Christmas leftovers are getting cold, the wrapping paper is in the trash, and college football has settled back into its familiar January routine — the one where the talking slows down and the preparation sharpens.
That’s where Ole Miss and Georgia find themselves again, headed for New Orleans and another meeting that neither side is pretending is unfamiliar.
These teams already know what the other looks like in full stride. They’ve already traded punches once this season. The Sugar Bowl isn’t about introductions.
Pete Golding knows that better than most.
Ole Miss’ coach walked his team through a brief workout Monday, then sent them back to family time before preparations resume Christmas night
It was a reminder that while the calendar says holiday, the work doesn’t really stop. The Rebels, sitting at 12-1 after their College Football Playoff first-round win over Tulane, have unfinished business.
That business starts with Georgia.
Golding hasn’t forgotten the October night in Athens. Ole Miss moved the ball. It scored points. It made Georgia uncomfortable early.
And then it watched the Bulldogs do what they’ve done to a lot of teams over the years — adjust, lean on execution, and take over late.
The Rebels didn’t lose that game because of effort, Golding insists. They lost it because of details.
“When it comes game week, they’re fully invested where they at. It’s no different than anywhere else,” Golding said, referencing assistant coaches set to move on after the season but still locked into Sugar Bowl preparation.
That mindset applies across the board. Against Georgia, Golding knows half-measures don’t survive.
“They’re an extremely talented football team, very well-coached, a premiere college football team in my opinion and have been for some time,” he said.
Where October still lingers
If there’s a moment Golding keeps circling back to from that October loss, it’s third down.
Ole Miss had Georgia behind the chains more than once. And more than once, the Bulldogs escaped.
A busted coverage here. A conversion there. Small cracks that widened just enough to swing the game.
“When you do get them behind and you get them to third down, you have to get off the field,” Golding said. “There are going to be some 50-50 balls you have to contest. I think that’s the biggest thing against these guys — you have to contest every play. You can’t give them free things.”
Georgia’s run game compounds the problem. Stop it, and you might slow the offense. Miss an assignment, and the play-action becomes a problem in a hurry.
Golding knows the math. He just wants better results.
“Hopefully we can get them to punt one time,” he said with a half-smile. “That at least would be a good start.”
It wasn’t said as a joke. Against Georgia, field position feels like progress.
Smart isn’t ignoring October either
Kirby Smart, meanwhile, isn’t pretending Ole Miss was some fluke opponent the first time around. The Georgia coach said this week that his level of concern hasn’t dipped one bit since October.
If anything, it’s grown.
Smart pointed directly to the Rebels’ offense, which remains intact even after Lane Kiffin’s departure to LSU on Nov. 30.
Charlie Weis Jr. has stepped into the coordinator role without pressing the reset button, and Smart said the continuity shows.
Ole Miss still has speed. It still has balance. And it still has players who make defenses uncomfortable.
Tight end Dae’Quan Wright. Running back Kewan Lacy. And most of all, quarterback Trinidad Chambliss.
“He’s just as elite or more now because he’s got more experience and more confidence,” Smart said.
That confidence showed up in October, when Ole Miss struck early and often before Georgia settled in. Smart knows better than to assume the Rebels won’t do it again.
Mutual respect, no illusions
There’s no trash talk here. No pretending the other sideline doesn’t matter. Golding respects Georgia’s consistency. Smart respects Ole Miss’ growth.
Both know how thin the margins are when teams like this meet again.
Golding understands what it takes to slow Georgia, even if he also understands how hard that task remains.
Smart understands Ole Miss’ offense doesn’t need many openings to turn a game sideways.
That’s the quiet truth of this Sugar Bowl matchup. It isn’t built on hype or mystery. It’s built on memory.
Both teams already know how this feels. The only question left is who fixes more of what went wrong last time.
Key takeaways
- Pete Golding and Kirby Smart both lean on mutual respect rooted in firsthand experience from their October matchup.
- Ole Miss’ defensive focus centers on third-down execution and limiting free opportunities.
- Georgia remains wary of the Rebels’ offensive continuity and quarterback Trinidad Chambliss’ continued growth.
