Why the Georgia Bulldog's Rematch With Ole Miss Will Be Different Than First Meeting

Why the Georgia Bulldogs' Sugar Bowl match-up against the Ole Miss Rebels will be different from their meeting earlier this season.

The Georgia Bulldogs and Ole Miss Rebels are just over a week away from their Sugar Bowl matchup as the College Football Playoff quarterfinals are set to begin over New Year’s weekend. This matchup will be a rematch of a contest that took place earlier in the regular season.

During these two teams’ regular season contest, both offenses turned in strong performances. However, it was the Bulldogs that earned the victory after overcoming a fourth quarter deficit to ultimately defeat the Rebels in Athens. The Dawgs’ offense did not punt a single time and scored on every possession.

As these two programs prepare for a rematch, both teams will be looking to earn a post-season victory over one another and advance to the College Football Playoff semi-finals. But while there has already been a contest between Georgia and Ole Miss this season, this bout will be extremely different than the one before.

Georgia and Ole Miss' Differences for Second Matchup

Nov 11, 2023; Athens, Georgia, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin talks to Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart before a game at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

For starters, the second matchup between these two programs will take place on a nuetral site filed as opposed to a home stadium. It will also have higher stakes, as the loser of this contest will have their season ended.

In addition to location and stakes, rosters will also be slightly different, as injuries and transfer portal entries have taken place for both teams since they last met in mid-October. Since their victory, the Bulldogs have since had a had a handful of key players both return from and suffer injuries. The same can be said for the Rebels.

But the biggest difference of them all is the head coach who will be calling plays for Ole Miss. Following a dramatic back and forth with the Ole Miss athletic administration, Kiffin elected to accept the job for the Tigers and was not permitted to coach the Rebels for the remainder of the season.

Given Kiffin’s departure, the Rebels are now led by Pete Golding, and have seemingly taken on a new identity in the wake of their former head coach’s dramatics. While the overall staff and scheme has remained similar, the Rebels’ coaching changes are sure to affect the game in some capacity.

The Bulldogs will look to have similar success against their conference counterparts on New Year’s Day as they battle the Rebels once again to advance in the College Football Playoff. Kickoff for this game is currently scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET.