Lane Kiffin was critical of the No. 5 Ole Miss Rebels' defense after their 43-35 loss to the No. 9 Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon.
Going into the game, Ole Miss boasted a perfect 6-0 record. They shine as one of the best teams in the country, hoping to make a firm case for the College Football Playoff.
However, the Rebels had a setback with their performance against the Bulldogs. They gave up multiple explosive plays throughout the course of the game, being unable to get stops on that side of the ball.
Kiffin reflected on the loss after the game, per reporter Brad Logan. He specifically called out the number of first downs his defense gave up to Georgia, emphasizing the need for fixing for next week and beyond.
“34 first downs, that is really concerning,” Kiffin said.
How Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss performed against Georgia
Lane Kiffin and the Ole Miss Rebels won't suffer a big drop in the AP Top 25 after losing to Georgia. However, they will need to regroup and get back on track to continue building their CFP case.
Ole Miss had most of the momentum as they led 21-20 at halftime and 35-26 going into the fourth quarter. Things changed as the Rebels went scoreless in the last 15 minutes while the Bulldogs put up 17 unanswered points in the period.
Trinidad Chambliss had a productive outing as he made the effort to give Ole Miss chances to win. He completed 19 passes out of 36 attempts for 263 yards and a touchdown. He also added 42 yards and two scores after attempting nine rushes.
Kewan Lacy was effective in the red zone for the Rebels. He had 12 of the team's 24 carries for 32 yards and two touchdowns while making three catches for 10 yards. Four players made three or more receptions throughout the day, including Lacy. De'Zhaun Stribling led the way with three catches for 96 yards and a touchdown. Harrison Wallace III followed with four receptions for 39 yards, while Dae'Quan Wright caught three passes for 34 yards.
The No. 5 Rebels will look to bounce back in their next matchup, remaining on the road. They face the No. 14 Oklahoma Sooners on Oct. 25 at 12 p.m. ET.
