Dec 28, 2022; Houston, Texas, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders quarterback Tyler Shough (12) falls into the end zone for a touchdown as Mississippi Rebels safety Isheem Young (1) /defends during the first quarter in the 2022 Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Tyler Shough, Texas Tech take down Ole Miss in Texas Bowl

Tyler Shough ran for two touchdowns and passed for another as Texas Tech defeated Ole Miss 42-25 in the Texas Bowl on Wednesday night in Houston.

Shough completed 24 of 39 passes for 242 yards and rushed 25 times for 111 yards as the Red Raiders (8-5) won their fourth consecutive game.

Jaxson Dart passed for 361 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions and rushed for 66 yards and a touchdown to lead the Rebels (8-5), who lost their fourth straight.

The Red Raiders led 26-7 at halftime, but Dart threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Watkins on Ole Miss’ first possession of the third quarter. The score remained 26-13 through the end of the period.

Early in the fourth quarter, Shough threw a 36-yard pass to Jerand Bradley to set up SaRodorick Thompson’s 1-yard touchdown run that increased the lead to 32-13.

Texas Tech’s Trey Wolff kicked his third field goal, a 26-yarder, to increase the lead to 35-13 with 9:36 left.

Dart ran 9 yards for a touchdown and threw a 19-yard scoring pass to Malik Heath, who had eight catches for 137 yards, to trim the deficit to 10 with 3:10 left.

The Rebels tried an onside kick, but the Red Raiders’ Loic Fouonji, who also caught seven passes for 100 yards, returned it 44 yards for a touchdown.

Slough ran 2 yards for a TD that gave Texas Tech an early 7-0 lead.

Zach Evans ran 8 yards for a tying touchdown before Wolff’s 42-yard field goal gave the Red Raiders a 10-7 edge at the end of the first quarter.

Marquis Waters intercepted Dart, setting Texas Tech up at the Ole Miss 9 in the second quarter. On fourth-and-goal at the 2, Slough ran for a touchdown and a 17-7 lead.

Wolff added a 32-yard field goal before Dadrion Taylor-Demerson recovered Dart’s fumble at the Ole Miss 37.

Five plays later, Slough threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Bradley to increase the lead to 19 points heading to halftime.

–Field Level Media

Nov 19, 2022; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks wide receiver Jadon Haselwood (9) runs after a catch in the second quarter against the Ole Miss Rebels at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

Raheim Sanders, Arkansas topple No. 14 Ole Miss

Raheim Sanders set career highs with 232 rushing yards and three touchdowns as the Arkansas Razorbacks became bowl-eligible Saturday night, downing No. 14 Ole Miss 42-27 in Fayetteville, Ark.

Sanders, who carried the ball 24 times, topped his previous high of 175 yards and two scores set on Oct. 15 in a 52-35 win over BYU.

After missing last week’s home loss against No. 7 LSU, quarterback KJ Jefferson returned and went 17 of 22 passing for 168 yards and three scores. Matt Landers caught two touchdown passes, and Ketron Jackson Jr. had the other.

Linebacker Drew Sanders had a fumble recovery and an interception for Arkansas (6-5, 3-4 Southeastern Conference).

For Ole Miss (8-3, 4-3), Jaxson Dart was 21-for-36 for 240 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Malik Heath had 140 yards and a score on nine receptions.

Running back Quinshon Judkins totaled a season-best 214 yards on 24 carries. That gave the true freshman 1,385 yards — a single-season program record.

Zach Evans had a career-high 207 yards on 17 carries. Ole Miss produced 703 yards of offense, including 463 on the ground.

With Jefferson back under center, the Razorbacks perked up on offense on their second possession and went 69 yards on seven plays before the junior hit Landers for an 8-yard score at 8:28 of the first quarter.

On its next possession, the Arkansas offense went 73 yards for a score. Jefferson lobbed a perfect pass that Landers caught over his shoulder for a 23-yard TD.

