An interconference battle finishes the second round of the College Football Playoff, as Georgia and Mississippi lock horns for the second time this season in the Sugar Bowl. The Bulldogs prevailed in the first meeting by a score of 43-35; yet, with all that has happened on the coaching front, the Rebels are playing with something to prove.

The Gameline

For Mississippi, the quest to prove they can do it without head coach Lane Kiffin, who departed for LSU under a cloud of controversy, moves to the second phase. The Rebels annihilated Tulane during the first round of the playoffs on their home turf almost two weeks ago by a score of 41-10. The team and coaching staff are bent on proving that the players matter more than the person who was coaching them in 2025. The vendetta Mississippi is presently on carries a lot of emotion that will help them on the field.

Unlike years past, there’s no top-tier NFL prospect in this game, but rather lots of Day 2 and Day 3 prospects. One year ago, the teams had a combined five players selected in the first round of the draft. This coming April, only one player from both programs could end up in the top 32.

One of the most intriguing side stories coming out of this game is quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, the former backup who was forced to step into the starting lineup in September and never looked back. Chambliss produced a terrific season and is the main reason Mississippi has gotten this far. He hopes to play another season on the college field and has applied to the NCAA for an additional year, although it currently appears that the request may be denied.

Prospects with the most to gain

De’Zhaun Stribling, the Oklahoma State transfer who was graded by scouts as a top-60 prospect before the season, really hasn’t lived up to expectations this year. His 45 receptions and six TDs were fewer than his 52 catches with the Cowboys from a year ago.

Stribling is a strong possession receiver with reliable hands. He shows good route discipline and, for the most part, wins out for the contested grab. He was slow to integrate into the Rebels’ offense, but he has played well lately. Stribling did not have a single 100-yard receiving game this season after totaling four in 2024, two of which were 150 yards or more.

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Georgia historically fields a strong defense with a top-notch secondary. In each of the past five drafts, a defensive back from the Bulldogs has landed in the top 100 picks. That streak is in jeopardy this year, as the top prospects are underclassmen who are not draft-eligible. The top senior is Daylen Everette, a tall athletic cornerback with unpolished ball skills who is graded as a Day 3 pick by scouts.

Stribling has an opportunity to exploit lesser talent and really produce in a meaningful game where he will be needed.

Underrated Prospect

What he lacks in size, Georgia receiver Zachariah Branch makes up for with production and big-play ability. A smaller wideout who measures 5-foot-9 and 175 pounds, Branch is super quick as well as being a terrific route runner who separates from defenders and always finds a way to come free. He’s reliable at catching the ball and consistently steps up big against top competition or during important games.

Against Alabama in the SEC title game, he caught five passes for 53 yards with one TD, the same numbers he posted the prior week against a tough Georgia Tech defense. In the game against Florida, it was 10 catches for 112 yards. Branch had nine catches against Auburn and eight during the first contest against Mississippi.

Branch is not a speedster or vertical threat; rather, he’s a sneaky short- and intermediate-pass-catching threat who displays run-after-the-catch ability.

Prospect I expect to have the biggest game

Georgia has a terrific 1-2 punch at the tight end position. People tend to lean towards senior Oscar Delp, but I prefer Lawson Luckie in this game, and he’s rated slightly higher on my board. Luckie is a tall, athletic tight end who catches the ball extremely well. He’s a smart pass catcher who not only finds the open spot on the field but also comes away with the difficult catch.

With the Rebels’ defense likely shifting their coverage assignments towards Georgia’s three talented receivers (Branch, Dillon Bell, and Noah Thomas) as well as Delp, expect Luckie to get a lot of opportunities against Mississippi.