No. 20 Ole Miss heads to Atlanta for its road opener against Georgia Tech in Week 3 of college football on Saturday.
Perfect in 2 games, the Rebels are still undecided on a quarterback but will need to take action two weeks before opening SEC play with this game and another week against Tulsa.
Here’s what you need to know about Saturday’s match.
How to look
When: Saturday, September 17
Time: 3:30 Eastern
TV: ABC Network
Stream: fuboTV (Start Your Free Trial)
Game odds, point spread, betting lines
Line: Ole Miss -16
O/U: 64.5
Moneyline: MISS -901 GT +500
FPI Pick: Ole Miss 87.9%
What you need to know
1. Ole Miss’ QB situation. Going by the numbers, Jackson Dart seems like the better option: The USC transfer is 67% passing with an 8.0 ypa average and 3 TDs on 1 pick. Luke Altmyer for 46.7% shooting and a shade under 7 with 2 points and an INT. The unit pushes a bit better on the field with Dart and looks more aggressive.
2. Tech on 3rd down. Jeff Sims could be something special at quarterback. He has enough mobility to extend plays and has the right touch on contested layups. But he’s playing behind a line where he can’t push much. The result is a Tech offense that’s only good for 26 percent on third down and doesn’t extend enough drives to build any momentum.
3. Rebel backs in front of GT. Don’t forget GT’s run stop, who allowed less than 3 yards on one carry in 2 games and got good pressure on the interior, rushing for just 119 yards against Clemson. Tech’s offensive line has good pressure off the line and can make negative plays with 7 sacks and 15 TFLs so far. Ole Miss has 2 backs with nearly 200 yards on the year: Quinshawn Judkins and Zach Evans, and combined for the Rebels, they are good for 6.2 ypc over 500 total yards.
Ole Miss vs Georgia Tech: Fast facts
+ Ole Miss’ Michael Trigg is 9th nationally with 3 TD catches.
+ GT has lost 3 of the last 4 teams
+ Ole Miss ranks 9th in FBS with 4 sacks per game
+ Tech hasn’t won a game since 2018.
+ Ole Miss is 12th nationally with 10 losses.
+Georgia Tech has 7 sacks in 2 games, most since 2007 with 2
+ Rebels have allowed 13 total points in 2 games, fewest since 1991
+ Tech is 2nd in ACC with 2 sacks allowed.
+ Ole Miss has held opponents to 21 or fewer points in 7 straight games, longest streak in the Power 5
+ Tech is 1-19 under Geoff Collins when opponents score 31-plus points.
+ Judkins is 7th in the FBS with 7.96 yards per rush.
+ GT led at half-time and trailed 6-1 and 2-25 under Collins.
+ Ole Miss is 13-2 under Lane Kiffin when scoring first and 4-6 when not
+ 6-1 under Collins when Tech leads after 3rd quarter and 1-24 after 3
+ Rebels lead after 3rd quarter, trail 15-0 by Kiffin, 1-6
+ Georgia Tech is 4th in the ACC with a plus-3 turnover margin, 15th and 5th nationally.
+ Ole Miss is 13-3 under Kiffin when scoring 30 points and 3-7 when allowing more than 30.
what happens?
Ole Miss will do well to make sure it can push down the line to move the ball down the field as the quarterback and targets enter the field to create space and get good turnovers in the Tech back seven.
That’s the Yellow Jackets’ strength on defense, and if the Rebels can properly guide Tech’s tacklers off the line and in the backfield, take away that first rush and make those extra yards in space, this offense will take a significant step toward keeping up. Profits from last season.
Then the Rebs’ skill targets — the team’s 9th strongest so far and led by Jonathan Mingo’s 129 yards receiving and 21.5 ypc average — will gladly take over and make this team undefeated.
College Football Headquarters Predictions: Ole Miss 34, Georgia Tech 16
According to the AP Top 25 poll
- Georgia
- Alabama
- Ohio State
- Michigan
- Clemson
- Oklahoma
- USC
- Oklahoma State
- Kentucky
- Arkansas
- Michigan State
- BYU
- Miami
- Utah
- Tennessee
- NC State
- Bayer
- Florida
- Wake forest
- Be a lady
- Texas
- Penn State
- Pittsburgh
- Texas A&M
- Oregon
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