Rebel Reset: No. 20 Ole Miss rallies for comeback win over No. 24 Tulane, and here's how it happened.
Ole Miss went into New Orleans and managed to leave with a road victory over a ranked opponent for the first time under Lane Kiffin, beating No. 24 Tulane 37-20.
The No. 20-ranke Rebels needed 20 straight points to rally back from a 10-point deficit and a did so without its top receiver. Tre Harris needed only three plays for his fifth touchdown reception of the season.
That was it for Harris as he suffered an injury in the second possession and never returned in the game.
After going down 10 points late in the second quarter Ole Miss outscored Tulane 30-3 the final 34 minutes of the game. Jaxson Dart finished with two touchdown passes and threw for 272 yards. Quinshon Judkins had a touchdown and 48 yards on 18 carries and also tied a career high with three receptions.
Here are all the highlights and rundown of how Ole Miss marched back to take down Tulane in the ‘Big Easy.’
FINAL: OLE MISS 37, TULANE 20
Ole Miss 37, Tulane 20
Jared Ivey with the scoop and score for a big boy touchdown after Horton is hit for the sack-fumble. Ivey took it 26 yards for the score. That is a 30-3 run by the Rebels since six minutes left in the second quarter.
Ole Miss 30, Tulane 20
Caden Davis with a 57-yard field go that is now his career long field goal.
Tulane attempts the onsides kick but it goes out of bounds. Ole Miss needs a couple first downs to ice this one as the Green Wave still have a pair of timeouts.
Ole Miss 27, Tulane 20
Two strong plays by Prince to keep a touchdown off the scoreboard.
A facemask call on Jared Ivey kept Tulane’s drive alive when the game should have been over for all intents and purposes. Instead the Green Wave move down the field, taking advantage of some soft defense in the secondary, and connect on a 26-yard FGA
Ole Miss 27, Tulane 17
Well those who have been waiting to see Michael Trigg make that big-time play in a meaningful moment there you go. Dart kept the play alive on 4th and 2 then finds Trigg for the 21-yard touchdown pass. Suddenly Rebels have breathing room late.
Dayton Wade with an incredible catch for 43 yards. Big boost coming off the turnover on downs.
The Ole Miss defense has been much improved the second half and gets an overturned call for a turnover on downs. Horton was initially ruled to have gotten a first down but upon further review his foot was out at the 30 and he had the ball in his right arm (sideline arm)
Ole Miss 20, Tulane 17
Dart rushed for 20 yards on a 2 & 19 and got the offense inside the 10 but then it is stuffed and forced to try a 27-yard FGA and Caden Davis drills it.
Rebels have scored 13 straight points.
END OF THE 3RD QUARTER: OLE MISS 17, TULANE 17
Then Horton counters with his first miscue and throws a pick to Deantre Prince, which is is 6th career interception. Tulane receiver had to have thought it was a vertical pass as he just blew pass Prince and kept on running.
Dart has his first miscue of the day with his first interception on the year. Looked to be targeting Wade but he stumbled and got behind it, leaving the window open for Tulane’s Lance Robinson to get it.
Uncle Mo’ is rotating between jerseys quickly at the moment.
Ole Miss 17, Tulane 17
There’s the Ole Miss offense we know and love.
Judkins scores on a nine-yard run, which set up by a 21 yard catch by Judkins on the previous play.
What might get forgotten is the blocking Trigg did on the 29-yard catch by Watkins.
After quick outing by the offense on its first drive the Tulane offense converts its first 4th down attempt of the game. But on the same drive Ole Miss holds on the second fourth down try as Cedric Johnson nearly sacks Horton, but causes an errant pass.
Defense comes out and get a sack to help create a punt on Tulane’s first drive of the game.
HALFTIME: TULANE 17, OLE MISS 10
Tulane did not opt for the potential double-dip on points to end the half and takes a seven-point lead into halftime.
Ayden Williams needs to be used more than he is if Harris is out for the rest of this one. He misran a route and Dart was none to happy earlier, which might be the reason for his absence in recent drives.
Tulane 17, Ole Miss 10
The offense showed some life again that drive and Dart put them on his shoulders a few plays. Things stall out after Jalen Knox failed to make a catch on third down. Caden Davis connects on the 37-yard FGA.
Tulane 17, Ole Miss 7
This game has a very Memphis feel to it and the Tulane offense is starting to get the passing game going. Horton connects with Jha’Quan Jackson for a 41-yard touchdown pass. It was a good grab by Jackson to hold onto it.
