Paul Finebaum: Ole Miss vs. Georgia is the biggest game of Lane Kiffin's career
Ole Miss‘ College Football Playoff hopes are riding on their showdown against Georgia on Saturday. During an appearance on McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning, Paul Finebaum took a bold stance on the importance of the game on Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin‘s career.
“This is the biggest game of Lane Kiffin’s career coming up,” Finebaum said. “He’s got a chance to come close to punching a ticket to the playoffs or letting it all slip away. You’re going to hear that for this game. You’re going to hear that for the game in Baton Rouge, but this is really about the opportunity for Ole Miss.
“And I know that there’ll be skeptics about Georgia, but you said it — that is a rivalry game, and those things are never easy. Billy Napier has done a really good job of being competitive in every game down the stretch, and for that, he deserves credit… I’m really into the Ole Miss game.”
Kiffin has never led a team to the CFP before. However, following their dominant 63-31 win over Arkansas on Saturday, the Rebels are in a fantastic position to earn an at-wide berth in the 12-team CFP.
Even before the CFP had adapted a 12-team format, Ole Miss was in a similar position last year. The Rebels entered Week 11 with an 8-1 record — their sole loss coming against Alabama. If Ole Miss was able to defeat Georgia, it would have had an argument to be in the CFP.
Top 10
- 1Hot
Ben Herbstreit
Kirk Herbstreit asks for prayers
- 2
DJ Lagway injury
Billy Napier shares encouraging update on Florida QB
- 3New
Franklin defends Kelce
PSU coach approves viral phone smash
- 4
Gundy rips haters
OSU coach obliterates critics
- 5
Dylan Raiola
Nebraska QB expected to be healthy before next game, per report
However, the team fell in devastating 52-17 fashion to the Bulldogs and played in the Peach Bowl instead. Now, Kiffin has an opportunity to exact revenge on Georgia while making his first appearance in the CFP.
If the Rebels can capture the same magic they had in their win over Arkansas on Saturday, they should feel great about their chances. In the victory, Ole Miss notched a jaw-dropping 694 total yards of offense without committing a turnover.
Quarterback Jaxson Dart led the way, completing 25-of-his-31 passes for 515 yards and six touchdowns. Dart’s arm wasn’t his only weapon. He also led the team in the ground game, recording 47 yards on 10 carries.
On Saturday, Ole Miss will look to extend its win streak as it squares off against Georgia at 3:30 p.m. ET. The game will air live on ABC.