What’s the most dangerous team to deal with on a football field?
Well, it’s the team that believes it’s got nothing to lose, of course.
And if you listen to Lane Kiffin – coach of the No. 10 Ole Miss Rebels – he’ll tell you his team has nothing to lose as it heads into Athens, Georgia this Saturday to take on the two-time defending national champion Bulldogs (Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss have ‘nothing to lose’ attitude vs. Georgia – ESPN) in a Southeastern Conference battle that’ll kick off at 6 p.m. Central Standard Time on ESPN.
“I say that because this game has a different feel,” Kiffin said. “Georgia is the No. 1 team in the country [in the AP poll]. They haven’t lost at home in four years. We’re little ol’ Ole Miss. We’re double-digit underdogs going there at night. I mean, what is there to lose? If everyone expects you to lose and all the analytics and stats say you’re supposed to lose, then there’s nothing to lose. As I said, I have a much different feeling, and it’s much different what I’m telling these guys versus the Alabama game.”
Kiffin said Georgia – trying to win three straight national championships, and having been off to notoriously-bad slow starts this season – has all the pressure on their backs in this game.
“That’s what I’m saying to our players. There shouldn’t be any pressure. Just go play.”
That’s not 100 percent true.
The Rebels are 8-1, 5-1 in SEC play, and chasing Alabama in the SEC West.
If the Rebels are going to get into the SEC Championship Game – period –Alabama has to lose not once, but twice, and Ole Miss has to win both of their own remaining SEC games. That would mean an upset this Saturday in Athens and a win over Mississippi State. That’s because Alabama beat the Rebels in Tuscaloosa earlier this season.
Alabama plays at Kentucky on Saturday at 11 a.m., and then at Auburn in the regular season finale.
So, as much as we love Kiffin here at TFB – they do have some pressure.
