No. 5 Mississippi, Lane Kiffin disappointed by loss to No. 9 Georgia

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ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Lane Kiffin viewed Saturday's visit to No. 9 Georgia as an opportunity for his No. 5 Mississippi team to ascend.

The Rebels defeated the Bulldogs in Oxford last season, but lost 52-17 in its 2023 visit to Georgia. Kiffin said taking a win at Georgia would have been “another step.”

Kiffin’s Rebels looked more than ready for that step when they scored touchdowns on their first five possessions and took a nine-point lead into the fourth quarter. Instead, Georgia won 43-35 and Ole Miss was outscored 17-0 in the final quarter.

“I told my guys this is exactly what you want,” Kiffin said. “Going into the fourth quarter, you are up two scores at Georgia, the chance to beat Georgia two years in a row. Unfortunately we did not do things, did not function on offense after five drives and five touchdowns."

The loss may not prevent Ole Miss (6-1, 3-1 Southeastern Conference) from achieving its SEC or College Football Playoff aspirations. The fourth-quarter collapse underscored the mountain they are still attempting to summit.

Ole Miss is 0-4 in road games against top-10 opponents under Kiffin after allowing its best opportunity yet to earn that elusive win slip away. The Rebels will face another Top 25 game on the road next week when they visit No. 14 Oklahoma.

Georgia (6-1, 4-1) gained 510 yards of total offense and 143 on 25 fourth quarter snaps, including a nine-play, 67-yard touchdown drive to take the lead and a 10-play, 66-yard field goal march that killed more than four minutes of clock late. The Bulldogs scored on every offensive possession excluding its game-ending kneeldowns.

“Usually you would think that you would be getting blown out if they score every time they have the ball,” Kiffin said. “When you are in a game like that, those things happen and you have to keep scoring. We did not do that in the fourth quarter.”

Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, a transfer from Division II Ferris State, made his first career FBS road start after launching his tenure as a starting quarterback with four home victories.

Chambliss opened the afternoon 18-of-26 passing with 262 passing yards, but went just 1-of-10 in the fourth quarter. Ole Miss only gained 13 yards on its final 11 offensive snaps, and went three-and-out on consecutive crucial possessions.

“I just have to be better,” Chambliss said. “I have to have better ball placement. I missed some throws that were crucial. I just have to be better in the fourth quarter.”

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