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After impressive Georgia win, there’s no denying Lane Kiffin is a legit ball coach

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After impressive Georgia win, there’s no denying Lane Kiffin is a legit ball coach


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There important results in Week 11 of the college football season that will shake conference and playoff races. Matt Hayes analyzes four hot topics from Saturday’s games.

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1. First Down: Lane Kiffin, the ball coach

Don’t take the bait. Don’t focus on the fall of Georgia and the undoing of the best program in college football ― and ignore the rise of Lane Kiffin.

Because there’s no denying it now: Kiffin is a legit ball coach.

“We planned for this game all year,” Kiffin said while Ole Miss fans stormed the field moments after a stunning 28-10 whipping of Georgia.

It’s not that Ole Miss became the first team in 53 games not named Alabama to beat Georgia. It’s not that the win left the Rebels with a clear road to the College Football Playoff.

It’s that Kiffin, long the college football coaching outcast because of how his career began – not how it has developed – got his first mega win in the big, bad SEC. Forget about the top-five win against Oregon in 2011 as the USC coach, this is different.

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This is a victory that underscores the five-year buildout that until Saturday had been equal parts the school record for single season wins (11 in 2023), and a handful of ugly losses to SEC heavyweights Alabama, LSU and Georgia. In fact, it was the loss to Georgia last season – a humiliating 35-point defeat – that paved the way for this season of change.

That 52-17 loss to the Dawgs was the worst of Kiffin’s career, and – fair or not –further solidified him as the coach who couldn’t win big games. Never mind that he was building at Ole Miss, a perennial underachiever in the meatgrinder conference.

You’re judged on what you do in the SEC, not what you say or post on X. And Kiffin wasn’t earning it.

So he pushed all-in this offseason, and the Georgia game was his now or never. He told the Ole Miss NIL collectives he needed cash to compete, and he got it.

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He built the roster from the inside out through, focusing on the lines of scrimmage on both sides of the ball and adding key pieces through the transfer portal. The plan was simple: run the ball on offense, affect the quarterback on defense.

He convinced offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach and play caller Charlie Weis Jr., to stay in Oxford, instead of taking more money from Florida coach Billy Napier to run the Gators’ offense.

And here we are: the Rebels lead the nation in sacks (46), and are No. 2 in the nation in total offense. Ole Miss is two improbable fourth-down completions in late losses to Kentucky and LSU from an unbeaten season.

Ole Miss gave up 611 yards in last year’s 52-17 loss to Georgia, and gave up 245 Saturday. The Rebels didn’t get a sack in last year’s game, and got five this time around – and forced three turnovers.   

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Now Ole Miss is two wins – at Florida and home against rival Mississippi State – from reaching the CFP as an at-large selection (watch how high the Rebels jump in this week’s CFP poll), and could play in the SEC championship game with a little help.

There’s no denying it now: Kiffin is a legit ball coach.

UP AND DOWN: Georgia’s loss leads Week 11 winners and losers

2. Second Down: Deion and the CFP

You know it, I know it. This thing is destined for Deion Sanders and the CFP: the biggest personality in the sport, and the new 12-team playoff.

A match made in television heaven.

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We’ve seen everything in a wild Big 12 race, and now we’re primed (pun intended) for a remarkable one-season turnaround. It’s all setting up for Colorado coach Deion Sanders to lead the Buffs to the Big 12 championship game – and one game away from the playoff

Not just any spot – an automatic qualifier spot, which comes with a coveted first-round bye. That means more Prime, all the time.  

From losing eight of nine games to finish the 2023 season, to controlling its destiny in the Big 12 race, Colorado needs wins against Utah, at Kansas and against Oklahoma State – the Buffs will be favored in all three games — to complete a remarkable turnaround.

An improbable run from a team that couldn’t protect star quarterback Shedeur Sanders in September, and couldn’t get off the field defensively for the first six weeks of the season.

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But after Saturday’s 41-27 win at Texas Tech, it’s clear the Buffs have figured it out. CU went into the toughest place to play in the Big 12, and forced three turnovers (and didn’t give up a turnover), and had six sacks.

