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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Football Game Notes
12/17/2002 | Football
Dec. 17, 2002
- 2002 Ole Miss MainStay Independence Bowl Media Guide
- Ole Miss Game Notes in PDF Format
- Dec. 17 Press Conference Transcript
- Ole Miss Statistics
GAMEDAY QUICK FACTS
DATE: Friday, December 27, 2002TIME: 3:30 p.m. (CST)
SITE: Independence Stadium (50,000); Shreveport, La.
TV: ESPN
RADIO: Ole Miss Radio Network (David Kellum, play-by-play; Harry Harrison, color analyst; Stan Sandroni, sideline reporter; Gary Darby, Pregame host).
POLLS: Neither Ole Miss or Nebraska are ranked.
SERIES INFO: The 2002 MainStay Independence Bowl will mark the first-ever meeting between Ole Miss and Nebraska.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Junior QB Eli Manning (New Orleans, La.) is 105 passing yards shy of tying Romaro Miller's (1997-2000) Ole Miss career record of 6,311 yards ... Ole Miss is looking to record its sixth straight winning season for the first time since having seven consecutive from 1965-1971 ... Sophomore PK Jonathan Nichols (Greenwood, Miss.) is two points shy of tying the Ole Miss season record for points by a kicker with 78 ... Junior WR Chris Collins (Gloster, Miss.) needs 62 yards receiving to tie the school season record of 816 set by Willie Green (1986-1989) in 1989 ... Collins also has a reception in 21 consecutive games.
OLE MISS HEAD COACH DAVID CUTCLIFFE: David Cutcliffe (Alabama, 1976) is in his fourth full season as the head coach of the Rebels. He was named the 34th head coach at The University of Mississippi on Dec. 2, 1998, after 17 seasons as an assistant at Tennessee. He coached his first game four weeks later in the 1998 Independence Bowl and guided the Rebels to a 35-18 win over heavily-favored Texas Tech. Cutcliffe has a 29-19 record at Ole Miss. The 2002 MainStay Independence Bowl will mark the third bowl game Cutcliffe has led the Rebels to in his four full seasons at the school.
NEBRASKA HEAD COACH FRANK SOLICH: Frank Solich is in his fifth season as the head coach of the Cornhuskers. He has compiled a 49-15 season at Nebraska and has guided Nebraska to the postseason in each of his five seasons since replacing the legendary Tom Osborne in December of 1997. This is also Solich's 24th season overall on the Nebraska staff. He served 15 years as the Cornhuskers' running back coach for Osborne from 1983-1997, after serving four seasons as the Husker head freshman coach. In 1991, he was promoted to assistant head coach and held that position until being named the school's head coach.
OLE MISS BOWL HISTORY: Ole Miss is making its 30th all-time bowl appearance ... The Rebels are tied with Florida for 15th all-time on the NCAA Division I-A's list for bowl games ... This will be Ole Miss' fifth bowl game in the last six years ... The Rebels' last bowl appearance came in the 2000 Music City Bowl, losing 49-38 to West Virginia ... The Rebels are 17-12 all-time in bowl games, with the 17 bowl victories tied with Michigan for 11th best all-time ... Ole Miss will be making its Independence Bowl record fifth trip to the game ... Ole Miss is 3-1 all-time in the Independence Bowl, losing 9-3 to Air Force in the 1983 contest, defeating Texas Tech 20-17 in 1986 and 35-18 in 1998, and beating Oklahoma 27-25 in the 1999 game ... Ole Miss is 2-1 in bowl games under head coach David Cutcliffe.
