Paul Finebaum: Ole Miss has 'a straight shot at the CFP' if it beats Georgia

Ole Miss has a logical path to the College Football Playoff, but the Rebels have to beat Georgia, according to ESPN’s Paul Finebaum.

With three games left, Ole Miss is at 7-2 overall, with both losses coming in the SEC. They were ranked No. 16 in the first CFP rankings Tuesday night, currently on the outside looking in.

But a win over No. 3 Georgia at home? Oh Ole Miss will shake things up alright.

“I’ll offer a caveat, because it’s actually only a two room apartment, but the point being Greeny, Ole Miss is a team to keep your eye on,” Finebaum said on Get Up. “And really, this will be decided on Saturday. But should Ole Miss beat Georgia, they’re at home, and they’re a very good team that nobody is talking about. They will have a straight shot at the CFP. They have to beat Georgia though, which is a major mountain to climb.”

Head coach Lane 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.

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.

“This is the biggest game of Lane Kiffin’s career coming up,” Finebaum said Monday. “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.”

Grant Grubbs contributed to this report