The Buffs won despite rushing for only 60 yards, and committing 14 penalties for 106 yards. They won because they consistently made plays on offense when they needed it, and got stops (and got off the field) against a Texas Tech offense that last week rolled the best defense in the conference (Iowa State).

That can only mean one thing: more Prime, all the time.

3. Third Down: Kurtis Rourke, Heisman candidate

He doesn’t have the numbers of Cam Ward or Ashton Jeanty, or the efficiency of Dillon Gabriel, or the big-play game of Travis Hunter.

But if you’re looking for an impactful player in the thick of the CFP race, a player who has elevated a program from the depths of the Bowl Subdivision cellar to an unbeaten season, it’s time to take a long look at Indiana quarterback Kurtis Rourke.

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A sixth-year senior transfer from Ohio, Rourke made big throws again Saturday, this time in a 20-15 win over Michigan to give the Hoosiers their first 10-win season in program history. History.

Rourke threw for 206 yards and two touchdowns, and now has a TD/INT ratio of 21/4 in nine games. But strong performances against Michigan, Michigan State and UCLA are one thing. Playing big at Ohio State in two weeks is the bar.

If Rourke has a big game and leads Indiana to an upset of the Buckeyes, watch how quickly momentum turns in his favor in the Heisman race. He’ll go from a fun novelty leading a team that really doesn’t have a signature win, to a Heisman front-runner with arguably the best win of any team in the CFP race.      

4. Fourth Down: Miami meltdown burns ACC

Look beyond another Miami loss to double-digit underdog Georgia Tech, and look directly at the ACC race to the CFP.

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And how Miami’s 28-23 defeat Saturday all but ends the ACC’s chances of getting a second team in the 12-team playoff. Unless the remainder of November is full of upsets, it’s likely only one ACC team is part of the field.

The conference is watered-down, the star power outside of the Hurricanes is limited and the resume for any potential playoff contender consists of wins against the worst Power Four conference in the game. The ACC’s best chance at getting more than its champion in the CFP was SMU winning out and beating undefeated Miami in the ACC championship game.

The easiest way to explain it: Miami’s best resume win will be the ACC championship game. So will SMU’s. So will Pitt’s, and Clemson’s.

See the trend?

“You can’t sugarcoat it,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said in his postgame press conference. “We didn’t do a good enough job.”

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And that has left the Canes (9-1 overall, 5-1 ACC) with no more CFP wiggle room. They’ll go from the projected ACC champion in last week’s CFP poll, to potentially falling behind two-loss SEC teams and outside the top 10 in this week’s poll.

Miami’s schedule is among the easiest in the Power Four, and SMU isn’t far behind – though the Mustangs’ schedule is slightly better with a three-point home loss to Big 12 leader Brigham Young. This is how quickly it can turn in the CFP race.

Miami has gone from the thrill-a-minute team with the Heisman Trophy favorite (Ward) leading second half comebacks, to the team giving up an average of 31.6 points in six ACC games — with no room for error the rest of the season.

Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB.





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Puberty blockers latest target in Georgia GOP lawmakers’ 2025 campaign against transgender care • Georgia Recorder

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Puberty blockers latest target in Georgia GOP lawmakers’ 2025 campaign against transgender care • Georgia Recorder


So far this month, the Georgia Senate has passed two bills adding new restrictions on transgender Georgians, and they could be going for a hat trick.

On Wednesday, the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services approved a bill that would bar doctors from prescribing puberty blockers to children with gender dysphoria, a feeling of distress that comes from one’s gender identity not matching one’s body.

The bill’s author, Sen. Ben Watson, a Savannah Republican and a physician, argued that prescribing puberty blockers breaks the Hippocratic oath doctors take to do no harm.

Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick, vice chair of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, presides over a hearing on a bill banning puberty blockers for transgender minors. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder

“Puberty blockers do do harm, and that’s the issue,” Watson said. “It changes the bone structure, it changes so many things, but it’s a natural response that youth are going through. They’re going through puberty. These are puberty blockers. It is a natural process that they go through.”

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The bill could head to the full Senate, which has recently passed bills banning transgender girls from school sports and preventing transgender state employees from receiving gender-affirming care on the state health care plan. Neither have passed the House yet.