The Rebels’ offense came to life on the ensuing series, with Dart finding Heath for a 53-yard gain. Jonathan Cruz put the visitors on the board with two minutes left in the quarter by curling in a 45-yard field goal.

In the first minute of the second quarter, Jackson won a one-on-one battle and caught a 20-yard touchdown pass for a 21-3 lead. Cruz later drilled a 32-yard field goal.

Sanders, who had 153 yards rushing yards in the first half, scored twice inside the last 2:20 to put the home side ahead 35-6 at the break.

His 68-yard touchdown run in the third quarter eclipsed his career highs, while Judkins, Evans and Heath tallied for Ole Miss in the fourth for the final margin.

–Field Level Media

Nov 12, 2022; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Bryce Young (9) passes the ball during warm up prior to the game against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

Alabama survives Ole Miss to return to win column

Will Reichard kicked two of his three field goals in the fourth quarter, Alabama’s defense stopped Ole Miss in the red zone late, and the No. 9 Crimson Tide held on for a 30-24 victory over the No. 11 Rebels in Oxford, Mississippi, on Saturday.

The Crimson Tide (8-2, 5-2 SEC) trailed 10-0 but fought back behind Bryce Young’s touchdowns to Cameron Latu, Jermaine Burton and Ja’Corey Brooks.

Ole Miss drove to the Alabama 14-yard-line, but on 4th-and-16 from the 20, defensive back Brian Branch broke up a pass in the end zone intended for Jonathan Mingo to seal the win with 46 seconds left.

The victory delivered the SEC West crown to LSU, which defeated Alabama and Ole Miss to earn a trip to Atlanta for the conference championship game.

Young was 21 of 33 for 209 yards and crafted his first 3-TD game since Sept. 24 against Vanderbilt when he tossed four. Jase McClellan rushed for 84 yards on 19 carries.

Jaxson Dart was 18 of 31 for 212 yards with a TD to Mingo. Malik Heath caught six passes for 123 yards, while Quinshon Judkins ran for 135 yards on 25 carries and tallied twice, giving him a school-record 15 rushing TDs in a season.

After Judkins shoved his way in for a score in the first quarter, the Rebels’ offense moved 32 yards to set up Jonathan Cruz’s 22-yard field goal and a 10-0 lead.

Young put the Crimson Tide on the board at 8:55 by firing a 19-yard strike to Burton. But Otis Reese’s fumble recovery at midfield led to another Ole Miss score, as Judkins — from the wildcat formation — punched it in from a yard out for a 17-7 lead.

Alabama’s Terrion Arnold recovered a fumble at the Rebels 23, and Young found Latu for an 8-yard score with eight seconds left for a 17-14 Ole Miss halftime lead.

After Reichard tied it with a 39-yard field goal, Dart zipped a 3-yard ball to Mingo for a 24-17 advantage at 7:28. Young rolled out and tossed a 5-yarder to Brooks to knot the contest at 24 after three quarters.

Reichard connected again, from 23 yards, the visitors’ first lead with 11:19 left and added another from 49.

–Field Level Media

Oct 29, 2022; College Station, Texas, USA;  Texas A&M Aggies defensive back Jaylon Jones (17) tackles Mississippi Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart (2) in the first half at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports

No. 15 Ole Miss prevails in offensive slugfest with Texas A&M

Jaxson Dart fired three touchdown passes, Quinshon Judkins ran for a career-high 205 yards and No. 15 Ole Miss beat slumping Texas A&M 31-28 Saturday night in College Station, Texas.

Dart finished 13 of 20 for 140 passing yards and totaled 95 yards on 17 carries. Dayton Wade, Casey Kelly and Jonathan Mingo snared receiving scores as the Rebels (8-1, 4-1 Southeastern Conference) beat the Aggies for the second straight season.

Judkins, who turned 19 Saturday, carried 34 times and produced a crucial score in the fourth quarter, giving him 13 TDs — the most ever by an Ole Miss freshman.

