Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Ole Miss builds lead it can protect
OXFORD, Miss. — Mississippi quarterback Chad Kelly faked the handoff and took off running toward the end zone. A few seconds and 41 yards later, the quarterback had cruised through the middle of the Georgia defense untouched for a touchdown.
It was pretty much that easy for the Rebels all afternoon, and Ole Miss finally built a lead it couldn’t give away.
No. 23 Ole Miss rolled to a 45-14 victory over No. 12 Georgia on Saturday, building a 31-0 lead by halftime and a 45-0 advantage by midway through the fourth quarter.
Kelly threw for 282 yards and two touchdowns. Ole Miss (2-2, 1-1 SEC) broke a 10-game losing streak in the series dating to 1996.
“I can’t think of a time in my lifetime where a team has done that to Georgia,” Ole Miss Coach Hugh Freeze said.
Georgia (3-1, 1-1) lost its first game under new Coach Kirby Smart and looked overmatched. To make matters worse, star running back Nick Chubb sprained an ankle in the second quarter and didn’t return.
It was an impressive victory for the Rebels, who have played some of their worst football this season after gaining big leads. Ole Miss led Florida State by 22 points and Alabama by 21 this season before losing both games.
“We’ve certainly had experiences that we should have learned from,” Freeze said.
Kelly was sharp from the opening series, completing 18 of 24 passes and adding the 41-yard touchdown run in the third quarter that was his last play of the afternoon. Tight end Evan Engram led the Rebels with six catches for 95 yards.
Ole Miss ran for a season-high 180 yards, and Derrick Jones returned an interception 52 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter.
“When we get in a rhythm, it’s hard for people to stop us,” Engram said.
Brian Herrien led the Bulldogs with 78 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Freshman quarterback Jacob Eason had a tough day, completing just 16 of 36 passes for 137 yards and an interception.
“There are a lot of mistakes being made out there,” Smart said. “Lot of young guys making bad mistakes. They will have to grow up.”
Chubb had 57 yards rushing on 12 carries before he hurt his ankle. Smart said he didn’t know the severity of the injury.
MISSISSIPPI STATE 47, MASSACHUSETTS 35
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Aeris Williams ran for a 16-yard touchdown and Jamoral Graham returned an interception 38 yards for a score on the next play from scrimmage to help Mississippi State erase a third-quarter deficit and beat Massachusetts.
The two scores 17 seconds apart were followed four minutes later by a 13-yard touchdown pass from Nick Fitzgerald to Farrod Green that made it 41-21 just before the end of the third quarter.
Fitzgerald completed 25 of 38 passes for 299 yards and 3 touchdowns, and he also ran for 110 yards for the Bulldogs (2-2). Fred Ross caught 8 passes for 126 yards and 2 touchdowns for Mississippi State, which once again struggled to play well for two halves in a row.
Andrew Ford, making his second start for the injured Ross Comis, completed 24 of 40 passes for 273 yards and 4 touchdowns for UMass (1-3). But he also overthrew his receiver on the first play after Mississippi State’s go-ahead touchdown, and Graham was there to make it 34-21.
UMass failed to move on its next possession and punted it back to the Bulldogs, who took over on their own 39-yard line. Fitzgerald went 3 for 3 on the drive and also added a 15-yard run as Mississippi State converted its third touchdown in 4:11.
Marquis Young ran for 125 yards, including an 83-yard touchdown in the first quarter that gave UMass a 7-3 lead. Jalen Williams caught two touchdown passes, and Bernard Davis and Sadiq Palmer each had one for the Minutemen.
MISSOURI 79, DELAWARE STATE 0
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Drew Lock threw a school record-tying five touchdown passes, and Missouri shattered its school scoring record, dismantling Delaware State.
The previous record of 69 points had occurred three times, most recently on Sept. 17, 2011, when the Tigers shut out Western Illinois.
Lock completed 26 of 36 pass attempts for 402 yards.
The Tigers (2-2) led 58-0 at halftime, resulting in a shortened second half. The third and fourth quarters were reduced from 15 minutes to 10.
Delaware State (0-3) managed just 140 yards of offense, 133 of which came in the first half. Mike Waters rushed 7 times for 31 yards and Brycen Alleyne had 9 carries for 21 yards.
Daniel Epperson started at quarterback for the Hornets, but he completed only 3 of 9 passes and was replaced by Kobie Lain, who finished 7 of 15 for 82 yards.
J’Mon Moore had 8 catches for 114 yards and 4 touchdowns, tying the school record for receiving touchdowns for Missouri.
Damarea Crockett (Little Rock Christian) led the Tigers in rushing with 12 carries for 115 yards and 2 touchdowns. Ish Witter added 9 rushes for 40 yards and a touchdown.
Lock did not play in the second half and backup quarterback Marvin Zanders completed both of his pass attempts for 17 yards and a touchdown, while rushing 7 times for 83 yards and 2 scores.