SEC Football: Georgia's 42-7 rout of Mississippi boosts top ranking bid
Gunner Stockton threw for five touchdowns as the Bulldogs ended a 16-game home winning streak for the Rebels in Oxford.
By Alessia Desai ·
No. 2 Georgia defeated No. 12 Mississippi 42-7 on Saturday night to strengthen its case for the top national ranking.
The Bulldogs controlled the first 22 minutes of the game in Oxford, Mississippi. They scored on drives of 72, 96, 61, and 50 yards. Mississippi crossed midfield only once during that stretch. Quarterback Gunner Stockton completed nine of 15 passes for 186 yards and ran for a 15-yard touchdown. The offense accumulated 482 total yards, with 298 yards coming before halftime. Georgia entered the second half with a 28-0 lead.
Coach Kirby Smart said the team embraced the challenge from the start. He noted that the players acted as hunters and played with aggression. Stockton’s performance included a 65-yard touchdown pass to Talyn Taylor, who also caught scores of 3 and 6 yards. Taylor finished with 140 receiving yards on four catches. Ethan Barbour added a 58-yard touchdown reception. On the ground, Nate Frazier carried the ball 16 times for 107 yards. Craig Dandridge Jr. scored on a 4-yard run. The defensive effort was led by linebacker Chris Cole, who recorded nine tackles, two quarterback hurries, and one and a half sacks.
Mississippi, which finished 6-3, saw its 16-game home winning streak end. Head coach Pete Golding acknowledged that the team was not ready to play. He stated that the coaching staff did not see a blowout coming. Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss completed 18 of 34 passes for 170 yards. She was sacked five times and threw one interception. Shekai Mills-Knight scored the only Mississippi touchdown on an 8-yard run. The Rebels were held to 252 total offensive yards.
This result marks a shift from last season, when Georgia won 43-35 at home and Mississippi won 39-34 in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. Safety KJ Bolden said the win means the team is in the hunt for any position. Georgia now contends for the top spot in the AP poll and CFP rankings alongside Notre Dame and Utah.
Georgia will host No. 19 Missouri next Saturday. Mississippi will visit Oklahoma during the same weekend.