For Texas A&M, true freshman Conner Weigman was 28-for-44 for 338 yards in his first career start. He threw TDs to Moose Muhammad III (eight catches, 112 yards), Evan Stewart, Noah Thomas and Devon Achane. Achane rushed for 138 yards on 25 carries.

The Aggies (3-5, 1-4) lost their fourth straight game in a season for the first time since 2005 as a member of the Big 12.

On the first series, Ole Miss ran six straight rushing plays before letting Dart throw. When he did, he found Wade for an 18-yard score with 13:02 left in the opening quarter.

But on fourth down, Weigman tossed a short score to Muhammad. On the next drive, Stewart made a leaping, one-handed grab from 15 yards out for a 14-7 lead.

Both teams failed on fourth-down conversions before Ole Miss successfully gambled again on a fourth-and-4 with a fake punt on its own 15. Jonathan Cruz booted a 46-yard field goal to make it 14-10.

In the third, Dart’s 56-yard pass to Mingo and a third-down face mask penalty led to the quarterback’s 1-yard TD throw to Kelly. The epic series went 94 yards on 13 plays.

Ole Miss built a two-score lead when Dart flipped a 2-yard TD to Mingo on a rub route for a 24-14 advantage.

After another failed fourth-down conversion by the Rebels, Weigman tossed a 2-yarder to Thomas with 9:11 left. But Judkins ripped off a 61-yard run and scored three plays later to counter it.

After Achane’s 7-yard catch cut it to 31-28, the Aggies got one more possession but turned it over on downs with 16 seconds left.

–Field Level Media

Oct 22, 2022; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA;  Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin looks on during the pregame against the LSU Tigers at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

No. 15 Ole Miss visits Texas A&M in high-stakes SEC showdown

With Southeastern Conference road losses dominating them last week, No. 15 Ole Miss and Texas A&M will try to reverse their fortunes when they meet Saturday night in College Station, Texas.

The Rebels (7-1, 3-1) tumbled eight spots in the Top 25 after experiencing defeat for the first time last weekend, but coach Lane Kiffin’s run-oriented offense went about losing in a strange way.

Before dropping its 45-20 decision at LSU, Ole Miss led 17-3 after Jonathan Cruz’s field goal on the second quarter’s first play. The Rebels then led 20-17 at halftime, with one of the nation’s top rushers to move the chains, consume time and add points to move to 8-0 and keep their top 10 ranking.

Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels and the LSU defense had something else in mind.

The home side ended the game on a 28-3 run, while the defense held Kiffin’s offense without a point in the second half. With rusher Zach Evans injured, the vaunted running game headed by him and Quinshon Judkins (111 yards on 25 carries, two TDs) produced just 117 yards on 37 tries.

Kiffin said his squad will encounter a similarly raucous crowd as the one they played in front of at LSU’s Death Valley.

With a seating capacity of 102,733 at the Aggies’ Kyle Field and boisterous fans cheering along with team-supporting chants in unison, Ole Miss — 0-4 all-time at College Station — can expect a more antagonistic playing environment in the massive stadium.

“I think (the Aggies will) be very excited to play, and they’re coming home after being on the road for a long time,” Kiffin said. “Their crowd is always one of the hardest places to play in the country.”

In South Carolina, Texas A&M (3-4, 1-3) fell behind 17-0 inside the first six minutes against the Gamecocks then rallied to get it to within three in the third quarter. However, the hosts hung on for a 30-24 win.

But Saturday night’s matchup in eastern Texas will be all about two West Division programs: One that has exceeded expectations and still has plenty at stake, the other desperately clinging to respectability in a brutal season.

If the Rebels win their four remaining games, which would include beating Alabama at home and ending with an Egg Bowl win over rival Mississippi State, and LSU manage to lose at least once in its final three SEC games – Alabama, at Arkansas and at Texas A&M – Kiffin’s squad would go to the SEC Championship Game on Dec. 3.

The Aggies’ goal is to break their three-game losing streak. They can still finish 8-4.