Issues of transgender rights have been attention-getters in Washington as well as in statehouses around the country, but they’re also personal for parents like Peter Isbister, founder of the metro Atlanta chapter of TransParent, a support group for parents of transgender kids, and the dad of a transgender child.

Peter Isbister speaks against a proposal to ban puberty blockers for Georgia minors. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder

“My 11-year-old son will get the health care he needs, I am privileged to say, because I will go to the ends of the earth to make sure that he does. Why? Because I love him, as you love your children,” he told the committee.

“Do you trust yourselves to provide for your children’s health care? I would imagine that you do,” he added. “Do you trust yourself to love your child and teach him and show him or her the love of God as we do at Congregation Bet Haverim, where we believe that we are all in the image of God? I am sure that you do, that you trust yourselves. I am asking you to trust me and to trust us, because we are not different than you.”

Doctors weigh in

To treat gender dysphoria in children, doctors may recommend options including social transitioning, which could include adopting a new name or pronouns; hormone therapy, in which patients take estrogen or testosterone; or puberty blocking drugs, which pause the process of puberty.

Many transgender people who underwent puberty describe it as an awful experience in which their bodies changed in ways that did not feel natural.

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According to the Mayo Clinic, puberty blockers can improve mental health for those dealing with gender dysphoria, but use of common puberty blockers can lead to complications, including dealing with bone growth and density as well as fertility, depending on when the medicine is started.

Speaking over Zoom at Wednesday’s hearing, Dr. Michelle Zeanah, a Statesboro-based pediatrician invited by the committee who specializes in caring for children with autism, said children are legally barred from making life-altering decisions like getting tattoos, and they should not be allowed to make a big decision like starting puberty blockers.

“I encounter young people that can’t label their emotions every day,” she said. “And some of them are very smart students who make excellent grades, qualify for gifted programs, but that doesn’t mean that they understand their emotions or that they can convey abstract concepts or understand abstract concepts. They also really often have difficulty understanding the perspective of others, and those deficits really impact their own sexuality and their relationships. So allowing children and adolescents to make decisions that are permanent doesn’t really seem in their best interest.”

Zeanah said her expertise was relevant because children with autism are more likely to experience gender dysphoria or identify as LGBTQ.

Dr. David McKalip, a Cartersville-based neurosurgeon, urged lawmakers to move forward with the ban.

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“When you shut down puberty for years, there’s no going back. There’s no ethical practice of medicine that can support stopping the natural sexual development of kids,” he said. “The only reversibility comes when you use it for things like precocious puberty for a year or two, but not for when you stop it for years. Kids on puberty blockers for gender dysphoria are more likely to go on to use dangerous cross-sex hormones, the vast majority do, and move on to pursue cross-sex surgeries.”

Dr. Jason Schneider. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder

Dr. Jason Schneider, a physician who provides gender-affirming care in metro Atlanta, said the idea that children are altering their gender on a whim is false.

“It’s a very small percentage of kids who ultimately identify as transgender,” he said. “If a parent or a family member brings in a child that they’re wondering if they may be transgender, there are social workers, there are psychologists, there are therapists that work with the child over months to years before they get to the point where puberty blockers are even considered.”

Schneider said it’s true that the drugs may have side effects, but he said that is not abnormal and doctors monitor their patients and limit the time they can take puberty blockers.

“The physicians on the committee know there is no perfect medication,” he said. “There are risks and benefits with every treatment we offer, and so it’s a discussion. Yeah, there is a risk of changes in bone health as you get older, but that’s something we can monitor. That’s something we can treat. But when you compare that to the high rates of depression and suicidality for kids that have gender dysphoria, the benefits clearly outweigh any long-term risks.”

Georgia banned doctors from performing gender-affirming surgeries or prescribing hormone treatments for minors with gender dysphoria in 2023 but left puberty blockers available.

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At the time, GOP lawmakers, including Watson, described that as a compromise that would allow children and their families more time to undergo mental health treatments and perhaps decide not to seek hormone therapy.

The following year – as Watson faced a primary challenge for the first time since 2010 – he offered a puberty blocker ban bill, which passed the Senate but fell short in the House.

“We have debated this bill last year,” Watson said. “It passed here, passed in the Senate, I look forward to the House doing that. When you look at the accumulation of the data, I think it is the right thing to do, protecting the minors from puberty blockers.”