This Ole Miss offense has just hit a wall after the fast start. Not having Harris out there seemingly made this offense less threatening with the poor O-line play mixed in.
Dart got hit hard and lost his helmet, causing him to have to come out for a play. Spencer Sanders got one snap for a 7-yard pass to Wade. Dart then misses Knox on a long pass and punt unit back out.
Defense steps and puts a hit on Horton as he threw it and then Saunders and Anthony put a hit on the Tulane receiver for the incomplete and forces a punt.
Kiffin and the Ole Miss offense is currently 2-for-2 on fourth down tries but the run game is still stuck in the mud and getting behind the sticks is causing issues without Harris out there. Another punt coming by the Rebels
Tre Harris was not out with the offense and has not been since his touchdown reception on the opening drive. He is currently on the sideline with out a helmet — and wearing a brace on his left knee — but nobody is attending to him.
Tulane 10, Ole Miss 7
JJ Pegues starts the second quarter with a pass break up while blocking a guy. Tulane forced to try a 44-yard FGA and it is converted by Valentino Ambrosio.
END OF THE 1st QUARTER: OLE MISS 7, TULANE 7
For some reason Horton was tracked down by JJ Pegues and he refused to throw it for a eight-yard sack to end the quarter.
Both teams trade punts but Tulane has the advantage with a 36-yard return. Green Wave in business inside Ole Miss territory.
Both teams are having a feeling out process now, or the defense are taking over. Horton missed a throw that could have converted a third down and Dart continues to be under duress quickly on Ole Miss’ last two possessions on offense.
After a shovel pass to Dayton Wade for 12 yards the Ole Miss offense was stalled following Judkins first carry going or a loss of 5 yards. On 4th and 2 Kiffin went for it for the first time this season and Judkins got it by a yard.
Dart is sacked for the first time today. The Ole Miss offensive line is getting roughed up by this Tulane defensive line. Run game has gotten nothing going.
Ole Miss 7, Tulane 7
The defense looked primed for a quick stop but Kai Horton hit Lawrenc Keys III for 57 yards. Running back Makhi Hughes punches it on a two-yard keeper.
So Pete Golding is now 2-for-2 on opposing offenses scoring on their drive of the game. Lets see if it follows the Mercer pattern.
Ole Miss 7, Tulane 0
Tre Harris continues where he left off in the first half last week with a touchdown pass for 31 yards. He made a tremendous catch on the first play of the game and held onto the ball after taking a hard hit.
Dayton Wade had the third catch on the three-play scoring drive.
PREGAME OBSERVATIONS
The Tulane quarterbacks are out warming up and so far no Michael Pratt. Kai Horton, the backup, is currently throwing with purpose.
Captains for today are: Cedric Johnson, Tre Harris and Victor Curne
Pratt is on the sideline in his jersey and shorts. No knee brace but a full leg compression sleeve/sock.
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With all due respect to Mercer the season really begins this week for No. 20 Ole Miss as it travels to New Orleans for a ranked road test against No. 24 Tulane.
All week Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin has continued to bang the drum and remind his players the caliber of talent this Green Wave team has and what it has accomplished over the last season-plus.
Focus appears to not be a factor as Kiffin noted this week the team has been locked in and responding to his statements on Tulane accordingly.
I’m not worried about evaluating. I’m worried about trying to go beat a top 25 team,” Kiffin said on Monday. “This is not an evaluation game. Going on the road for the first time with our team and then to one of the hottest teams in the country and probably the hottest quarterback in the country off almost being perfect last week. I would actually like another evaluation game but that’s not what this is.
Still, this will be the first measuring stick game for the Ole Miss defense and first-year coordinator Pete Golding. The task at hand is slowing down Green Wave quarterback Michael Pratt, but the South Alabama defense might have already done the Rebels a favor a week ago.
If Pratt is not at 100 percent, which reports suggest could be the case, then Golding will almost assuredly have something dialed up.
Still, this will be a good chance to see if Jaxson Dart‘s strong performance last week against Mercer was because it was against a lesser FCS defense or if he is taking that next step that Tim Tebow has noticed.
Keep this page open and stick with The Ole Miss Spirit as it will serves as the live updates for today’s game. That includes score updates, stats, highlights and quarter recaps which will be found here throughout the afternoon.
Ole Miss (1-0) and Tulane (1-0) kickoff at 2:30 p.m. CT on ESPN2.
