Kirby Smart Reveals the Turning Point in Georgia Bulldogs Win Over Ole Miss Rebels

Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart reacts to a massive win over the Ole Miss Rebels in Sanford Stadium.

Oct 18, 2025; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart reacts during the first half of the game against the Mississippi Rebels at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart reacts to a massive win over the Ole Miss Rebels in Sanford Stadium.

The Georgia Bulldogs won a thriller in Athens this afternoon as they overcame an Ole Miss offensive storm to win a 43-35 shootout. The victory was Kirby Smart's second against the Rebels and avenged last year's loss in Oxford.

Both Ole Miss and Georgia turned in an offensive master class, with neither team punting until late in the second half. The Bulldogs finished the afternoon with more than 500 yards of total offense and never punted. While Ole Miss's offensive attack sputtered out in the second half to allow the Dawgs to take a lead and eventually win the game.

Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton was electric throughout the afternoon, completing nearly 85% of his passes for 289 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed for an additional 59 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

Gunner Stockton Shines in Victory over Ole Miss

Oct 18, 2025; Athens, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Gunner Stockton (14) runs the ball against the Mississippi Rebels during the second half of the game at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Tight end Lawson Luckie was arguably the player of the game, however, as he hauled in five catches for a whopping three touchdowns, which included the go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter. The three touchdown receptions were a career high for Luckie.

Following the game, Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart met with the media to discuss the hectic game. Smart revealed that he felt the turning point of the game was when a group of offensive players ran over to encourage the defense after scoring a touchdown.

"Before we got the first stop, it was right after we scored, about seven of them [offensive players] ran over there," said Smart. "I think the defense felt the juice. It got a little cooler, it got a little louder, and we got some big stops there."

While Saturday's performance will leave much to be desired from Kirby Smart and the rest of the Bulldogs roster, the results from such an emotional game are certainly enough to help the team build momentum as they approach the back half of their regular season.

Georgia will be off this week for their final bye week of the regular season before it makes their annual pilgrimage to Jacksonville to take on the Florida Gators. This will be the final game played in Jacksonville until 2028.

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