It was a record-breaking night for the No. 5 Ole Miss football team on Saturday as the Rebels closed out non-conference play with a 52-13 blowout over Georgia Southern.
Lane Kiffin’s squad walked into Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in front of 67,505 fans as the Rebels (4-0) looked to notch one final win before taking on a tougher slate of Southeastern Conference foes. Saturday’s attendance surpassed the previous record of 66,703 fans that was set last season when the Rebels defeated LSU and eventual Heisman-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels 55-49.
Ole Miss got started early and reached the scoreboard on the second offensive play of the game. Despite a few ebbs and flows midway through the first half, the team scored often and prevented the Eagles from ever getting within reach of an upset.
The Rebels had 607 yards of total offense while holding its opponent to 194 yards. In the process, veteran quarterback Jaxson Dart was excellent but not entirely flawless. For the second straight game, the signal-caller displayed a slight blemish in his game as he tossed his second interception of the year.
Nonetheless, in the high-scoring affair, standout Rebel wide receiver Tre Harris had a career day. The senior logged 225 yards on 11 receptions while also hauling in two touchdowns as he continued to prove himself as one of the most reliable pass catchers in all of college football.
Another feat was accomplished on the defensive side of the ball with Pete Golding’s group holding strong and allowing fewer than 50 rushing yards for the fourth consecutive game, making for the longest streak doing so in program history However, the unit did give up its first touchdown of the season on a Georgia Southern trick play.
With defensive end Jared Ivey notably absent with an injury, Ole Miss suffered an early scare when Chucky Mullins Courage Award winner JJ Pegues went down with an apparent collarbone injury after recovering a fumble early in the first quarter. Pegues was examined for an injury and was given the green light to resume action on the gridiron.
The Swiss army knife, Pegues, checked back into the game and was utilized on both sides of the ball, recording an offensive touchdown in the process to alleviate any concerns about his injury status. He finished with two tackles on defense.
Flags were an issue for the second consecutive week for the Rebels, tallying 11 penalties for 133 yards. After the game, Kiffin acknowledged his team will need to play cleaner once Ole Miss takes on SEC opponents but did say the penalties are almost inevitable with how physical his defense is.
Scoring summary
Ole Miss got off to a quick start with Dart finding Antwane “Juice” Wells in the end zone on the second play from scrimmage to put the Rebels up 7-0 in the first minute and a half of action. Kiffin’s squad capitalized on a Georgia Southern fumble on the Eagles’ first offensive play of the game with Caden Davis splitting the uprights from 28 yards out to put Ole Miss up 10-0.
Dart continued to use his cornucopia of weapons in the first quarter as he found a wide-open Jordan Watkins for a 23-yard touchdown pass, giving the Rebels a 17-0 advantage. Georgia Southern was ultimately able to do what Ole Miss’ previous rivals had not done this season — put the ball in the end zone. The glass ceiling was broken on a trick play in which Eagle running back OJ Arnold used his passing abilities to connect with Derwin Burgess, Jr. for a touchdown at the start of the second quarter.
The last score of the first half came with Dart hitting Harris in stride for a 70-yard touchdown, marking Ole Miss’ second two-play drive resulting in points on the board. The Rebels led 24-7 at the intermission.
After receiving the opening kickoff to begin the third quarter, Georgia Southern’s drive was cut short when quarterback KC French threw an errant pass on third down that Rebel defensive back Brandon Turnage picked off. Turnage’s interception set up the offense to move the ball down a short field on a drive that ended with Pegues diving over the Eagles’ defensive line on second and goal to give Ole Miss a 31-7 lead.
After a slow start in the rushing attack, running back Henry Parrish, Jr. amassed his first score of the night with a five-yard dash across the goal line. Georgia Southern capitalized on a trio of 15-plus yard penalties committed by the Rebels on the following drive and settled for a field goal to trail 38-10.
Dart threw his final touchdown of the night to none other than his top target, Harris, from 36 yards out early into the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach. But Ole Miss was not done scoring. Georgia Southern transfer running back scored for the first time in his career on a one-yard carry after having a 20-yard touchdown call overturned. Georgia Southern scored the final points of the game with a trash-time field goal in the final two minutes of action, cementing a 52-13 victory for the Rebels.
Stat leaders
- Quarterback Jaxson Dart: 22-31, 382 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception
- Running back Henry Parrish, Jr.: 13 carries, 89 yards, and one touchdown
- Wide receiver Tre Harris: 11 receptions, 225 yards, and two touchdowns
- Linebacker Chris “Pooh” Paul, Jr.: 10 tackles (seven solo), 1.5 sacks, two tackles for loss, and one quarterback hurry
- Defensive back Brandon Turnage: Four solo tackles, one tackle for loss, and one interception
Coach’s comments
Kiffin touted Saturday night’s crowd, adding that he and the players could feel the energy. The head coach had previously been critical of the attendance early on in the 2024 campaign. However, he had nothing but positive things to say about the Rebel faithful on Saturday.
“The fans were great. We went out for kickoff with the place being full,” Kiffin said. “That was great. I know the players noticed that.”
As for the trajectory of this year’s team, Kiffin is optimistic that this could be one of the best, if not the best, squads in Ole Miss history if the group plays up to its potential moving forward.
“I think they have a chance to be really elite. They have a chance to be really special,” Kiffin continued. “There are a lot of variables with that. I said at first that they’re a very good roster. Now they’re starting to show that they’re a very good team at times and in spurts.”
Through four games, the Rebels have outscored its opposition 220-22. SEC action will certainly present a bigger challenge than what Ole Miss has faced so far, but Kiffin is optimistic that his team will continue to evolve into a College Football Playoff group.
What’s next
Ole Miss will open conference play at home next Saturday with Kentucky (2-2, 0-2 SEC) rolling into town. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CT and will be broadcast on participating SuperTalk Mississippi stations as well as a television network yet to be determined.