NEBRASKA BOWL HISTORY: The Cornhuskers are making their 41st all-time bowl appearance, tying them with Southern California for the fourth most in NCAA history ... This is also Nebraska's NCAA record 34th straight year in a bowl game ... The Cornhuskers have a 20-20 record in bowl games, however, they have won six of their last eight bowl games dating back to a 24-17 win over Miami (FL) in the 1995 Orange Bowl ... Nebraska lost to the Hurricanes 37-14 in last year's Rose Bowl, which was also the BCS' national championship game ... The 20 bowl wins is tied with Georgia Tech for the sixth most in NCAA history ... Nebraska is 2-2 in bowl games under head coach Frank Solich ... This is the Cornhuskers' first-ever appearance in the MainStay Independence Bowl.
NEBRASKA SCOUTING REPORT: The Cornhuskers enter the 2002 MainStay Independence Bowl, having dropped their last two games to Kansas State (13-49) and Colorado (13-28). Offensively, Nebraska is averaging 27.7 points and 374.2 yards per game. The Cornhuskers are averaging 5.2 yards rushing per attempt and 268.9 yards per game. Junior QB Jammal Lord has totaled 2,598 yards of total offense, including a team-high 1,329 yards rushing in his first season since replacing last year's Heisman Trophy winner Eric Crouch. Lord has also scored a team-best eight TDs on the ground and has passed for 1,269 yards on 88-of-188 passing with 11 TDs and 10 INTs. Senior I-back Dahrran Diedrick has added 839 yards rushing and six scores, and freshman I-back David Horne has rushed for 586 yard and seven TDs. Senior SE Wilson Thomas has caught 27 passes for 319 yards and three TDs. Defensively, Nebraska is allowing an average of 23.7 points and 361.7 yards per game. Sophomore safety Philip Bland and junior WLB Demorrio Williams lead the team in tackles with 84 and 83, respectively. Sophomore MLB Barrett Rudd has 82 stops, including a team-high 12 TFLs. Senior DE Chris Kelsay has recorded a team best 5.5 QB sacks. Senior CB DeJuan Groce and freshman CB Fabian Washington have intercepted four passes each to account for eight of the Cornhuskers' 13 picks. Senior PK Josh Brown leads the team with 77 points, having made all 44 PAT attempts and 11-of-15 field goals.
2002 NEBRASKA SCHEDULE/RESULTS (7-6, 3-5 BIG XII)
| AUG. 24 | ARIZONA STATE | W, 48-10 |
| AUG. 31 | TROY STATE | W, 31-16 |
| SEPT. 7 | UTAH STATE | W, 44-13 |
| Sept. 14 | at Penn State | L, 7-40 |
| Sept. 28 | at Iowa State* | L, 14-36 |
| OCT. 5 | McNEESE STATE | W, 38-14 |
| OCT. 12 | MISSOURI* | W, 24-13 |
| Oct. 19 | at Oklahoma State* | L, 21-24 |
| Oct. 26 | at Texas A&M* | W, 38-31 |
| NOV. 2 | TEXAS* | L, 24-27 |
| NOV. 9 | KANSAS* | W, 45-7 |
| Nov. 16 | at Kansas State* | L, 13-49 |
| NOV. 29 | COLORADO* | L, 13-28 |
| Dec. 27 | vs. Ole Miss (Independence Bowl) | 3:30 p.m. |
HOME GAMES IN BOLD CAPS
All times are Central.
ELI MANNING FACT SHEET
CHART TOPPER: Junior QB Eli Manning (New Orleans, La.) enters the 2002 MainStay Independence Bowl having set or tied 23 Ole Miss single game, season or career marks (see chart below).
SCHOOL CAREER PASSING MARK IN REACH: Under a new NCAA rule that will count statistics in bowl games towards a player's season and career totals, beginning with this year, Manning will enter the 2002 MainStay Independence Bowl needing 115 passing yards to tie the Ole Miss career record held by Romaro Miller (1997-2000) with 6,311 yards. He is currently second on the list with 6,206 career passing yards.
MANNING TOPS 3,000-YARD MARK: With 207 yards passing against Mississippi State on Thanksgiving Night, junior QB Eli Manning (New Orleans, La.) became the first passer in school history to break the 3,000-yard barrier. His total of 3,088 passing yards this season breaks his own record of 2,948 set last year.
