Pete Golding Faces a Major Defensive Dilemma Against Georgia

Saturday night, the No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs are traveling to Oxford to play the No. 12 Ole Miss Rebels in a game with major implications for the SEC Championship and College Football Playoff race.

This is the second time in Pete Golding's tenure as Ole Miss' head coach that he'll face off against the Bulldogs, having previously beaten them in the Sugar Bowl last season in his second game as the Rebels' coach.

In the Sugar Bowl victory, Golding had the advantage of a team motivated by the dramatic departure of former head coach Lane Kiffin and the team not being aware of his tendencies as a head coach. Now, in his first full season as a head coach, he has to be careful not to allow Georgia to exploit areas where Ole Miss has struggled.

Where Georgia Threatens Golding and Ole Miss

Georgia Bulldogs running back Bo Walker reacts after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter against the Florida Gators. — Georgia Bulldogs running back Bo Walker reacts after scoring a touchdown during the second quarter against the Florida Gators at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Given that Golding was the defensive coordinator for Ole Miss before being promoted to head coach and brought in a number of defensive players through the transfer portal last offseason, the Rebels' defense was expected to hit the ground running. However, their performances have been very inconsistent, especially in one crucial element: run defense.

The Rebels are 13th among 16 SEC teams in rushing defense, allowing 148.9 rushing yards per game. In Ole Miss' eight games so far this season, the team has given up more than 150 rushing yards four times, including a 207-yard rushing performance by Texas and 302 rushing yards from Florida.

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It's no coincidence that the two worst games for Ole Miss' run defense turned into the team's two losses so far this season. Georgia has arguably the best rushing offense the Rebels have seen so far, which could cause major problems Saturday night.

The Bulldogs are averaging the third-most rushing yards per game in the SEC with 200.1. For comparison, Florida is fifth with 176, and Texas is 13th with 135.4. Georgia also has a trio of running backs who can do damage to Ole Miss: Dwight Phillips Jr., Nate Frazier and Bo Walker, who all average more than six yards per carry and have combined for 942 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns.

Despite the production, Ole Miss has shown the ability to shut down talented runners, particularly in the team's win over Missouri, when Missouri running back Jamal Roberts had less than 40 rushing yards on 20 carries, despite having the third-most rushing yards of anyone in the country.

However, running the ball is far from the only way Georgia beats its opponents. The team also ranks fifth in the SEC in passing yards per game with 250.8. Ole Miss' pass defense is ranked 12th in passing yards allowed per game with 235.

Expect Georgia offensive coordinator and play-caller Mike Bobo to try to establish the run early, and if Ole Miss contains or adjusts to it, utilize play-action passes to attack the Rebels' secondary.

Golding still calls defensive pla ys for Ole Miss, and will have to win the chess match that is play-calling against Bobo to give the Rebels a chance to win a top-10 matchup and improve to 7-2 on the season.

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