Ole Miss gets Ferrelli and Crawford back on track for Georgia, but Kewan Lacy is out

Ole Miss will take on No. 2 Georgia on Saturday with its defense close to full strength and its best running back still out. The SEC's first availability report for the game came out Wednesday. Linebacker Luke Ferrelli, who was hampered by an ankle injury against Auburn, is not listed. Cornerback Jalyn Crawford, who was limited by a shoulder problem in the same game, is listed as probable. Running back Kewan Lacy is out, as Ole Miss Rebels On SI reported. That will be his third missed game of the season.

The Clarion Ledger reported that Lacy dislocated his left shoulder on Oct. 24 at Texas and that Pete Golding ruled him out earlier in the week. Two key front-seven players are questionable: defensive end Kam Franklin and starting linebacker Keaton Thomas. Seven more Rebels are out, including receivers Izaiah Hartrup, Kervin Johnson and Samari Reed, safety Gerald Lacy Jr. and offensive lineman Carius Curne. Left tackle Terez Davis came back against Auburn and is listed as probable, as are cornerback Cedrick Beavers and safety MJ Preston.

Ferrelli started against Auburn but could not keep playing at full speed, and Tah'j Butler took his snaps. Golding told SI that Butler "stepped in and played really well." That gives Ole Miss more depth at linebacker if Thomas cannot play.

Georgia has eight players on its list. Outside linebacker Amaris Williams is out. Receiver Thomas Blackshear, running back Chauncey Bowens, tight end Elyiss Williams, inside linebacker AJ Kruah, safety Tyriq Green and defensive lineman Joseph Jonah-Ajonye are questionable. DawgNation noted that cornerback Ellis Robinson, who left the Florida game with a knee injury, is not on the report. It also noted that Bowens has not played since the Vanderbilt game.

What it means for Saturday

Ole Miss is 6-2 and coming off its most complete game of the season, a 45-15 win over Auburn. The Rebels are 5-0 at home, with wins over LSU, Missouri and Louisville. Both of their losses came on the road: 52-28 at Florida and 34-27 at Texas. Georgia is 7-1. It has won both of its true road games, including 20-17 at Alabama, and it beat Florida 27-8 last week.

The two teams' results against the same opponents point in different directions. Ole Miss beat Auburn by 30 points, while Auburn beat Georgia 27-24. Georgia held Florida to eight points, while Florida scored 52 against the Rebels. Both teams beat Vanderbilt easily.

The market has this as a close game. On this site's board, which covers 12 venues, Georgia is favored by 3.5 points. Novig, one of those venues, has Georgia -3.5 at -104 and Ole Miss +3.5 at -102. The best number anywhere on the Ole Miss side is +4 at -114 at BetRivers. On the moneyline, Novig has Georgia at -163 and Ole Miss at +160. The total is 56.5, with the over at -106 and the under at -100 on Novig. Sportsbook hold on the moneyline ranges from 3.1% to 6.3%, so the price on the same outcome can vary noticeably from venue to venue.

Without Lacy, Ole Miss will need balance from the rest of its offense against a Georgia defense that has allowed 17 points or fewer in four of its last five games. Kickoff in Oxford is set for 7:30 p.m. Eastern on ABC.