By the Numbers: The Top 5 scoring offenses per game in Ole Miss football history

A former Ole Miss offensive coordinator texted me the other day for a “favor,” of sorts.

“Hey, Chuck, out of curiosity, what are the top five scoring offenses – points per game – in the history of Ole Miss?”

OK, what the heck? A little research might do me good – shake up the cobwebs and let me recall some happy memories.

In doing said research, there were two common denominators of the top five scoring offenses in Rebel history – outstanding quarterback play and they were all within the last 22 years, a period, which is still ongoing, when offenses exploded with high octane, mostly balanced attacks bolstered by the spread and up tempo strategy.

The most prolific per game scoring offenses were 2015 (Chad Kelly), 2020 (Matt Corral), 2001 (Eli Manning), 2003 (Eli Manning) and 2018 (Jordan Ta’Amu).

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We’re not sure if there will ever be a Rebel offense more potent than ’15.

The Rebels that year went 10-3 and won the Sugar Bowl over Oklahoma State.

They were the only team in Rebel history to average over 40 points per game, at a 40.8 ppg. clip, while scoring 531 points in 13 games. This was the only offense to break that 500-point barrier also.

Kelly was lights out, throwing for a school record 4042 yards while completing 298 of 458 attempts for a 65.1 completion percentage. He also threw for 31 touchdowns and rushed for another 500 yards.

Chad did not do it alone, however.

Laquon Treadwell caught 82 passes for 1153 yards and 11 touchdowns and five other receivers had 30 or more catches on the year, including TE Evan Engram with 38. Jaylen Walton rushed for 730 yards as well.

Granted, those numbers were bolstered by 76 and 73 point performances over two patsies, but players have nothing to do with scheduling – they try to do as told and score, in bunches. This offense did, most of the time.

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Coming in at number two was the covid-shortened 2020 season.

The Rebels scored 392 points in 10 games for a 39.2 points per game average.

While some might say this one shouldn’t count, there’s a flip side to this as well. Many people, including yours truly, did not recall that all of the nine regular season games were against SEC competition. This offense was prolific. The defense that year just could not stop opposing offenses.

Corral completed a remarkable 70.9% of his passes, going 231-326 for 3337 yards and 29 TDs that season. He also rushed for 506 yards. His favorite target was Elijah Moore with 86 catches for 1193 yards and 8 scores. Moore averaged a whopping 149.1 receiving yards per game. Jerrion Ealy and Snoop Conner combined for over 1200 yards rushing that season.

Third and fourth were Manning’s teams – 391 points in 11 games in 2001 for a 35.5 ppg. average and 442 points in 13 games in 2003 for a 34 ppg. average.

The ’03 campaign was Manning’s best, leading the Rebels to a 10-3 record while completing 275-441 passes including 29 touchdowns and a 63 completion percentage.

The 2001 team went 7-4 and was snubbed by the bowls despite beating Alabama, who got a bowl bid. That was also the year of the painful 7 overtime loss to Arkansas in The Vaught.

Eli Manning-led offenses were fun to watch because of their precision and cerebral qualities, quite different from Eli’s Dad Archie whose strength was improvisation.

In their own ways, both Mannings were magical.

Rounding out the top 5, Ta’amu led the Rebels to 407 points in 12 games for a 33.9 points per game average and while Jordan engineered everything, he had plenty of help – A.J. Brown, D.K. Metcalf, Elijah Moore, Dawson Knox and DaMarkus Lodge were all on that roster.

Honorable Mentions go to the 2021 and 2022 teams, who scored 438 and 435 points respectively and averaged 33.7 and 33.5 ppg. 2021 was another Corral year and, of course, last year’s offense was led by Jaxson Dart, who will return as the Rebel starter this fall.

By the way, in case you haven’t noticed, three of the top 7 scoring offenses in Ole Miss history are under Lane Kiffin’s watch and he’s only been here three seasons.