No. 20 Ole Miss Faces Georgia Tech on the Road

By Adam Brown
Sports Editor
adam.brown@hottytoddy.com

No. 20 Ole Miss hits the road for the first time of the season as they travel to Atlanta to take on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on Saturday. The kick is set for 2:30 p.m. from Bobby Dodd Stadium and can be ABC.

Ole Miss (2-0) is coming off a 59-3 victory over Central Arkansas last weekend.

Head coach Lane Kiffin and is staff have had 36 different players have made their Ole Miss debut during the first two weeks of the season.

The Rebels’ defense has only surrendered 13 points through the first two games of season which is the fewest since the 1991 season that allowed 3 points. The defense leads the SEC and ranks eighth nationally with six takeaways on the season.

Ole Miss’ defense rank No. 9 in FBS in sacks per game (4.0) and No. 12 in tackles for loss per game (10.0).

The running game with backs Zach Evans (91.5) and Quinshon Judkins (95.5) are the only pair of teammates in the country averaging 90-plus yards rushing per game. While tight end Michael Trigg is second in the SEC, No. 9 nationally with three receiving TDs.

Georgia Tech enters their matchup with the Rebels with a record of 1-1 on the year, as the Yellow Jackets were able to come away with a 35-17 victory over Western Carolina last weekend to get their first tally in the win column for 2022. Coming off of a 3-9 season in 2021, including going 2-6 in conference play, the Yellow Jackets will rely heavily upon the team’s returning talent to help lead the team to success in 2022.

The team’s offense is headlined by junior running back Dontae Smith, who comes off of a 2021 season that ended with him earning a Second-Team All-ACC nod from Pro Football Focus serving as a rotational back in the team’s offense. Alongside Smith will be sophomore quarterback Jeff Sims, who brings back his dual-threat capabilities to the Yellow Jacket backfield for a second season after appearing in seven games in 2021.

Georgia Tech’s defense also includes a pair of playmakers within the linebacking core, including Third-Team All-ACC linebacker (PFF) Charlie Thomas as well as senior Ayinde Eley, who ended his 2021 season with 90 total tackles for the Yellow Jackets. Georgia Tech’s defense is rounded out with defensive lineman Keion White, who currently leads the team in sacks (3) in 2022. White entered the 2022 season as a member of the Reese’s Senior Bowl Watch List, with Thomas earning a spot on the list as well.

Saturday’s game will be the fifth all-time meeting between the Rebels and the Yellow Jackets with series knotted at 2-2. Three of the four contest have been in bowl games. Ole Miss has come away victorious in the last two games.