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Wet roads, hydroplaning potential to affect Wednesday morning commute in north Georgia

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Wet roads, hydroplaning potential to affect Wednesday morning commute in north Georgia


ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – Your drive into work and school will be met with wet roads and the potential for dangerous pooling conditions in low-lying areas Wednesday.

The First Alert Breaking News Tracker is canvassing north Georgia. As of 4:45 a.m., our crews were already experiencing hydroplaning conditions on I-75 South in Morrow.

Atlanta News First meteorologists suggest you give yourself some extra time to get to your destination.

According to AAA, wet pavement contributes to nearly 1.2 million traffic crashes each year. The automobile club says when it’s raining, drivers should give themselves extra time and slow down. Don’t speed.

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More deaths occur each year due to flooding than any other thunderstorm-related hazard. The Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says over half of all flood-related drownings occur when a vehicle is driven into hazardous flood water. The next highest is due to walking into or near flood waters.

The CDC says people underestimate the force and power of water and many of the deaths occur in cars swept downstream.

The Georgia Department of Transportation says to use caution when traveling in the rain, especially in a construction zone. GDOT’s website notes that lane shifts or lane closures may still be in place even when it’s raining.

If you see orange cones, you should slow down and give the men and women repairing the roads space to work safely.

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Georgia Football Position Group that Needs a Breakout Season in 2025

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Georgia Football Position Group that Needs a Breakout Season in 2025


A position group on Georgia football’s roster that needs a breakout season in 2025.

As the Georgia Bulldogs head into the 2025 season, there’s one critical area on the team that demands significant improvement: the offensive line. The Bulldogs have set a standard of excellence in recent years, winning two consecutive national championships.

However, the offensive line in 2024 was not quite at the level required to sustain Georgia’s offensive dominance, particularly in areas such as run blocking, red-zone rushing, and pass protection. If Georgia is to truly reach its potential in the coming season, the offensive line must have a “monster year.” 

Limited Explosive Runs 

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One of the biggest concerns for Georgia’s offensive line in 2024 was the lack of explosive running plays. The Bulldogs managed just two 40-yard runs all season. In an offense that thrives on a strong ground game and ball control, the absence of these long runs is a glaring issue.

The running backs, including standout talent, were often forced to grind out tough yards, which limited the explosive plays that could energize the offense. A dominant offensive line capable of opening up bigger lanes will be vital for Georgia to regain its offensive explosiveness. 

Inefficiency in the Red Zone 

Georgia’s run game also struggled in one of the most critical areas for any offense—the red zone. As teams tighten up offensively near the end zone, a powerful running game is needed to convert those short-yardage situations into touchdowns. However, last season, Georgia’s ground attack wasn’t much of a threat when it came to finishing drives in the red zone.

In a high-pressure environment like the red zone, the offensive line must establish dominance to create the necessary push for touchdowns. The lack of consistent success in this area hindered Georgia’s offensive efficiency, and it’s a problem that must be addressed in 2025. 

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Pass Protection Struggles 

Another significant weakness for Georgia’s offensive line last season was pass protection. The Bulldogs gave up 25 sacks in 2024, which is not an ideal number for an offense with aspirations of competing for championships.

While some sacks may be attributed to quarterback play or wide receiver routes, it’s clear that the offensive line needs to provide better protection. Giving up 25 sacks places unnecessary pressure on the quarterback and disrupts the rhythm of the passing game. If Georgia hopes to take its offense to the next level, the offensive line will need to ensure that the pocket remains clean, giving the quarterbacks time to make plays downfield. 

For Georgia to maintain its status as one of the top football programs in the country, the offensive line must take a massive step forward in 2025. Fixing the inefficiencies in the running game, particularly with red-zone effectiveness and big-play potential, will be a major key to success.

Next, improving pass protection and minimizing the number of sacks given up will be a huge factor in keeping the offense in rhythm and the quarterback safe. In short, the Bulldogs’ offensive line needs to have an unreal season that can elevate Georgia’s offense to elite levels once again and push them toward a national championship. The time is now for the offensive line to live up to its potential and be the driving force behind Georgia’s success in 2025.

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