MANNING REWRITES OWN RECORDS: In addition to breaking his own school season record for passing yards, Manning also broke his own school season records for passing attempts (437), total offensive plays (470) and total offense (2,992) against Mississippi State. Last season, Manning recorded 408 passing attempts, 442 offensive plays and 2,957 yards of total offense.
MORE RECORDS CAN FALL FOR ELI DURING INDEPENDENCE BOWL: Manning will enter the 2002 MainStay Independence Bowl match-up with Nebraska with a chance of breaking and/or tying the following Ole Miss season and career records:
- Needs six completions to break his own school season record of 259 set last year.
- Needs 53 offensive plays (rushing or passing) to tie his Ole Miss season record for the highest average of plays per game (40.2).
- With 200 yards passing, Manning will record his 20th career 200-yard passing game and take over sole possession of first place on the Ole Miss career list. He is currently tied with Romaro Miller (1997-2000).
- Currently ranks second on the Ole Miss career list for TDs responsible for (TDs scored + TD passes) with 53, three shy of the record held by his father, Archie Manning (1968-70), at 56.
- Is 37 completions shy of tying Kent Austin (1981-85) for the Ole Miss career leader with 566.
ELI JOINS SEC'S 50-TD PASSES CLUB: With his two TD passes against Mississippi State, Manning became the 17th player in SEC history -- and the first in school history -- to throw at least 50 TD passes in a career. He threw his 50th career TD pass on a 28-yard scoring strike to junior WR Chris Collins (Gloster, Miss.) in the second quarter of the Rebels' 24-12 win. He later added his 51st career TD pass on a 77-yard scoring play to Collins in the third quarter. Manning enters the bowl game currently 16th on the SEC's career list for TD passes.
THE MANNING FAMILY IN BOWL GAMES: Eli Manning's start at quarterback in the MainStay Indepen-dence Bowl will mark the eighth time a Manning has started a bowl game, including the second time against Nebraska. Eli's older brother, Peyton, was Tennessee's starting quarterback in the Volunteers' 42-17 loss to the Cornhuskers in the 1998 Orange Bowl. The 1998 Orange Bowl loss was Peyton's only career loss in bowl games at Tennessee, as he posted a 3-1 record as a starter. Archie went 2-1 for Ole Miss in bowl games, leading the Rebels to wins in the 1968 Liberty and 1970 Sugar Bowls. Eli played in the Rebels' 49-38 loss in the 2000 Music City Bowl against West Virginia, but did not start. All-time, the Manning family has a record of 5-2 as starters in bowl games. The chart on the following page shows the three Manning quarterback's game-by-game bowl statistics:
ARCHIE MANNING, Ole Miss
| Bowl vs. Opponent | Score | Cmp-Att-Int | Yds | TD |
| 1968 Liberty vs. Virginia Tech | W, 34-17 | 12-28-0 | 141 | 2 |
| 1970 Sugar vs. Arkansas | W, 27-22 | 21-35-2 | 273 | 1 |
| 1971 Gator vs. Auburn | L, 28-35 | 19-28-1 | 180 | 1 |
| Totals | 52-91-3 | 594 | 4 |
PEYTON MANNING, Tennessee
| Bowl vs. Opponent | Score | Cmp-Att-Int | Yds | TD |
| 1994 Gator vs. Virginia Tech | W, 45-23 | 12-19-0 | 189 | 1 |
| 1996 Citrus vs. Ohio State | W, 20-14 | 20-35-0 | 182 | 1 |
