(Photo Courtesy of Ole Miss Athletics)
As college football rolls into the final stretch of the regular season, the plot continues to thicken in this new world with a 12-team playoff for the national title. On this particular Saturday, that was great news for Ole Miss.
Ole Miss 28, Georgia 10:
Welcome back to the College Football Playoff discussion, Rebels fans.
In what was widely regarded as an unofficial CFP elimination game, it was host Ole Miss (8-2) that came out on top in impressive fashion in front of a stadium-record crowd of 68,125.
Lane Kiffin delivered the signature victory of his Oxford tenure, a well-played effort against a No. 2-ranked opponent. Yet, the game didn’t get off to a promising start for the No. 16 Rebels.
After an early interception deep in Ole Miss territory, Georgia took a 7-0 lead. Following the pick, Ole Miss star quarterback Jaxson Dart limped off to the locker room with an apparent ankle injury.
No problem.
Backup quarterback Austin Simmons came on to lead a scoring drive to tie the game at 7-all with 6:53 left in the first quarter. Ulysses Bentley did the honors with a 9-yard scoring run.
Then, raising the spirits of Rebels fans, Dart made a dramatic return to the sidelines, and then to the field. By halftime, Ole Miss led 16-7 on the strength of three field goals by senior Caden Davis (23, 43, 53), who would boot two more three-pointers (24, 32) in the fourth quarter.
Beyond being spotted the early touchdown, Georgia’s offense never really got into synch in the face of the Rebels’ defensive pressure on a rainy afternoon. The Bulldogs (7-2), who still have playoff hopes, were outgained 397-245 and averaged just 1.8 yards per rush while losing three turnovers.
Ole Miss had nine tackles for loss, with five sacks. By the end of the game, when Georgia had no option but to pass, the Rebels defensive line feasted on a Georgia front that simply could not block them and forced multiple late fumbles.
Dart completed 13 of 22 passes for 199 yards, including a third-quarter 10-yard TD pass to Juice Wells, and led Ole Miss with 50 yards rushing on eight attempts. Simmons hit 5 of 6 for 64 yards in his brief appearance.
Ole Miss fans rushed the field a bit prematurely and had to leave the field for one final Rebels play, but the resulting hefty fine from the SEC office will surely be worth every penny. As will replacing the goal posts.
Dart and his Ole Miss teammates get an open week before visiting Florida for an 11 a.m. kickoff. The Rebels’ regular season ends Nov. 29 at home against Mississippi State.
Tennessee 33, Mississippi State 14:
The scrappy Bulldogs were outmatched up on Rocky Top, as the No. 7 Volunteers kept things under control on the way to their eighth victory in nine games.
But the win may have come at a cost. Tennessee’s outstanding young quarterback, Nico Iamaleava, did not play in the second half with what was described as an upper body injury suffered on a hard hit after an incomplete pass.
That’s especially troubling with the Vols headed to Georgia next weekend in what shapes up as another playoff knockout game.
Iamaleava threw for 174 yards and a pair of first-half touchdowns.
MSU (2-8) ran the ball effectively in the loss, averaging 4.7 yards as Davon Booth rushed 20 times for 125 yards and a second-quarter TD. But the Bulldogs managed only 92 passing yards.
Tennessee had 452 total yards in a well-balanced attack, though four drives ended with Max Gilbert field goals.
Johnnie Daniels had an 18-yard scoring run for Mississippi State in the third quarter, leaving Tennessee ahead 23-14. That was as close as the Bulldogs would get, as UT’s Dylan Sampson capped a career night with 149 rushing yards, including a 33-yard TD jaunt late in the third quarter.
After an off week, MSU will return to action with an afternoon home game against Missouri on Nov. 23. The Egg Bowl follows the next Friday in Oxford, with a 2:30 p.m. kickoff against Ole Miss.
Marshall 37, Southern Miss 3:
A brutal season for the Golden Eagles (1-8) continued with another home field loss. Southern Miss managed only a 51-yard field goal by Connor Gibbs in the second quarter and trailed 17-3 at halftime.
USM has lost seven games in a row. Marshall improved to 6-3.
A punchless Southern Miss offense was outgained 526-183 with just 70 yards passing. The Golden Eagles had four turnovers, including three interceptions.
Southern Miss returns to action on Saturday at Texas State, with a 6 p.m. kickoff.
