ATHENS — Kirby Smart has seen enough of Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss to know his Georgia defense has a problem on its hands.

The No. 2-ranked Bulldogs travel to play Chambliss and the Rebels at Vaught Hemingway Stadium at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, where Chambliss is 12-0 as the starter.

Smart says Chambliss is “probably the best quarterback in the country” and it’s easy to understand why.

Chambliss tore up Georgia’s defense the first time he laid eyes on them for three quarters at Sanford Stadium, leading five consecutive touchdown drives as the Rebels staked out to a 35-26 lead entering the fourth quarter.

The Bulldogs rallied for a 43-35 win by shutting down Chambliss in the fourth quarter, as the talented signal-caller went suddenly cold, 1-of-10 passing for 1-yard in the fourth quarter.

Chambliss delivered payback in the CFP Sugar Bowl quarterfinal, rallying Ole Miss from 21-12 down in the third quarter to a 39-34 win that saw him drive the Rebels for three consecutive touchdowns and then the game-winning field goal over the final 23 1/2 minutes of play.

“He had some ‘wow’ plays against us last year, really in both games, but especially the second,” Smart said of the nimble Chambliss, whose breathtaking escapes from pressure and highlight throws kept fans on the edge of their seats.

“But it’s the down-in, down-out decision-making that he’s really elite at, the accuracy that he’s elite at. The release, the decision. He’s just pinpoint. He has an anticipation of windows that’s probably unmatched.”

In other words, there are times where Chambliss simply seems unstoppable.

Georgia defensive tackle Elijah Griffin said the Bulldogs defensive front will do all it can to limit Chambliss’ ability to scramble out of the pocket and extend plays.

“We just have to keep him in the trap, we can’t let him escape, he’s a great escape artist, he’s capable of doing anything,” Griffin said on Tuesday. “Ultimately, as a defensive line, we have to keep him in the trap and push the pocket, and if we do the everything will take care of itself.”

Smart noted that even if UGA keeps Chambliss trapped in the pocket, the Ole Miss quarterback can still make plays.

“He knows how to navigate a pocket … this guy’s not just a take off and run guy,” Smart said. “He steps up in the pocket. He goes through the pocket. He’s made some of his best wow plays working through the pocket.”

Smart’s defense will throw a variety of looks at Chambliss and mix pressure packages with heavy coverage schemes in an attempt to keep him off-balance.

But there again, Smart notes how Chambliss’ experience gives him the ability to adjust on the fly.

“I can’t get inside his head and say what he’s doing pre-snap, post-snap, he’s elite at both in my opinion,” Smart said. He surveys the field. He knows what he’s going to do. He’s been in this offense long enough that he knows what he’s basing his decisions on.

“After the play is snapped, he goes through his progressions and does a great job.”

Even if Georgia puts all the right defensive ‘Xs’ on the Ole Miss offensive players’ ‘Os,’ Smart has seen there’s no guarantee the Bulldogs can catch up to or stop Chambliss.

“He goes forwards, backwards as fast as he goes sideways,” Smart said. “He’s just a great athlete that is a great quarterback.”

If there’s one plus for Georgia, it’s that Ole Miss expects to play without star tailback Kewan Lacy, who has a shoulder injury.

Lacy had 22 carries for 98 yards and 2 touchdowns in the Rebels’ Sugar Bowl win over UGA after the Bulldogs held him to 31 yards on 12 carries (with 2 touchdowns) in Georgia’s 43-35 home win over Ole Miss.