Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze has a reputation as one of the nice guys. He’s an outspoken Christian who well-wishes haters on social media. He takes players on a mission trip during the offseason.

Even Jesus got mad during his days on Earth, overturning thieves’ tables in the temple. That’s what Freeze’s team looked like on Saturday. The Rebels had been the butt of national jokes, the first Power 5 team to blow two 21-point leads in a season in a decade. They did it in a matter of three weeks.

“We certainly had experiences that we should learn from,” Freeze said after a 45-14 demolishing of No. 12 Georgia. “I really thought we took control.”

Ole Miss moved up seven spots in the AP Top 25 to No. 16, and the Rebels looked like an angry King Kong climbing up there.

It was a ruthless offensive attack that embraced its strength, the passing game, and even had 180 rushing yards.

Before the season, defensive tackle D.J. Jones said the Rebels will always play with a chip on their shoulder. They had done so in losses to Florida State and Alabama but only for a half per game. It all came together on Saturday.

When Chad Kelly scrambled and ducked under a sack attempt by Lorenzo Carter, he flung the ball 55 yards to DaMarkus Lodge, who had no business making the catch as he was draped by one defensive back with another coming toward him. Lodge hauled it in and looked in the stands and shrugged.

The Rebels didn’t care about Georgia’s feelings. Up 24-0, they aggressively scored another touchdown with less than a minute to play before the half. There was a little extra celebration when Evan Engram won a jump ball for that touchdown, an air of healthy cockiness.

“My gut told me all week that it is a great sign, they are disappointed and ticked,” Freeze said, “and they will be ready to go.”

Ole Miss had no one to be mad at but itself. Turnovers proved costly against Florida State and Alabama. Saturday, the Rebels lost only one turnover to Georgia’s two.

It was an angry effort but a cool, calm and collected one.

““I was just a lot more calm. I knew I had to go out there and execute the game plan and just take care of the football, and that’s what I was able to do,” Kelly said. “My offensive line did a great job today, they protected me. Those guys did a great job, the receivers got open and the running backs ran hard and coaches made great calls. My job was just to get the guys in the end zone and we did that … I wanted this one bad, and it showed.”

When Kelly is calm, it’s easier to stay the aggressor. A decent run game aided the cause, and Ole Miss never let up.

They all wanted it bad. The defense dropped back but got pressure and started the rout with Derrick Jones’ pick-six. The catches the receivers made in traffic and in midair looked unstoppable. So did Ole Miss.

“We talked about the story. I have talked to them all week from the Bible from second Samuel when a guy chased a lion into the pit, and he didn’t come out until the job was done,” Freeze said.

Ole Miss has a few more lions to chase into pits, namely Razorbacks, Tigers and Aggies.