Ole Miss’ progress gets ‘tall test’ at UGA
ATHENS – Ole Miss, one of two teams standing between Georgia and the SEC Championship game, shouldn’t be judged by its recent 16-game conference losing streak, according to UGA coach Mark Richt.
“What I see is a team that has a brand new head coach that’s brought a lot of energy to the program,” Richt said. “A lot of times, you just never know how close you are to winning and breaking through and having success.”
Ole Miss lost its final six SEC games in 2010 and went 0-8 in the league last season, resulting in a coaching change that saw Hugh Freeze replace Houston Nutt. The conference losing streak reached 16 when Ole Miss lost its first two SEC games this season to Alabama and Texas A&M.
But the Rebels broke through with a 41-20 win over Auburn on Oct. 13 and followed that with a 30-27 win at Arkansas, enabling them to bring a two-game winning streak into Saturday’s game at Georgia.
“I know it’s going to be a heck of a ballgame,” Richt said.
Even before the back-to-back wins, Ole Miss showed signs of progress.
The Rebels played Alabama “pretty darn good” — Richt’s words — in a 33-14 loss in Tuscaloosa. They held the No. 1-ranked Crimson Tide to fewer points than any other team has done this season.
“When you watch that film,” Richt said, “you know they can run and play with the big boys.”
Then “they came very close to beating Texas A&M,” Richt said. The Rebels led the No. 16 Aggies by 10 points in the fourth quarter before losing 30-27.
Ole Miss (5-3, 2-2 SEC) has a balanced, up-tempo offense that ranks sixth in the SEC, averaging 430 yards per game, and a young defense that ranks ninth in the league, giving up 369.5 yards per game. The defense was at its worst in a 66-31 non-conference loss to Texas on Sept. 15.
“That game was so long ago, it’s not the same Ole Miss defense, in my opinion,” Richt said.
Ole Miss has lost its past nine games against Georgia and has an all-time record of 4-17-1 in Athens.
“To go to their place with our limited number of scholarship kids and the lack of depth we have at places, it’s a tall task,” Freeze said. “But we’ve been that way in most games we’ve played. Our kids are going to compete, I know that, and I think we need a few breaks here and there. And we’ve got to play probably a near-perfect game to go in and pull it off.
“Our kids are going to be very excited to play in this type of atmosphere, and coming off two wins certainly gives us some confidence. But it is a tall task.”
A Georgia victory would put the Bulldogs in position to reach the SEC Championship game by winning at Auburn on Nov. 10.
– Staff writer Michael Carvell contributed to this article.
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82 comments Add your comment
Franko
November 2nd, 2012
4:10 pm
I think Brando mentioned he would be calling the game.
MA English 75
November 2nd, 2012
4:28 pm
I miss Larry Munson, but I still listen to game on radio, anyway, while watching it.
Where is "Reality" ????
November 2nd, 2012
4:29 pm
I am still looking for the “very special gator team” you blogged about last week Reality. Can’t seem to find them. I think Jarvis just forced another fumble and oh look there goes Malcom!
ha ha ha ha ha!
GTBob
November 2nd, 2012
4:52 pm
GT Bob for AD…
I would take the job, fire every head coach in every program, spend crazy amounts of money on stupid stuff like filtered water in the aquatic center and gucci tennis grips, and then I would quit.
GTBob
November 2nd, 2012
4:55 pm
You mean the way Paul Johnson has made excuses for losing all year.
What excuses has he made? He said we played bad. Seems pretty straight forward to me.
Hunker down
November 2nd, 2012
5:05 pm
I feel good things will happen at Ole Miss with CHF at the helm. Just don’t want it to start tomorrow. Go Dawgs!
Vampire Bill
November 2nd, 2012
5:07 pm
Dawgs have fooled me more than once but you gotta think they will pull this one out at home. Like to see a Vandy time game. 42-7
Neutral
November 2nd, 2012
5:25 pm
Geeeeeeeez I miss my buddy Thomas Brown!!! Remember last week when he had all those long winded rambling blogs……blasting the Dawgs with total negativity. I bet Mr Brown that UGa would win and TN would beat the line and possibly win against SC. Of course I was met with laughs and Thomas’ comments about me drinking the “Koolaid”!!! We probably won’t hear back from Thomas until UGa slips…..so I beg the Dawgs to never lose again! P.S. He may show up again before the Bama game so he can predict Bama will play us tough and possibly win…..he’ll also have some brilliant comment like,”Murray won’t throw for more than 300 yards”. He always feels good about himself when he makes big time predictions and constantly rips the Dawgs with non-stop negativity. I’m just so sick and tired of negativity by all the “fair weather fans” and Techies trying to fake being UGa alumni. Go Dawgs!
kingdaddy
November 2nd, 2012
5:34 pm
Neut…
Think he’s on Schultzies blog singing a new tune. I don’t want to jinx it by bringing it up to him and I hope everybody will just let him be a good Dawggie for awhile. The Fla win gave him religion and I like it. He is even attacking trolls. Don’t stop him, let him go. It’s very interesting. Fascinating really…
John T.
November 2nd, 2012
6:31 pm
To all you nuts calling Ole Miss a bad team and not giving credit for wins over Ark. and Auburn…Screw You!!! Ole Miss isn’t about being good or bad this year…it’s about how far Hugh Freeze has brought them along from last year. Ga is the deeper and more talented team but that doesn’t mean you’ll be winners. Freeze has these boys playing for a full 60 mins. and if its close in the 4th quarter, it’s anybody’s game! HOTTY TODDY!!!!
kingdaddy
November 2nd, 2012
6:56 pm
JOhn T.
