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No. 10 Ole Miss are on a bye week before they head to Gainesville to take on the Florida Gators.
Last week, the Rebels (8-2, 4-2 SEC) shut down then-No. 3 Georgia for a 28-10 win.
Ole Miss vs Georgia: Cinematic Recap#HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/RglHoOsGfI
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) November 11, 2024
So does this bye week comes at a great time to prepare for Florida (4-5, 2-4) or at a bad time as a possible momentum loss?
Diving into Florida
For the Ole Miss Rebels, every game is a playoff challenge. And the Swamp is no easy place to play. The Rebels have 14 days to prepare.
The Rebels have a wide range of talent, including quarterback Jaxson Dart, wide receiver Tre Harris, tight end Caden Prieskron and more. These players came back for a chance to win the national championship. Harris has been out for the Rebels with an injury the past three games. This bye could be what he needs to be ready for Florida.
So how can they capitalize on this open week to propel into the postseason?
Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin discusses how his team has attacked the bye week:
Momentum
The Rebels have so much momentum they seem unstoppable right now. Following their 29-26 loss to No. 13 LSU on Oct. 12 that went into overtime, Ole Miss has shut down opponents. The Rebels defeated Oklahoma 26-14. Then traveled to Arkansas and shutout the Razorback on their own field 63-31. The Rebels then handed Georgia their second loss of the season, 28-10.
Ole Miss is rolling at the right time, Kiffin said:
What’s interesting is this three-game win streak followed the first bye week after the loss against LSU.
Down with Georgia
Ole Miss is peaking at the right time.
The Rebels finally got their revenge against Georgia after a 52-17 beatdown last season in Athens.
A story this season for the Rebels has been their solid defense which Kiffin focused on over the offseason. The Ole Miss defense ranks sixth nationally in scoring, only allowing 12.9 points per game. They also lead the country with 46 sacks and 103 tackles for loss. This talent was displayed Saturday when the Rebels had five sacks and nine tackles for loss. To add to their resume, they forced four fumbles and an interception.
The Rebel offense ranks second in the nation for total offense, with an average of 539.7 yards per game. Dart has been phenomenal for the Rebels with 3,409 passing yards with 22 touchdowns. His 1,307 yards and 12 touchdowns make him 31 yards shy of Matt Corral‘s record of 1,338. In the Georgia game, Dart was 13-of-22 passing for 199 yards.
.@TomFornelli‘s QB power rankings heading into Week 12 @OleMissFB QB Jaxson Dart takes the No. 1 spot after taking down Georgia.
Full breakdown https://t.co/3tSgpPcEPc pic.twitter.com/VFvCoh90oN
— CBS Sports College Football (@CBSSportsCFB) November 13, 2024
Up Next
Ole Miss faces Florida in The Swamp on Nov. 23. Game time is a noon start with coverage on ABC, ESPN 98.1-FM/850-AM WRUF.
