There is a big difference between a 2-2 start to the season and a 1-3 start. For Ole Miss to avoid a 1-3 start to such a promising and anticipated season, here are five things the No. 23 Rebels can’t do on Saturday against No. 12 Georgia.

1. Let it linger

Ole Miss is coming off a very emotional loss against Alabama. Three weeks in, and with SEC championship hopes taking a blow, it would be easy to slum through and get beat by a very good Georgia team. Ole Miss is favored at home, but the only sample of resiliency we have this season was a bounce-back win against Wofford. Otherwise, when the Rebels have been thrown to the mat – the butt of two historic comebacks by Florida State and Alabama – they haven’t responded very well in stopping the bleeding during those comebacks.

2. Let Chubb go wild

Ole Miss has not been great against the run. In three games, the Rebels are allowing 242.7 yards per game, good for bottom feeding with Kentucky at the tail end of the SEC. Quarterbacks have done a lot of that damage. Florida State quarterback Deondre Francois averaged 6.6 yards on nine carries. Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts upped that with 146 yards on 18 carries a week ago. Georgia running back Nick Chubb had 222 yards in the season opener against North Carolina but combined for only 143 yards on 39 carries against Nicholls State and Missouri. Ole Miss’ defensive line can be as disruptive as Missouri’s and will need to be.

3. Lose another turnover battle

At the top and bottom of the SEC in turnover margin, Georgia is at the top and Ole Miss is at the bottom. The Bulldogs are plus-3 and the Rebels are minus-5. Two of those were huge against Alabama, a sack for a scoop and score where Chad Kelly held the ball too long and a 75-yard pick-six. Ole Miss’ defense is going to be on the field long enough because of the offensive tempo. Turnovers will put them out there faster.

4. Give up more big plays than UGA

Ole Miss leads the SEC in explosive plays. The Rebels have 25 plays of 15 or more yards and 13 plays of 25 yards or better. Georgia isn’t far behind. The Bulldogs are tied for fourth with 17 plays of 15 yards or more and rank sixth with seven plays of at least 25 yards or more. That is Ole Miss’ game and without second-half letdowns this season, that should realistically have led to a 3-0 start. Can’t let Georgia beat you at your own game at home.

5. Lose

The optimistic side hoped Ole Miss would finish a brutal September with a 3-1 mark. The pessimistic side said 2-2. A loss to Georgia, and it would be a 1-3 start to the season. The SEC title hopes have taken a hit a month into the season. On the line Saturday could be the difference between Independence and Outback or Sugar. With Georgia being ranked No. 12, a win boosts the Rebels up the poll and sets up three more top-20 matchups. Plenty left to play for, even if the SEC title isn’t potentially one of them.

Brandon Speck covers Ole Miss for Saturday Down South. Follow him on Twitter, @brandonspeck.