“Our guys believe and they’re into it,” said coach Jimbo Fisher, whose team will be playing at home for the first time since beating Miami 17-9 on Sept. 17.

With Max Johnson sidelined with a hand injury, Haynes King is expected to get the nod at quarterback. King left with a shoulder injury last week, turning the duties over to true freshman Conner Weigman.

The Aggies haven’t lost four straight games in the same season since 2005 when they were a member of the Big 12. Despite holding a 9-4 advantage in the series, they lost 29-19 at Ole Miss last year.

–Field Level Media

Oct 22, 2022; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA;  LSU Tigers wide receiver Kyren Lacy (2) is tackled by Mississippi Rebels cornerback Davison Igbinosun (20) during the first half at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

No. 7 Ole Miss suffers first loss of year as LSU’s Jayden Daniels dominates

Jayden Daniels ran for three touchdowns and threw two touchdown passes as host LSU handed No. 7 Ole Miss its first loss of the season, 45-20, in an SEC game Saturday afternoon.

Daniels, who had three touchdown runs and three touchdown passes in a 45-35 victory at Florida a week earlier, passed for 248 yards and ran for a game-high 121 yards.

The Tigers (6-2, 4-1) joined the Rebels (7-1, 3-1) and No. 6 Alabama as the only one-loss teams in the SEC West.

Jaxson Dart passed for 284 yards and Malik Heath had eight catches for 145 yards to lead the Rebels, but they were outscored 42-3 after taking a two-touchdown lead in the second quarter.

Daniels threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Mason Taylor to give LSU a 24-20 lead midway through the third quarter.

The Rebels drove to the Tigers 9 on the ensuing possession, but Dart was intercepted by Joe Foucha in the end zone.

Daniels ran 11 yards for a touchdown that increased the lead to 31-20 with 14:18 remaining. He added a 17-yard scoring run, and Josh Williams’ 1-yard touchdown run completed the scoring.

On the first possession of the game Ole Miss drove to Quinshon Judkins’ 6-yard touchdown run.

LSU then reached the Rebels’ 6 before settling for Damian Ramos’ 23-yard field goal.

Judkins ran 3 yards for a touchdown on the next possession to increase Ole Miss’ lead to 14-3.

The Tigers drove into scoring range again, but Ramos missed a 42-yard field goal, leaving the Rebels with their 11-point lead at the end of the first quarter.

Jonathan Cruz’s 32-yard field goal on the first play of the second quarter pushed the lead to 17-3.

LSU responded with a 34-yard touchdown pass from Daniels to Jaray Jenkins, then forced Ole Miss to punt for the first time in four possessions.

The Tigers’ next possession ended with Daniels running three yards for a touchdown that tied the score at 17.

Cruz’s 48-yard field goal with 4:08 remaining in the second quarter gave the Rebels a 20-17 halftime lead.

–Field Level Media

Oct 15, 2022; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart (2) is tackled by Auburn Tigers safety Donovan Kaufman (1) during the first quarter at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

No. 9 Ole Miss runs past Auburn 48-34

Quinshon Judkins, Zach Evans and Jaxson Dart each rushed for over 100 yards as No. 9 Ole Miss beat Auburn 48-34 on Saturday in Southeastern Conference play at Oxford, Miss.

In defeating Auburn at home for the first time since 2012, with one victory later vacated, the Rebels led 21-0 but saw the Tigers make it a one-score game three times in the second half.

Judkins ran for 139 yards on 25 carries with two TDs on the ground and one receiving for Ole Miss (7-0, 3-0 SEC), while Evans notched 136 yards on 21 attempts with a rushing and receiving score.

Dart went 9 of 19 for 130 yards with three touchdowns and an interception, while also rushing for 115 yards on 14 carries. Dayton Wade caught a TD pass for the Rebels.

Ole Miss rushed for 448 yards on 69 carries and totaled 578 yards of offense.

Tank Bigsby carried 20 times for 179 yards and two scores for Auburn (3-4, 1-3), while quarterback Robby Ashford was 8 of 17 for 140 yards and two interceptions. He rushed for 35 yards and two TDs.

