No. 6 Ole Miss enters the College Football Playoff quarterfinals at 12–1 after a first-round win over No. 11 Tulane (41–10), setting up a high-profile matchup against No. 3 Georgia on Thursday in the Allstate Sugar Bowl.
Despite the Rebels’ historic season, the campaign was largely overshadowed by head coach Lane Kiffin’s abrupt departure for LSU.
The move ignited a polarizing saga, with reports detailing contentious exit talks, public disputes between Kiffin and Ole Miss leadership, and fan backlash as he accepted LSU’s lucrative offer while the Rebels prepared for the CFP.
Now, as Ole Miss prepares for its greatest challenge yet, David Pollack said on his podcast that while he expects Georgia to win, Ole Miss’s tempo and QB-centric passing game could provide a blueprint for beating the Bulldogs.
“Everyone’s going to pick Georgia. There’s no doubt about that… Nobody that studies the game is going, ‘Oh yeah, I think Ole Miss’ personnel is better than Georgia.’ It’s not,” Pollack said. “But the system and the way they play with the tempo and how they can kind of dictate to you in the throw game—if you’re going to beat Georgia, that’s how it has to be.”
“Nobody’s proven they can line up and run the football at them. They just haven’t been able to do that. So you need a system built around a QB that can get it out and get it to their playmakers, and that’s what Ole Miss does.”
“I think we’re going to learn a lot about Georgia. If their defense is that much better, I’ve got a lot of confidence in Georgia. I think they’re going to win the football game and set up a showdown with Ohio State in the semifinals.”
Across 13 games, Ole Miss leaned into a high-tempo, pass-friendly system that consistently generated explosive plays, totaling 6,474 yards of offense (2,413 rushing, 4,061 passing)—the second most in college football.
The Rebels posted five games with 40 or more points, including a 63-point outburst against Georgia State, and won seven games by a double digits.
Senior quarterback Trinidad Chambliss led the team, finishing the season with 3,298 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, three interceptions, and a 66.6% completion rate, along with 506 rushing yards and eight rushing scores.
Ole Miss lost a close 43–35 matchup at Georgia but claimed signature victories over LSU, Oklahoma, Florida, and Mississippi State to secure a spot in the CFP.
Read More: FBS Leading Rusher Enters Transfer Portal After All-America Season
Read More: David Pollack Names Clear ‘Team to Beat’ in College Football Playoff
Thursday’s CFP quarterfinal is a classic scheme contrast between Ole Miss’s fast, QB-read passing attack and Georgia’s veteran, controlling defense and dominant trench play.
Georgia is currently listed as a 6-point favorite, with kickoff set for 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.
The winner will advance to the CFP semifinals to face the victor of the No. 10 Miami vs. No. 2 Ohio State matchup in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl on Wednesday.
Read the full article here
