Ole Miss is continuing its historic run in the College Football Playoff.
After dominating Tulane 41-10 in the opening round under new head coach Pete Golding, the No. 6 Rebels (12-1) are gearing up for a revenge matchup against No. 3 Georgia (12-1) in the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day. Ole Miss, after suffering an eight-point loss against Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs in Athens earlier in the season, will have a shot at revenge (and possibly forcing a punt) in front of a more favorable crowd.
New Orleans is practically a second home for Ole Miss fans, as this will be the Rebels’ 11th appearance in the Sugar Bowl, played annually in the Big Easy. Familiarity with the venue and the opponent, paired with an expected powder blue wave inside Caesar’s Superdome, just may be a catalyst in Ole Miss slaying a two-time title-winning head coach and his juggernaut program.
From players to watch and injury reports to start time and how to tune in live, here’s what to know ahead of the Sugar Bowl.
Players to watch
Conerly Trophy-winning Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, who finished No. 8 in the final Heisman voting list, will be a name called throughout the game. The Division II Ferris State transfer has amassed 3,298 yards, 19 touchdowns, and just three interceptions in the air, while rushing for 506 yards and eight scores. Speaking of rushing accolades, Rebel running back Kewan Lacy will also be one to look out for. The Doak Walker Award finalist has compiled a whopping 1,366 rushing yards and 21 scores this season.
On the defensive side of the ball, Will Echoles and Jaylon Braxton could be the difference makers. Echoles, a defensive tackle, has a career-high 4.5 sacks this season, good for second-most on the Ole Miss defense. The Houston native’s nine tackles for loss are also the second-most on the team. Braxton, an Arkansas transfer, flashed in the secondary versus Tulane with a crucial first-half interception. His presence virtually limited the Green Wave’s passing attack and could have the same effect on Thursday.
Georgia, offensively, will be anchored by quarterback Gunner Stockton. Somewhat of a surprise this season, Stockton has emerged as one of the top players in his position with 2,961 passing yards and 23 touchdowns compared to five interceptions. Bulldog running back Nate Frazier has mounted 861 yards and six touchdowns on the ground this season and is expected to be utilized heavily against the Rebels.
Defensively, Georgia buckled down tremendously since surrendering 35 points to Ole Miss. In its last six games, Smart’s defense has surrendered an average of 11.6 points. This is largely due to efforts by linebacker CJ Allen and defensive back KJ Bolden. Allen has a team-best 85 total tackles with a complementary 3.5 sacks and four pass deflections. Bolden has been a force in the secondary, with four pass deflections and two interceptions, along with 66 total tackles.
Injury report
Despite what has been an unprecedented postseason in Oxford, with Lane Kiffin jumping ship to LSU, Ole Miss had a remarkable zero players opt out of competing in the playoff. On top of that, the team has remained pretty healthy, despite Chambliss and Lacy getting banged up in the opening round against Tulane. Ole Miss, per the initial player availability report, will not have any starters miss action.
On Georgia’s side, the Bulldogs will enter the matchup with a relatively healthy crew. However, Smart’s offensive line will be without starting center Drew Bobo, who was injured during the team’s regular-season finale versus Georgia Tech. Bobo’s injury plagued Georgia in the in-state rivalry, limiting the Bulldogs offensively in the 16-9 win. Nonetheless, the Bulldogs appeared to be fine without him in their 28-7 SEC Championship win over Alabama.
The full injury report can be found below:
Sugar Bowl start time
The Sugar Bowl will kick off from inside Caesar’s Superdome in New Orleans on Thursday, Jan. 1, at 7 p.m. CT. Tickets are still available for the game and can be purchased here.
How to listen to the Sugar Bowl
For those tuning in via radio, participating SuperTalk Mississippi stations will be airing the Sugar Bowl. To find a station in your signal range, click here. You can also listen on the SuperTalk app, available on both Apple’s App Store and Google Play.
How to watch the Sugar Bowl
For those looking to tune in via television, the Sugar Bowl will air on ESPN.