Ole Miss Has a Chance to Make Georgia Question Everything

Ole Miss beating Georgia would have major implications for the postseason.

Mississippi Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss reacts after a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Auburn Tigers at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The No. 10 Ole Miss Rebels will host the No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs this Saturday in a game with major conference championship and playoff implications.

Ole Miss is entering the game with a 6-2 overall record and a 4-2 conference record. Georgia enters with a 7-1 overall record and a 5-1 conference record.

Georgia is currently tied for first in the SEC standings, while Ole Miss is tied for third. Let's take a look at who's around them and what the results of Saturday night's game could mean for the conference championship and playoff races.

Season Outlook With an Ole Miss Victory

Mississippi Rebels linebacker Suntarine Perkins reacts after a tackle during the fourth quarter against the Auburn Tigers at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Georgia is currently tied with Kentucky at the top of the SEC standings, as both teams have only one conference loss so far this season. Ole Miss is one of six teams with two losses in the conference; the other five are Alabama, with a 4-2 conference record, and Texas, LSU, Missouri and Tennessee, all of which have 3-2 conference records.

Other games happening this Saturday between the listed teams are LSU vs. Alabama, Texas vs. Missouri and Kentucky vs. Tennessee. That means the losers of LSU vs. Alabama and Texas vs. Missouri will fall to three conference losses, making them long shots for the SEC Championship game and the College Football Playoff. If Tennessee beats Kentucky, this means there would be four two-conference-loss teams in the SEC before even factoring in the results of Ole Miss and Georgia.

Should the Rebels win this Saturday, that would mean up to six teams would have two losses at the top of the SEC, leaving the two SEC Championship game spots wide open.

Besides hurting the Bulldogs' chances of a conference championship game appearance, a loss would also affect Georgia's playoff seeding, if they make the field. Georgia's current ranking as the No. 2 seed means the team is expected to earn a bye in the first round of the playoffs. With a loss and subsequent drop down the rankings, Georgia's path becomes less clear.

Although the Bulldogs would still be expected to make the playoffs even with a loss to Ole Miss, they would likely have little or no room to take another loss, and after playing Ole Miss, they play two more SEC teams ranked in the College Football Playoff poll: No. 18 Missouri and No. 21 South Carolina, as well as their rivals Georgia Tech, all of whom would love to give Georgia its third loss and potentially eliminate the Bulldogs from playoff contention.

Ole Miss also has much of its playoff and conference championship hopes riding on this game, but it cannot be overlooked how crucial Saturday's matchup will be for the Bulldogs as well.

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