| 1997 Citrus vs. Northwestern | W, 48-28 | 27-39-0 | 408 | 4 |
| 1998 Orange vs. Nebraska | L, 17-42 | 21-31-1 | 123 | 1 |
| Totals | 80-124-1 | 902 | 7 |
ELI MANNING, Ole Miss
| Bowl vs. Opponent | Score | Cmp-Att-Int | Yds | TD |
| 2000 Music City vs. W. Virginia | L, 39-48* | 12-20-1 | 167 | 3 |
| Totals | 12-20-1 | 167 | 3 |
NOTING ELI: Enters the MainStay Independence Bowl, leading the SEC in passing yards (257.3) and total offense (249.3) per game ... With his 3,088 passing yards this season, is the first quarterback in school history to have back-to-back seasons with at least 2,000 yards passing ... Joins John Fourcade (1978-81) as the only player in school history with back-to-back years of at least 2,000 yards of total offense ... In the regular-season finale against Mississippi State, became the third passer in Ole Miss history to surpass the 6,000-yard mark in career passing yards ... With his 77-yard TD pass to Chris Collins (Gloster, Miss.) against Mississippi State, Manning has three completions of over 75 yards this season, and is the only player in school history with three completions of over 75 yards in a career ... His 42 completions against Arkansas broke the Ole Miss single-game record of 37 set by Kent Austin (1981-85) against Tennessee in 1982 and ranks as the third-highest single-game total in SEC history ... Became Ole Miss' career leader in TD passes against Arkansas (10/26) when he threw the 44th of his career with a 12-yard pass to junior TE Justin Sawyer (Centreville, Miss.) in the second quarter to break Romaro Miller's (1997-2000) career record of 43 ... His 437 passing attempts ranks ninth on the SEC's single-season list.
MANNING IN THE NCAA RANKINGS
| CATEGORY | NO. | RANK |
| Passing Attempts Per Game | 36.42 | 13th |
| Completions Per Game | 21.17 | 15th |
| Passing Yards Per Game | 257.3 | 16th |
| Total Offense Per Game | 249.3 | 24th |
MANNING IN THE SEC RANKINGS
| CATEGORY | NO. | RANK |
| Passing Yards Per Game | 257.3 | 1st |
| Total Offense Per Game | 249.3 | 1st |
| Completions Per Game | 21.17 | 2nd |
| Passing Attempts Per Game | 36.42 | 2nd |
| Total Plays (rush or pass) | 470 | 2nd |
| Yards Per Offensive Play | 6.37 | 2nd |
| Completion Percentage | .581 | 3rd |
| TD Passes | 20 | T-3rd |
SCHOOL RECORDS HELD BY MANNING
SINGLE GAME
Passing Attempts: 57, at Texas Tech (9/14/2002)
Completions: 42, at Arkansas (10/26/2002
Consecutive Pass Completed: 18 vs. Murray State (9/1/2001)
Completion Percentage (30-39 attempts): 80.6 (25x31) vs. Middle Tennessee (10/20/2001)
TD Passes: 6 vs. Arkansas (11/3) - broke his own record of 5 set against Murray State on Sept. 1, 2001
SEASON
Passing Yards: 3,088 (2002)
Passing Attempts: 437 (2002)
Completions: 259 (2001)
Highest Percentage of Passes for TDs: 7.60 (2001)
Total Offense: 2,992 (2002)
Total Offensive Plays (rush + pass): 470 (2002)
Most Plays Per Game: 40.2 (2001)
Total TDs Responsible For: 31 (2001)
Most TD Passes in a Three-Game Span: 12 from Oct. 20-Nov. 3, 2001 vs. Middle Tennessee, LSU and Arkansas
300-yard Passing Games: 3 (2002 -ties mark set by Stewart Patridge in 1997)
CAREER
Career TD Passes: 51 Consecutive Games with a TD Pass: 16, 2000 Music City Bowl - present
Consecutive 200-yard Passing Games: 11, Sept. 1, 2001- present
