ATHENS — As much as Kirby Smart pushes against the idea, it’s hard not to see the fourth quarter as an inflection point for the 2025 Georgia defense.

The first three quarters of the game literally could not have gone worse for the Bulldogs. Georgia gave up touchdowns on all five of its defensive drives. Throw in the 41 points Tennessee scored and the 13 third downs Alabama converted, and it just seemed like this Georgia defense was not capable of being elite in 2025.

But then Georgia’s defense finally got a stop. And then another. And then a final stop to clinch a 43-35 win over Ole Miss.

The final 11 plays of the Georgia win saw Ole Miss gain just 13 total yards.

“I do think that those stops were huge for us from a confidence standpoint, but there’s a lot of the game that there weren’t stops,” Smart said. “And they do a really good job. They’re hard to stop. They’re explosive for a reason. They have good players, they have good tempo, they have good schemes, and the quarterback makes things go and so does the back.

“So I don’t know if that was the moment that kick-started us to improvement on defense because I don’t remember the exact games after that, but we have played better down the stretch defensively.”

Ole Miss was the last team to score more than 30 points against Georgia. The Bulldogs gave up 20 points against Florida and 21 against Mississippi State.

Since the Nov. 15 game against Texas, Georgia has shifted into another gear. The Bulldogs have allowed just two touchdowns over their previous four games.

Statistically, Georgia’s run defense has powered the turnaround. Georgia has allowed only 128 rushing yards in the previous four games. That has forced team to be one-dimensional, making it easier to get after the passer.

Through the Ole Miss game, Georgia had just 8.0 sacks. In the six games since, the Bulldogs have picked up 12.0 sacks. Georgia still isn’t a great pass rushing team but forcing teams into thrid-and-longs has been a winning formula for the Georgia defense.

Doing that against Ole Miss will be vital, especially if the Rebels are without running back Kewan Lacy as he deals with a shoulder injury.

Georgia has its own injuries to worry about. Most pressing on the defensive side of the ball is Gabe Harris, who is dealing with turf toe.

Since the Texas game, Harris has 4.0 tackles for loss.

“Yeah, Gabe’s a wrecker, man. He wrecks things,” Smart said. “He’s tough, physical, relentless. He’s been a force with our defense, and he’s one of those guys that doesn’t question things. He just gets out there and works, competes, and gets better, and I’m really proud of the improvement he’s made for our defense.”

The ascent of the Georgia defense is a big reason the Bulldogs are now seen as a legitimate national title contender.

The rematch against Ole Miss will give the Bulldogs a chance to show just how much the defense has improved since the Oct. 18 clash.

A strong showing from the unit would go a long way in pushing the Bulldogs all the closer to yet another national championship.