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The University of Mississippi Athletics
GAMEDAY PREVIEW: Ole Miss vs. Georgia
9/24/2011 | Football
Sept. 24, 2011
Gameday Central | Scouting Report |
TV: SEC Network | Ole Miss Radio Network (Sirius 220, XM 199)
OXFORD, Miss. -- The Ole Miss Rebels (1-2, 0-1 SEC) are looking to right the ship after last week's 30-7 loss to Vanderbilt, but that will be no easy task with preseason All-SEC quarterback Aaron Murray and the Georgia Bulldogs (1-2, 0-1 SEC) coming to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
Kickoff is slated for 11:21 a.m. today. The game will be televised on the SEC Network.
The Rebels are looking to avoid their first 0-2 start in SEC play since 2007. Georgia leads the all-time series 30-12-1. Houston Nutt has not faced the Bulldogs since becoming head coach at Ole Miss, but holds an 0-5 record against Georgia from his tenure at Arkansas.
On the offensive side of the ball, the Rebels will look to avoid a repeat performance of last week's game against Vanderbilt, which saw quarterback Zack Stoudt complete just 13-of-26 passes and throw five interceptions.
"It is about getting simple," said Nutt. "It is going to be about throwing to a certain option as far as receiver selection goes. We need to take care of the ball. A lot of those interceptions weren't his [Stoudt's] fault. It goes back to 11 players doing things the right way."
After being limited to 85 yards on the ground by a speedy Vanderbilt defense, the running game will be a key in taking pressure off of Stoudt. Though Jeff Scott was bottled up for much of the game last week, the return of Brandon Bolden once again gives the Rebels a dangerous combination in the backfield. The senior rushed for 39 yards on eight carries against the Commodores after missing a game and a half due to an injury.
While the Rebels surrendered 281 yards on the ground, the defensive backfield continued its outstanding play. Cornerback Marcus Temple recorded his second interception of the year-the sixth of the year for the Rebels, which matches the total for the entire 2010 regular season.
Georgia will bring to Oxford an explosive offensive attack that is averaging 426 yards and 40.7 points per-game. The redshirt sophomore Murray has completed 53-of-84 passes for 672 yards and holds a nine-to-two touchdown-to-interception ratio.
True freshman Malcolm Mitchell has emerged as Murray's go-to receiver, hauling in 14 passes for 159 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
The Bulldogs have also shown the ability to run the ball, led by true freshman Isaiah Crowell, who averages 5.6 yards-per-carry. Junior Carlton Thomas re-emerged last week against Coastal Carolina, rushing for 71 yards on 15 carries in his first game of the season.
After getting roughed up by a pair of Heisman candidates in their opening two games-Boise State's Kellen Moore and South Carolina's Marcus Lattimore-the Bulldog defense got on track against Coastal Carolina, surrendering just 107 total yards and 49 through the air.
"They are a good football team that is very athletic," Nutt said of the Bulldogs. "They have a good quarterback in Aaron Murray and a good running game. They have good receivers. Their defense has been flying around. Jarvis Jones is a very good defensive end. They can move him around and he is very good. Brandon Boykin, their cornerback, is fast and you have to watch him on special teams. They could easily be 3-0 if you look at their film from playing Boise State and South Carolina. They were right there. They are a lot like us because they didn't make plays when they could have."
New for fans in 2011 is the "Rebel Fanfare," sponsored by Baptist Hospital of North Mississippi. It opens three hours prior to kickoff and is located off All-American Drive, across the street from the Starnes Center. Admission is free for all ages. "Rebel Fanfare" includes inflatables, interactive games for kids, food vendors and the pre-game radio show which begins two hours prior to kickoff. It will also feature appearances by former players, cheerleaders, Rebelettes and Rebel.
Visit OleMissFB.com for all the information you need about Ole Miss gamedays this fall, and follow @RebelGameday on Twitter for the most up-to-date news and info each Saturday.