On its third series, Ole Miss was set up when safety A.J. Finley made a diving interception of Ashford. Dart then found Wade from 35 yards out for a TD and a 7-0 lead with 6:42 remaining in the opening quarter. Dart pushed it to 14-0 when he hit Evans for 23 yards with 2:43 remaining in the first quarter.

Following three ineffective series, Auburn replaced Ashford with T.J. Finley, who hadn’t played since Sept. 17 with a shoulder sprain. Early in the second quarter, a fumble recovery by defensive end Jared Ivey on a sack of Finley, in the quarterback’s only series, led to Evans’ 3-yard run and a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter.

Auburn answered with a pair of 2-yard scoring runs from Ashford and Bigsby to trim the deficit to 21-14 in the second quarter. Judkins’ 7-yard catch for Ole Miss and Anders Carlson’s 42-yard field goal for Auburn had the Rebels up 28-17 at halftime.

After Bigsby’s 50-yard TD run early in the second half got Auburn to within 28-24, Jonathan Cruz booted a 23-yard field goal for a 31-24 edge. Following a successful onside kick, the Rebels cashed in on the extra possession with Judkins’ 5-yard run for a 38-24 lead.

Ashford’s second TD cut it to 38-31, but Cruz (42 yards) and Carlson (28) traded field goals as Ole Miss led 41-34.

Judkins’ 41-yard burst with 6:26 remaining provided the final margin, but Ole Miss had to wait out a nearly hour-long weather delay to snap its six-game losing streak in the series.

–Field Level Media

Sep 24, 2022; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Tulsa Golden Hurricane defensive back Kendarin Ray (1) breaks up a pass intended for Mississippi Rebels wide receiver Jordan Watkins (11) during the first half at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

No. 16 Ole Miss fends off Tulsa, 35-27

Quinshon Judkins and Jaxson Dart both eclipsed 100 yards rushing, and No. 16 Ole Miss knocked out the nation’s top passer in the Rebels’ 35-27 victory over visiting Tulsa on Saturday afternoon in Oxford, Miss.

Judkins went for a game-high 140 yards on 27 carries and found the end zone twice as the Rebels (4-0) totaled 308 yards on the ground on 51 attempts.

Quarterback Dart added 116 yards on 13 rushes and was 13-of-24 passing for 154 yards and two scores for Ole Miss. Zach Evans added a rushing touchdown while Malik Heath and Jonathan Mingo had TD receptions.

Davis Brin — the nation’s leading passer at 402 yards per game — went 7-for-13 for 112 yards and a touchdown, adding another one rushing, before leaving the game with an injury in the first half.

Replacement Braylon Braxton was 9 of 22 for 83 yards with a touchdown and interception for the Golden Hurricane (2-2). Isaiah Epps caught four passes for 62 yards, including a pair of scores.

Ole Miss barely edged Tulsa in total yards, 462-457, and was held scoreless in the second half.

It took the Rebels 1:39 of game time to put up points, as Evans ended a six-play, 75-yard drive with a 20-yard dash for a 7-0 lead.

But Brin capped an 87-yard drive that ate up 5:21 as Tulsa matched the score. The American Athletic Conference team took its first lead when Brin found Epps from 20 yards for a 14-7 lead.

However, Ole Miss ripped off four unanswered touchdowns to give itself some breathing room, which it would need in a competitive second half.

Judkins ran in on a pair of short runs, and Heath and Mingo each caught 31-yard strikes from Dart to rebuild the lead.

Tulsa’s Zack Long kicked a 28-yard field to leave the Golden Hurricane’s deficit at 35-17.

Long connected from 20 yards early in the third to make it 35-20. Later, Braxton scrambled past rushers on fourth-and-7 and hit Epps for 17 yards to make it a one-score game with 14:38 left.

Ole Miss regained possession, with Dart running for a key first down and sealing the victory.

–Field Level Media