Ole Miss outscores LSU in 1,300-plus yard game

No. 13 LSU dropped the program’s first SEC game of the season in a 55-49 loss to No. 20 Ole Miss in Oxford on Saturday.

From the start, it was evident the Tigers weren’t going to be able to slow down the Rebels on offense, and Ole Miss put up 55 points and 706 yards of total offense on LSU.

The Tigers answered the bell time and again on offense, even taking the lead in the second half on a night where LSU finished with 637 yards of offense and 49 points.

The game came down to the final seconds, but LSU wide receiver Chris Hilton couldn’t come down with the throw from quarterback Jayden Daniels as time expired, giving Ole Miss the 55-49 win on a night when both teams combined for 1,343 yards of total offense.

Here’s the recap of how the game unfolded as LSU moves to 3-2 on the season and 2-1 in SEC play.

FIRST QUARTER

(LSU wins the toss and defers to the second half)

Ole Miss made quick work of LSU’s defense on the first drive of the game.

The Rebels drove 75 yards on 14 plays to set up a 4th-and-Goal, which Lane Kiffin gave the green light on before quarterback Jaxson Dart found a wide open Quinshon Judkins for the touchdown.

Dart was 6-for-7 for 36 yards and a touchdown on the drive, while Judkins rushed for 27 yards on five carries before catching the four-yard touchdown pass.

Ole Miss 7, LSU 0 – 10:25 remaining in first quarter

The teams traded punts before LSU took the ball inside the Ole Miss 30-yard line, which appeared to give the Tigers a chance to come away with at least three points. On third down, LSU quarterback Daniels scrambled to the right and shook off a pair of defenders, but Daijahn Anthony made a huge hit to force the fumble.

After a 20-yard pass on the first play of the drive, the Rebels needed just three total plays to score on a 43-yard touchdown run by Ole Miss running back Ulysses Bentley IV.

Ole Miss 14, LSU 0 – 4:00 remaining in first quarter

When it seemed the Tigers were on the verge of breaking, the LSU offense answered with a six-play scoring drive that culminated in an impressive 20-yard touchdown pass from Daniels to wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., who has had a huge September for the Tigers.

Malik Nabers caught a pair of passes on the drive, including a 23-yard grab to get LSU into Ole Miss territory.

Ole Miss 14, LSU 7 – 1:25 remaining in first quarter

LSU answered, but Ole Miss kept the home crowd rocking with another touchdown. This time, it took just four plays.

The Rebels converted a third down on a Jaxson Dart run, then Dart hit Jordan Watkins for a wide open 63-yard touchdown that put Ole Miss back ahead by double digits.

Ole Miss 21, LSU 7 – 0:07 remaining in the first quarter

The Tigers ran a final play in the first quarter, picking up eight yards on a run by John Emery.

SECOND QUARTER

Emery picked up another big play to start the second quarter, grabbing a pass out of the backfield and taking it for 12 yards and a first down.

Daniels was sacked for seven yards on the following play, but he answered in a major way with a 55-yard run on the next play.

With a 1st-and-Goal, the Tigers turned to Logan Diggs for a nine-yard run on first down that put the ball at the goal line, and the Notre Dame transfer punched it in for the one-yard touchdown on the next play.

Ole Miss 21, LSU 14 – 12:46 remaining in first quarter

After LSU’s defense allowed three touchdowns on three drives in the first quarter, the tune remained the same to start the second quarter.

Ole Miss converted a third down on a 14-yard pass, then another third down on a short pass for five yards. After Judkins broke off a 37-yard run, Dart hit a wide open Dayton Wade for the 15-yard touchdown to – once again – extend the Ole Miss lead to double-digits.

Ole Miss 28, LSU 14 – 8:10 remaining in second quarter

LSU went right back to Daniels and Nabers, picking up 39 yards on a catch-and-run on the second snap of the drive.

Daniels hit Nabers again for a 10-yard gain, and after Diggs carried it twice for seven yards, Daniels hit Thomas on a great throw to the corner of the end zone for the score. It was the second touchdown of the day for Thomas.

Ole Miss 28, LSU 21 – 4:30 remaining in second quarter

Ole Miss hadn’t slowed down on offense yet as LSU miscues continued, this time giving up a 56-yard catch-and-run after forcing the Rebels into a quick third down.

The Tigers ultimately forced a field goal after the Rebels were hit with a 10-yard penalty on a holding call.

Ole Miss 31, LSU 21 – 1:42 remaining in second quarter

LSU’s two-minute drill started with a 15-yard pickup by Thomas, followed by a 17-yard catch by the red-hot wide receiver.

Daniels scrambled for a pickup on second down in Ole Miss territory, then a quarterback draw got the Tigers the first down inside the 30-yard line. With one minute left, Daniels tossed on of his best passes of the game when he dropped it in wide receiver Kyren Lacy’s arms for the 29-yard touchdown.