Consecutive 250-yard Passing Games: 6, Sept. 1-Oct. 20, 2001
Career 200-yard Passing Games: 19 (ties Romaro Miller)
Career 250-yard Passing Games: 13
Career 300-yard Passing Games: 5
MANNING'S GAME-BY-GAME STATISTICS
-2000-
| Opponent | Cmp-Att-Int | Yds | TD |
| Tulane | 1-5-0 | 4 | 0 |
| at Vanderbilt | 2-3-0 | 17 | 0 |
| Arkansas State | 3-4-0 | 25 | 0 |
| at Alabama | 5-9-0 | 36 | 0 |
| at Arkansas | 0-0-0 | 0 | 0 |
| at Georgia | 5-12-1 | 88 | 0 |
| West Virginia -1 | 12-20-1 | 167 | 3 |
-2001-
| Opponent | Cmp-Att-Int | Yds | TD |
| Murray State* | 20-23-0 | 271 | 5 |
| at Auburn* | 24-39-1 | 265 | 1 |
| at Kentucky* | 19-36-0 | 268 | 2 |
| at Arkansas State* | 20-29-0 | 269 | 2 |
| Alabama* | 22-41-0 | 325 | 1 |
| Middle Tennessee* | 25-31-0 | 257 | 3 |
| at LSU* | 28-44-1 | 249 | 3 |
| Arkansas* | 27-42-0 | 312 | 6 |
| Georgia* | 35-47-1 | 233 | 2 |
| at Mississippi State* | 16-36-3 | 213 | 2 |
| Vanderbilt* | 23-40-3 | 286 | 4 |
-2002-
| Opponent | Cmp-Att-Int | Yds | TD |
| UL-Monroe* | 17-31-1 | 192 | 1 |
| Memphis* | 14-30-0 | 174 | 3 |
| at Texas Tech* | 34-57-1 | 374 | 3 |
| Vanderbilt* | 24-41-0 | 386 | 2 |
| Florida* | 18-33-0 | 154 | 0 |
| Arkansas State* | 14-19-1 | 290 | 3 |
| at Alabama* | 18-32-1 | 219 | 0 |
| at Arkansas* | 42-56-2 | 414 | 2 |
| Auburn* | 26-46-3 | 284 | 3 |
| at Georgia* | 12-25-2 | 176 | 0 |
| at LSU* | 19-36-2 | 218 | 1 |
| Mississippi State* | 16-29-2 | 207 | 2 |
1- Music City Bowl at Nashville, Tenn.
BRINGING IT BACK INTO THE FAMILY: Entering the 2002 MainStay Independence Bowl, junior QB Eli Manning has broken 13 school records in his career that were either held by Archie Manning, who played at Ole Miss from 1968-1970, or were at one time. The following chart shows marks currently held by Eli, that were also set at one time by Archie:
| CATEGORY | ELI | ARCHIE (YEAR) | WHEN ARCHIE'S MARK FELL |
| Passing Attempts - Game | 57 | 56 (1970) | Broken by Eli versus Texas Tech (9/14) |
| Completions - Game | 42 | 33 (1969 | by Kent Austin w/37 vs. Tenn., in 1982 |
| Passing Yards - Season | 3,088 | 1,762 (1969) | 1980 by John Fourcade (1,897) |
| Pass Attempts - Season | 437 | 265 (1969) | 1980 by John Fourcade (286) |
| Pass Completions - Season | 259 | 154 (1969) | 1982 by Kent Austin (186) |
| Total Offense - Season | 2,992 | 2,264 (1969) | 1980 by John Fourcade (2,299) |
| Total Plays (Rush + Pass) - Season | 470 | 389 (1969) | 1980 by John Fourcade (411) |
| TDs Responsible For - Season | 31 | 23 (1969) | 2001 by Eli Manning (31) |
| Consec. Game w/TD pass | 16 | 8** | 1999 by Romaro Miller (8) |
| Career 200-yard passing games | 19 | 6 (1968-1970) | by John Fourcade w/7 from 1978-1981 |
| Career 250-yard passing games | 13 | 6 (1968-1970) | by Kent Austin w/7 from 1981-1985 |
| Career 300-yard passing games | 5 | 3 (1968-70) | Tied by Stewart Patridge (1994, 96-97) and Romaro Miller (1997-2000) |
| Career TD Passes | 51 | 31 | Tied by Kent Austin (1981-85) |
COMPARING THE MANNINGS
The following chart compares the three Manning quarterbacks -- Archie, Peyton and Eli -- after 29 games in their careers. Archie's stats are his final career stats, which was 28 games, not including bowl games which, at the time, did not counted towards career stats.