Try not to go all postal on us bro. Do we come into your Reb-blog causing mayhem and major blog floggage? I think not. Now take a deep breath and get a grip. Tell kingdaddy who said you suc and I’ll have a talk with them. I’m sure we can come to an understanding. Try not to be so sensitive. I know y’all haven’t been relevant in a while and you want some long due respect. As soon as you beat someone, you will get it, but until then, please stay off the Dawg blogs. We got nothing against you personally, but it’s HOMECOMING AND YOU’RE GOING DOWN HARD! Hope you understand…
Lifetime Dawg
November 2nd, 2012
7:01 pm
@ GTBob
“Already making excuses for UGA’s poor performance against a bad team.”
Riiiiigghhtt.
And what if Coach Richt had told the truth, and said : “ They’re an SEC team…they’ll play tough…but if we execute, we will win.” ?
I’ll tell you what if — THEN you’d have said “Way to go, Richt. Very smart to give your opponent bulletin board material…What an arrogant idiot!”
Your screen name says it all — GT = GallopingTroll. As for the Bob….it’s nice to know what Smiling Bob is doing now — since you lost your gig in the Enzyte commercials.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SixWIIKN23k
david
November 2nd, 2012
7:14 pm
Isnt LSU/Bama on ESPN?
david
November 2nd, 2012
7:16 pm
my bad– it is on CBS
DawgNole
November 2nd, 2012
8:10 pm
kingdaddy
November 2nd, 2012
2:32 pm
How about this…
Let’s play less conference games and more meaningful out of conference games against teams like Oregon, KSt., ND…
________________
How bout we play MORE conference games–AND more meaningful OOC games; i.e., DUMP THE CUPCAKES!
Niceville Dawg
November 2nd, 2012
8:16 pm
Tim Brando is doing the game.
kingdaddy
November 2nd, 2012
8:17 pm
DawgNole
I ain’t scairt. Would love to see more inter-conference games, no french-pastries…
kingdaddy
November 2nd, 2012
8:19 pm
After this year, does the SOS count more on the polls???
Buzz 2011
November 2nd, 2012
8:20 pm
Dawgs should bow to Old Miss and proably will.
Look for The little QB to throw at least 4 picks as
he forces with no Dawg ground game..Ole Miss
is like Kentucky and Dawgs will face a hungry team..
DawgNole
November 2nd, 2012
8:20 pm
kingdaddy
November 2nd, 2012
5:34 pm
Neut…
Think he’s on Schultzies blog singing a new tune. I don’t want to jinx it by bringing it up to him and I hope everybody will just let him be a good Dawggie for awhile. The Fla win gave him religion and I like it. He is even attacking trolls. Don’t stop him, let him go. It’s very interesting. Fascinating really…
______________________
It has been an amazing transformation, KD. Like you, I’m walking on eggshells hoping it lasts.
DawgNole
November 2nd, 2012
8:22 pm
kingdaddy
November 2nd, 2012
8:19 pm
After this year, does the SOS count more on the polls???
________________________
I sure as hell hope so. It actually did a few years ago–but not for long. Soon as they allowed 12 games, the big boys started loading up on marshmallows. Sickening.
kingdaddy
November 2nd, 2012
8:29 pm
That’s why going undefeated isn’t a big deal. Let ND, K St. & Oregon play 9 games in the SEC and see if they make it undefeated. Doubt it…Got to go, back later…
B'dawg
November 2nd, 2012
8:31 pm
When ws the last time UGA started out 8-0?
kingdaddy
November 2nd, 2012
8:32 pm
That’s why Alabama is #1. Don’t know if they will make it through the rest of the year though…
kingdaddy
November 2nd, 2012
8:33 pm
Buzzz2011
Idiot…
Habersham Dawg
November 2nd, 2012
8:42 pm
When big-time college football goes to a true play-off format, then we’ll see the kid-gloves come off and the top programs will scramble to play meaningful OOC games.
Neutral
November 2nd, 2012
8:46 pm
Hey Kingdaddy,
I just got back and read your comments at 5:34. I’ll quit “calling out” TB now that he has found religion and has repented!!! The one thing I love is how so much of the negativity has vanished from this site in just 6 beautiful days. I feel great about our Dawgs and sincerely believe in them. if we all focus on the positives instead of the negatives I believe we could finish with a very special season. Let’s take it one game at a time and send nothing but “positive” vibes. By the way, did anyone see the Sagarin computer rankings in USA Today? It was interesting that the # 81, 82 and 83 ranked teams out of about 245 were GT, Ga Southern and Auburn…….how the heck did that happen? Go Dawgs!
Neutral
November 2nd, 2012
8:58 pm
Ditto the 8:33 comment, but that is an upper case “IDIOT”. Hasn’t that “little QB” lit Tech up a few times recently? Just asking Mr Buzz 2011 just in case I’m confused. It’s probably time for you to “buzz-off” before you stick your other foot in your mouth!!!
Neutral
November 2nd, 2012
9:06 pm
B’dawg,
This could be a classic year proving that it is better to lose a game early vs. later in the season. Any team ahead of UGa in the BCS that loses (with the exception of Bama) will drop behind the Dawgs…..guarantee. The Dawgs are lucky they lost in week 4 (?) rather than weeks 8-12. Things are starting to get interesting. I believe we will move up to #4 in the BCS Sunday night. Go Dawgs!
Buzz Fan
November 2nd, 2012
10:15 pm
I would gladly endure 4 more years of Obama for a couple of wins over UGa
Neutral
November 3rd, 2012
6:51 am
Buzz-off Techie……ain’t gonna happen!
papadawg
November 3rd, 2012
8:28 am
DAWGS aren’t good enough to take ANY team lightly. The defense looked very good last week but Ole Miss has a much better offense than the Gators and our O line still hasn’t played very good for the whole game..