Ole Miss 31, LSU 28 – 0:58 remaining in second quarter

LSU’s defense came up with a huge stop, forcing Ole Miss into a quick three-and-out that ended with a sack by Harold Perkins.

The Tigers got the ball back and worked it down the field well, hitting Brian Thomas twice while saving enough time to spike it after both first down catches. The result was a 56-yard field goal attempt by Damian Ramos, but the kick was short of the goal post and the Rebels held on to the three-point lead.

HALFTIME – Ole Miss 31, LSU 28

THIRD QUARTER

LSU got the ball first, and the Tigers needed just eight plays to go 85 yards and take the lead for the first time.

A 14-yard scramble brought with it a hit out-of-bounds by Ole Miss that tacked 15 yards onto the run and gave LSU the ball at the Ole Miss 21-yard line.

Diggs popped off a 13-yard run, and after the Tigers were hit with the team’s first penalty of the game on a false start, Daniels tucked in and rushed 11 yards to the 1-yard line. LSU lined up in the goal line set popularized by the Philadelphia Eagles, using Daniels to sneak the ball across the line with the push from the running back and others.

After a first half that seemed dominated by the Ole Miss offense, LSU’s offense continued to click time and again to give the Tigers the four-point lead.

LSU 35, Ole Miss 31 – 11:30 remaining in third quarter

Ole Miss converted a third down that put the Rebels back at midfield, but a holding call ultimately put the offense behind the chains, but kicker Caden Davis stepped in and delivered on a clutch 48-yard kick.

LSU 35, Ole Miss 34 – 8:20 remaining in third quarter

The Tigers just kept clicking on offense, and a combination of completions by Daniels and runs by Diggs set up a big 22-yard gain by tight end Mason Taylor.

One play later, Diggs punched it in from 12 yards out.

LSU 42, Ole Miss 34 – 3:41 remaining in third quarter

The Rebels came up in the clutch on offense, once again.

After converting on a third down, Ole Miss elected to go for the fourth down and converted on a Judkins run.

Two plays later, Dart took off for a 27-yard run to end the third quarter.

FOURTH QUARTER

Two plays into the fourth quarter, Dart completed an 11-yard pass that put the two teams over a combined 1,000 total yards on offense.

On the next play, Judkins ran the ball 11 yards for the score, putting the teams at a combined 82 points through three quarters and change.

Ole Miss elected to go for the two-point conversion to tie the game, but LSU’s defense came up with a stop.

LSU 42, Ole Miss 40 – 14:13 remaining in fourth quarter

After Daniels was sacked on third down, LSU punted it back to Ole Miss after scoring touchdowns on six of the past seven drives – with the lone other drive ending at halftime with a 56-yard field goal attempt by the Tigers.

LSU punter Jay Bramblett was hit on the punt, but the officials ruled the call as running into the kicker, which wouldn’t have given the Tigers a first down. Kelly declined the penalty and the Rebels took the ball back at their own 34-yard line with a little more than 12 minutes remaining in the game.

The Rebels crossed midfield and faced a fourth down, which Lane Kiffin went for. LSU true freshman defensive back Ryan Yaites came up with a huge play to bat down Dart’s pass attempt and give the Tigers the ball back.

After a 22-yard catch on third down by Lacy, the Ole Miss defense jumped offsides and Daniels made them pay with a 34-yard strike to Thomas in the end zone. The touchdown catch was reviewed and upheld by the officials, giving LSU a nine-point lead with eight minutes remaining. It was the third touchdown of the day by Thomas.

LSU 49, Ole Miss 40 – 8:24 remaining in fourth quarter

After converting on a third down with a 35-yard pass from Dart to Tre Harris, Ole Miss only needed seven more plays for Dart to punch the ball in from a yard out for the score.

The Rebels hit the extra point to cut the lead to two points.

LSU 49, Ole Miss 47 – 5:06 remaining in fourth quarter

LSU picked up 22 yards on a pass from Daniels to Taylor on first down, but a sack on Daniels on third down forced LSU into a punt.

The Rebels took over with 2:36 seconds from their own 12-yard line.

Once again, it was a big play in the passing game that sparked the Ole Miss offense. Dart hit Tre Harris for a 24-yard gain, then Bentley for a 17-yard gain.

From there, Dart found Harris again, this time for the 13-yard touchdown. Judson rushed it for the two-point conversion.

Ole Miss 55, LSU 49 – 0:39 remaining in fourth quarter

LSU immediately found life thanks to a 42-yard catch-and-run by Hilton that gave the Tigers the ball at the Ole Miss 33-yard line.

From there, the Rebels were hit with a 15-yard penalty for a horse collar on third down that moved the ball into the red zone.

Will Campbell was flagged for a false start, and after going to Diggs on a pass play in the end zone, Nabers was hit with a false start.

With just seconds left, Daniels scrambled for long enough to set up a throw to the end zone, but the ball slipped through Hilton’s hands and incomplete with no time remaining in the game.

FINAL – Ole Miss 55, LSU 49