Ole Miss football vs. Georgia score prediction, scouting report for SEC Week 11 game

OXFORD — The decisive moment of the Ole Miss football season has arrived.

Ranked ninth in the country, the No. 9 Rebels have a chance to insert themselves into the College Football Playoff discussion as they prepare to visit No. 2 Georgia at Sanford Stadium, where the Bulldogs have not lost since 2019.

Here's what to look out for when the Rebels (8-1, 5-1 SEC) take on Georgia (9-0, 6-0) on Saturday (6 p.m., ESPN).

More: Watch Ole Miss vs. Georgia live on Fubo (free trial)

Battle for the line of scrimmage to prove vital

No starting quarterback in the SEC has been sacked less often than Georgia's Carson Beck, with the Bulldogs (No. 1 AP/US LBM Coaches) allowing 1.1 sacks per game in contests against FBS teams.

For the Rebels' defense to succeed, they'll need to dent the armor of the Georgia offensive line. Ole Miss (No. 14 AP/ No. 12 US LBM Coaches) entered the weekend averaging 3.44 sacks per game, good enough for fifth in the country.

It's no coincidence the Rebels turned in their second-worst defensive performance of the season last week against Texas A&M, allowing 28 points to the Aggies' offense while sacking Max Johnson just once.

It broke a streak of five consecutive games in which Ole Miss' defense racked up at least three sacks.

For the Rebels, just about every path to victory includes a return to that type of production.

"They got dudes everywhere, we're not going to be shy about that," Rebels defensive lineman Jared Ivey said. "But we got 'em too."

Turnover margin to be key for Ole Miss football

The Rebels enter play this week ranking 10th nationally and tops in the SEC with a plus-eight turnover margin.

In a season full of positive change for Ole Miss, the Rebels' improved turnover habits might be the most under-discussed difference between this team and the 2022 group that faltered down the stretch. Ole Miss gave the ball away a whopping 21 times last season and generated 20 takeaways.

The Ole Miss defense is still forcing turnovers at a fairly similar rate, with 14 takeaways through nine games. The difference has been on offense, where the Rebels have given the ball away just six times.

"That would be a big one," Kiffin said Wednesday. "Outside of winning explosive plays, the next stat is turnover margin, especially going on the road against the (AP) No. 1 team. That would be really big. I think a lot of that has come from us taking care of the ball, especially at the quarterback position."

DIFFERENT CAN BE BETTER: Why being different gives Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss football a better chance to beat Georgia

Jaxson Dart's chance to make a statement

Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart has made just six turnover-worthy plays through nine games, according to Pro Football Focus data. The Rebels' signal-caller finished with 15 last season.

It's a sign of maturation from Dart, who has greatly benefitted from a second season in the Ole Miss offensive system.

He played a nearly perfect game against a loaded Texas A&M defense, completing 72.7% of his passes for 387 yards and two touchdowns.

His ability to escape the pocket against an elite Texas A&M front line also proved vital. The Aggies sacked Dart just once last week. The Rebels will need something similar against a Georgia front that doesn't have the same sack numbers, but certainly boasts a similar athletic pedigree.

On the season, Dart is completing 65.6 percent of his passes. He's accumulated 2,467 yards in the air and 334 yards on the ground to go with 23 total touchdowns.

With his job threatened by the arrival of two transfer quarterbacks over the offseason, Dart has evolved into the true alpha the Rebels need.

Ole Miss score prediction vs. Georgia

Georgia 31, Ole Miss 27. The Rebels are good enough to give the two-time defending national champions a game in their home building, but they just don't measure up athletically to the Bulldogs. It'll be close, but Ole Miss will come up just short.

David Eckert covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at deckert@gannett.com or reach him on Twitter @davideckert98.

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This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Ole Miss football vs. Georgia score prediction, scouting report