Mississippi defensive tackle JJ Pegues (89) twists his way into the end zone during the first half of an NCAA college football game against South Carolina Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Artie Walker Jr.)
Saturday was a college football fan’s day for the ages, particularly if you’re fond of a string of upsets that foist rankings into chaos. Five top-11 teams lost.
No. 1 Alabama fell in shocking fashion to the Vanderbilt Commodores, but the Tide’s failure to keep the trains running after a close win over Georgia last week was just the beginning. Tennessee, ranked fourth in all the land, went into Fayetville with one of the most potent offenses on the planet, but the Volunteers looked anemic in their 19-14 upset loss to the Razorbacks. No. 9 Missouri was throttled by Texas A&M 41-10.
Outside of the SEC, No. 10 Michigan fell to Washington, and No. 11 USC lost to the Golden Gophers of Minnesota.
All good news for No. 12 Ole Miss, which returned to form and avoided any new bites from the upset bug.
Ole Miss 27, South Carolina 3:
The 12th-ranked Rebels (5-1) bounced back smartly from a surprising home loss to Kentucky, taking care of business on the SEC road.
Notably, it was the 100th career head coaching victory, against 50 losses, for 49-year-old Lane Kiffin. And it was the first time Ole Miss had won in Columbia since 2004.
The Rebels led 14-0 in the first quarter and 24-3 at halftime.
Jaxson Dart completed 14 of 27 passes for 285 yards, didn’t throw a touchdown but didn’t turn it over, either. Steady Henry Parrish Jr. had 81 yards rushing on 21 carries and scored the game’s first TD on a 3-yard run after South Carolina failed on a ill-advised fake punt from its own 36.
A 325-pound nose tackle by trade, Oxford’s own JJ Pegues scored a pair of touchdowns on short runs. He’s rumbled for four TDs this season.
Antwane Wells Jr. had three catches from Dart for 97 yards, but fumbled a 66-yard catch out the back of the end zone for a touchback. Wells, a transfer from South Carolina, was regularly booed by Gamecock fans still sore over his departure. Dart overthrew Wells later in the game on a route that was an all but guaranteed touchdown if properly placed.
Caden Davis added a pair of field goals (24, 44), the second of which represented the only points of the second half, when Ole Miss’ offense struggled to sustain drives. Ole Miss standout wide receiver Tre Harris left the game early with an injury.
For South Carolina (3-2), QB LaNorris Sellers passed for 162 yards, but was sacked six times and intercepted once. The Rebels were able to create consistent pressure even without the services of their top rush end Princely Umanmielen, who was out with injury. The pick by Trey Amos foiled a promising South Carolina drive early in the fourth quarter.
In the absence of a consistent running game, Sellers was forced to rely on his legs, as well as his arm for the Gamecocks. He added a team-high 55 yards rushing.
Ole Miss outgained South Carolina 425-313.
The road could get harder for the Rebels next Saturday, as they visit LSU for a 6:30 p.m. ABC game. Ole Miss returns to Oxford for a clash against new SEC member Oklahoma on Oct. 28. TV and kickoff information is pending.
Louisiana-Lafayette 23, Southern Miss 13:
The Golden Eagles (1-4), coming off an open date, played Saturday night in Hattiesburg and found no relief from their 2024 struggles.
The Ragin’ Cajuns (4-1) held Southern Miss to 177 yards of total offense and dominated time of possession (41:35) behind a balanced attack that delivered 410 total yards.
The visiting team wound up with eight tackles for loss, including five sacks – four by linebacker Cameron Whitfield.
Kenyon Clay had a pair of short touchdown runs for Southern Miss and added a 31-yard catch. His second TD run cut the hosts’ halftime deficit to 17-13.
But five second-half drives yielded only 6 total yards for the home team, with four punts and a late fumble.
The Golden Eagles will visit Louisiana-Monroe this week for a 4 p.m. game.
Mississippi State (Bye Week):
The Bulldogs (1-4) had an open date on Saturday, burdened by a four-game losing streak. This week, they’ll visit Georgia for a 3:15 p.m. game on the SEC Network.
