at 3:30 p.m. ET
Where: Sanford Stadium, Athens, Ga.
Watch: CBS
Listen: Ole Miss fans can find a list of radio affiliates here. Georgia fans can find a list of radio affiliates here.
Live Stream: SEC Live on CBSSports.com
Betting Line: Georgia (-14), according to Covers
Ole Miss Injuries (via USA Today)
OL Justin Bell, Back; Questionable
DT Woodrow Hamilton, Ankle; Questionable
WR Collins Moore, Shoulder; Out for season
LB D.T. Shackelford, Knee; Out for season
Georgia Injuries (via USA Today)
DE Dexter Morant, Illness; Questionable
DE Abry Jones, Ankle; Out for season
LB Sterling Bailey, Thumb; Out indefinitely
LB Brandon Burrows, Hand; Out indefinitely
SE Michael Bennett, Knee; Out for season
FB Brandon Harton, Thumb; Questionable
T Kolton Houston, Eligibility; Out indefinitely
What's at Stake?
Oh, not much from Georgia's standpoint. Just a chance to play in the SEC championship and potentially the BCS national championship, not to mention a return to elite status for the first time since 2007.
The Bulldogs currently sit at 7-1, but with Ole Miss, Auburn, Georgia Southern and Georgia Tech left on the schedule, an 11-1 finish looks likely. If that happens, they would win the SEC East, and depending on how other teams in nation finish the year, have a chance at the national championship with a win over the West winner.
So, no pressure.
Ole Miss, meanwhile, needs just one more win to become bowl-eligible for the first time since 2009. However, Georgia, Vanderbilt, LSU and Mississippi State will make that a tall task.
Ole Miss Player to Watch: Jeff Scott, RB
You may have trouble spotting the 5'7", 175-pound junior on the gridiron, or you might even look right past—or over—him on the street. Or, maybe you don't like guys with two first names.
But Jeff Scott is an incredibly dynamic player, and when Ole Miss is able to get him the ball in space, he's hard to catch. On the season, Scott has tallied 612 yards on 5.4 yards per carry to go along with six touchdowns.
What's more, he's racked up eight catches for 116 yards—after pulling in four for 15 in the first five games—over the past two contests as he continues to develop into an even more dangerous player.
Georgia's defense is scary, aggressive, and most importantly, scary aggressive, but Scott is the type of home-run threat to make the Bulldogs pay for over-pursuit.
Georgia Player to Watch: Jarvis Jones, LB/DE
You know when a player has such a dominant game that people say he put up "video game numbers."
Well, against Florida last week, Jarvis Jones put up some defensive numbers that I'm pretty sure I've never accomplished in a video game: 13 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and three sacks.
Um, yeah.
Jones has been hampered by an injury for the past couple of weeks, but the defending SEC sack champion has already racked up 14.0 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks and five forced fumbles, nonetheless.
If the talented junior continues this whole "I'm way better than everyone on the field and no one can stop me" pace that he's on, it won't be long before he enters Heisman talks.
Key Matchup: Jarvis Jones vs. Mississippi's Offensive Line
May God have mercy on Bo Wallace.
Jones has been showcasing over the past year-and-a-half how much he can disrupt a backfield (33.5 tackles for loss, 22 sacks during his time with the Bulldogs), but against Ole Miss, he's in line for a field day.
And I'm a little scared to think of a what a "field day" for Jones might entail.
Mississippi, according to Team Rankings, is 107th in the nation at protecting its quarterback (QB sack percentage). Wallace is a big, talented player capable of escaping the pocket and making plays with his legs, but you saw how much that helped Florida's Jeff Driskel last week.
It could be a long day for Wallace and the Ole Miss offense.
Prediction
Ole Miss has had a knack of sticking around in games it shouldn't really be sticking around in. The Rebels went in to Tuscaloosa and held Alabama's offense to just two touchdowns before falling to a respectable 33-14 loss. They also had Texas A&M on the ropes before the Aggies reeled off 14 straight points in the final minutes to secure the 30-27 win.
This Ole Miss squad is better than you think.
Unfortunately for the Rebels, this Georgia squad is just as good as you think.
The Bulldogs offense, led by Aaron Murray, Todd Gurley and Tavarres King, is quietly one of the best in the country. Throw in a defense capable of forcing a lot of turnovers and you have a team that is too tough to beat at home.
Ole Miss 21, Georgia 38
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