The Rebels (5-1, 1-1) have been excellent defensively, notching a pair of turnovers, six sacks and 10 tackles for loss, holding South Carolina to simply 313 whole yards and turning the Gamecocks (3-2, 1-2) away twice within the pink zone. Offensively, Ole Miss left some factors on the sphere, together with a fumble by way of the tip zone, however racked up 425 whole yards and mounted a 24-3 lead at halftime to take management early in a victory that was by no means doubtful.
It was win No. 100 for head coach Lane Kiffin‘s profession, together with 39 throughout his Ole Miss tenure.
Offensive Leaders
Jaxson Dart completed 14-for-27 with 329 whole yards (285 passing, 44 dashing) on a strong day towards one of many nation’s prime pass-rushing defenses. Henry Parrish Jr. led the way in which dashing with 81 yards and a landing on 21 carries. Antwane Wells Jr. had a team-high 97 receiving yards, whereas Jordan Watkins led Ole Miss with 5 catches for 72 yards. Tre Harris had three catches for 81 yards however departed the sport early on account of harm.
Defensive Leaders
TJ Dottery had a team-high 13 tackles, together with two for a loss, a sack and a move breakup. Suntarine Perkins was second with 12 tackles, matching Dottery’s sack and two TFLs. Trey Amos had an INT and led all DBs with eight tackles. Walter Nolen had a spectacular day with a fumble restoration and a team-high three tackles for loss and tied Jared Ivey with a team-best two sacks.
First Quarter
A holding penalty doomed Ole Miss’ opening drive because it was pressured to punt on its first collection for the primary time all yr, however the Insurgent particular groups unit seized the momentum shortly after. After a defensive cease, South Carolina tried a pretend punt, however Chris Paul Jr. shot in and stuffed the run try, giving the Rebels possession on the South Carolina 36-yard line.
Ole Miss capitalized as Jaxson Dart hit Cayden Lee for a pair of huge positive factors all the way down to the 14, then Henry Parrish Jr. did the remaining, driving the Rebels to a 7-0 lead on three straight runs.
The Insurgent protection got here up with one other large play on the next drive when Walter Nolen jumped on a Robby Ashford fumble to provide it again to the Ole Miss offense simply shy of midfield.
Dart discovered Antwane Wells Jr. for a 29-yard acquire to spark the subsequent drive, then hit Jordan Watkins for positive factors of 13 and 10 yards to set the stage for defensive deal with JJ Pegues, who punched in his third dashing landing of the season to make it 14-0, the place it stood on the finish of 1.
Second Quarter
Nolen made one other huge play early within the second, sacking LaNorris Sellers on fourth down to provide it again to the Insurgent offense, however Ole Miss was stopped quick on fourth down in flip.
Sellers broke a 30-yard run to begin the subsequent collection to arrange South Carolina’s lone rating. Pegues and TJ Dottery responded with back-to-back sacks, and Yam Banks broke up a would-be landing move to drive a 40-yard Alex Herrera subject objective, which put the Gamecocks on the board at 14-3.
Ole Miss responded with a subject objective drive of its personal. Dart hit his favourite goal Tre Harris for a 57-yard acquire, however the Gamecocks held deep in their very own territory to drive a 24-yard Caden Davis subject objective to make it 17-3.
The groups traded punts, however Fraser Masin gave Ole Miss the higher hand when he pinned South Carolina at its personal 6-yard line. That, and a fast defensive cease, arrange a Insurgent drive beginning on their very own 41-yard line, and a 41-yard reception by Watkins arrange one other Pegues landing to make it 24-3 earlier than the break.
South Carolina drove close to midfield within the waning seconds trying to steal some factors late, however Jared Ivey got here up with a sack to finish the half.
Ole Miss outgained South Carolina 280-125 within the first half, together with simply 51 yards passing for the Gamecocks. Dart was 12-for-18 with 220 whole yards on the break. Dottery and Suntarine Perkins had already racked up 9 and eight tackles, respectively. The Rebels had three sacks and 4 TFLs within the first half.
The Rebels capitalized on good subject place early. All three of their landing drives went lower than 60 yards.
Third Quarter
Sellers and Raheim Sanders teamed as much as push South Carolina downfield on a balanced drive to begin the second half, however Dottery got here by way of with a key tackle-for-loss on third down, and Herrera missed on a 38-yard subject objective try and maintain the rating 24-3.
The next drive was promise turned to catastrophe for Ole Miss. Dart transformed a Third-and-10 with a bullet over the center to Caden Prieskorn. Then, on 2nd-and-9, he hit a wide-open Wells, who discovered a seam and raced all the way in which all the way down to the 1-yard line, however as he prolonged for the pylon, South Carolina’s DQ Smith knocked the ball free and thru the tip zone for a touchback.
South Carolina was constructing some offensive momentum on the subsequent drive after changing Third-and-10 and Third-and-12 to enter Ole Miss territory, however a move interference name towards the Gamecocks, adopted by a Perkins sack, pressured a punt.
The Gamecocks got here up with a fast cease on a sack by Dylan Stewart, however the South Carolina defender taunted Dart on the bottom after the sack to increase the drive, finally resulting in a 44-yard Caden Davis subject objective to make it 27-3 with 1:56 left within the body.
Fourth Quarter
South Carolina seemed sure for the tip zone to open the fourth quarter when it transformed a 4th-and-4 and a Third-and-10 to enter the pink zone, however Trey Amos snatched a spectacular diving interception on the objective line to maintain the Gamecocks off the board.
After a Insurgent punt, South Carolina had one other promising drive rolling all the way down to the Ole Miss 24, however Jared Ivey sacked Sellers on fourth all the way down to once more flip the Gamecocks away.
Ole Miss mounted a 7:07 drive that led to a turnover on downs however nonetheless put the sport away.
Subsequent Up
Ole Miss could have one other robust SEC street take a look at subsequent week towards No. 13 LSU. Kickoff is ready for six:30 p.m. CT from Baton Rouge on ABC.
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