Georgia outlasts Ole Miss in high-scoring blockbuster
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Gunner Stockton passed for 289 yards and four touchdowns, including three to tight end Lawson Luckie, and No. 9 Georgia overcame Trinidad Chambliss and No. 5 Mississippi's powerful offense to rally for a 43-35 win over the Rebels on Saturday.
Georgia (6-1, 4-1 Southeastern Conference) rallied after trailing 35-26 at the start of the fourth quarter. Stockton's 7-yard touchdown pass to Luckie with 7:29 remaining gave Georgia a 40-35 lead.
Ole Miss (6-1, 3-1) was denied its first road win over a top 10 team under coach Lane Kiffin even though the Rebels scored touchdowns on their first five possessions.
Stockton completed 26 of 31 passes and added a 22-yard scoring run in the crucial SEC showdown.
“It was a great day,” Stockton said. “We just played for each other and that's the best part of our team.”
Stockton and the Bulldogs had no turnovers.
In previewing the game, Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin said winning at Georgia would mean the Rebels have taken “another step” in their move up the SEC. That looked likely when they scored touchdowns on each of their first five possessions, taking a nine-point lead in the third quarter.
Suddenly, the Ole Miss offense lost its magic as Georgia did not give up another first down.
Following the first punt of the game by either team with 12:44 remaining, Stockton led a nine-play, 67-yard drive capped by the 7-yard scoring pass to Luckie that gave the Bulldogs their first lead of the second half.
Following another stop by Georgia’s defense, Stockton led a 10-play drive to set up Peyton Woodring’s third field goal of the game, a 42-yarder, to stretch the lead to eight points with 2:06 remining.
The takeaway
Ole Miss: When Georgia’s defense found a way to deliver stops on back-to-back possession in the fourth quarter, the Rebels defense couldn’t make a similar stand with the game on the line. The Rebels’ first loss likely won’t cause a significant drop in the AP Top 25. ... Chambliss completed passes to eight targets in an impressive distribution of offense. Chambliss had a 16-yard run on a fourth-down play in the third quarter.
Georgia: The Bulldogs can be expected to move up in the Top 25 following the important home win. ... The secondary had to overcome the loss of free safety Kyron Jones, the team’s fourth-leading tackler who is out indefinitely with a foot injury. Georgia lost receiver Colbie Young to an ankle injury after his 36-yard catch on a flea-flicker on the opening drive.
Up next
Ole Miss: The Rebels visit No. 14 Oklahoma, which won 26-7 at South Carolina, next Saturday.
Georgia: The Bulldogs are off before playing Florida on Nov. 1 in Jacksonville.
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