Don’t buy this hype: Why Georgia is in danger against Ole Miss

Week 10 of the college football season brings us seven matchups between ranked teams, including a critical SEC clash of titans between Georgia and Ole Miss.

Reigning SEC champion Georgia has more breathing room than two-loss Ole Miss, but both need this to go their way to further impress the College Football Playoff committee.

Georgia comes into the game as a favorite, but Ole Miss could have one decisive advantage on its home field if they can exploit it.

Make Gunner Stockton Win Through the Air

Ole Miss enters Saturday’s matchup with a clear defensive objective: make Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton uncomfortable and force the Bulldogs to rely on their passing attack. 

The biggest question about the Georgia offense remains its aerial offense. It struggled against one of the worst secondaries in the SEC a week ago. 

Florida ranked 112th nationally in EPA per pass and 126th in passing success rate. But the Bulldogs managed just 101 passing yards in an otherwise dominant win.

Disrupt the Timing

The Rebels need to challenge Georgia’s receivers at the line of scrimmage and disrupt Stockton’s timing. 

Physical coverage can delay routes developing and force him to hold the football longer, giving Ole Miss’ defensive front additional time to generate pressure.

Defensive tackle Will Echoles could be especially important. His ability to collapse the pocket and disrupt throwing lanes could prevent Stockton from comfortably working through his progressions.

More:Predicting SEC football scores for Week 10’s biggest games

Take Away the Easy Throws

Ole Miss should prioritize limiting Georgia’s short and intermediate passing options. 

Forcing Stockton into difficult third-down situations would give the Rebels opportunities to disguise coverages, bring pressure, and potentially create turnovers.

The goal shouldn’t necessarily be to gamble for interceptions. Instead, Ole Miss must make Georgia earn every completion and avoid allowing yards after the catch.

Turn Pressure Into Mistakes

Georgia’s offense becomes less predictable when it stays ahead of the chains. If Ole Miss can stop the run on early downs, it can force Stockton into obvious passing situations.

Ultimately, Ole Miss doesn’t need to completely shut down Georgia’s passing game. It needs to disrupt its rhythm, eliminate easy completions, and force Stockton to make difficult decisions under pressure.

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