Jaxson Dart explains why Ole Miss’ win over Georgia was so special

It was a big moment for Lane Kiffin’s Ole Miss program. The Rebels faced No. 3 Georgia, which is ranked 16th in the country and has a record of 8-2.

Ole Miss has its sights firmly set on the College Football Playoff this season, and the Rebels boast one of the best offenses in the country at 40.7 points per game, but these two losses mean they are right on the cusp of the CFP . There was no room for error in the game against Georgia that early November afternoon two weekends ago. The game started poorly with a red zone interception by quarterback Jaxson Dart, followed by a long touchdown drive by UGA. However, the Rebels came back and took care of business in front of their home crowd.

The end result was a convincing 28-10 win for Ole Miss that boosted the Rebels’ ranking to No. 9 overall and solidified them as a clear CFP contender in 2024.

“Going into the game, our backs were against the wall. “So we feel like we’re playing a playoff game every week because we know if we lose we’re out,” Dart explained the emotions surrounding the game as I continue speaking the “Andy and Ari On3” show. “So, the emotions going into this game were really high and we knew what was at stake for us and like you said, this was a big game for Ole Miss as a program and it was winnable gigantic.”

Dart went on to say that it was a very special moment for Ole Miss as the Rebels had faced adversity earlier this season. They lost 20-17 to Kentucky in late September and then lost 29-26 to No. 13 LSU in an overtime game on Oct. 12.

The Rebels are “so close” to being undefeated, but they’re also still close to seeing their CFP dreams dashed. To make it, they must beat Florida and Mississippi State, two SEC opponents, to finish the season.

According to Dart, they had a week off after the Georgia win that allowed them to refocus.

“It was nice to say goodbye afterward so the boys could have their feelings and thoughts to themselves and have a little time to really think about everything,” he explained.