| GP | Comp-Att-Int | Yards | Pct. | Avg/G | TD | Effic. | |
| Archie Manning, 1968-1970 | 28 | 402-761-38 | 4,753 | .528 | 169.8 | 31 | 107.52 |
| Peyton Manning, 1994-96 | 29 | 515-805-19 | 6,620 | .640 | 228.3 | 47 | 145.8 |
| Eli Manning, 2000-present | 29 | 529-878-25 | 6,206 | .603 | 214.0 | 51 | 133.1 |
MANNING ON THE OLE MISS CAREER TOP 10 CHARTS
PASSING ATTEMPTS
| Player, Years | No. | |
| 1. | Kent Austin, 1981-85 | 981 |
| 2. | Romaro Miller, 1997-2000 | 902 |
| 3. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 878 |
COMPLETIONS
| Player, Years | No. | |
| 1. | Kent Austin, 1981-1985 | 566 |
| 2. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 529 |
PASSING YARDS
| Player, Years | No. | |
| 1. | Romaro Miller, 1997-2000 | 6,311 |
| 3. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 6,206 |
PASSING TDs
| Player, Years | No. | |
| 1. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 51 |
| 2. | Romaro Miller, 1997-2000 | 43 |
COMPLETION PERCENTAGE
(min. 210 attempts)
| Player, Years | Pct. | |
| 1. | Paul Head, 1993-1996 | 61.5 |
| 2. | Stewart Patridge, 1994, 96-97 | 60.8 |
| 3. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 60.3 |
PASS EFFICIENCY
(min. 210 attempts)
| Player, Years | Effic. | |
| 1. | Jake Gibbs, 1958-1960 | 145.3 |
| 2. | Glynn Griffing, 1960-1962 | 138.9 |
| 3. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 133.1 |
AVERAGE YDS/PASS ATTEMPT
(min. 210 attempts)
| Player, Years | Avg. | |
| 1. | Eagle Day, 1953-1955 | 8.7 |
| . | ||
| . | ||
| 3. | Glynn Griffing, 1960-1962 | 7.5 |
| John Darnell, 1987-1989 | 7.5 | |
| 5. | Lawrence Adams, 1993-93, 95-96 | 7.3 |
| 6. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 7.1 |
200-YARD PASSING GAMES
| Player, Years | No. | |
| 1. | Romaro Miller, 1997-2000 | 19 |
| Eli Manning, 2000-present | 19 |
250-YARD PASSING GAMES
| Player, Years | No. | |
| 1. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 13 |
| 2. | Romaro Miller, 1997-2000 | 8 |
300-YARD PASSING GAMES
| Player, Years | No. | |
| 1. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 5 |
| 2. | Archie Manning, 1968-1970 | 3 |
| Romaro Miller, 1997-2000 | 3 | |
| Stewart Patridge, 1996-1997 | 3 |
TDs RESPONSIBLE FOR
| Player, Years | No. | |
| 1. | Archie Manning, 1968-1970 | 56 |
| 2. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 53 |
TOTAL OFFENSE PER GAME
(minimum 14 career games)
| Player, Years | Avg. | |
| 1. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 211.1 |
| 2. | Archie Manning, 1968-1970 | 199.1 |
| 3. | Romaro Miller, 1997-2000 | 183.2 |
TOTAL OFFENSE PER PLAY
(minimum 150 career plays)
| Player, Years | Avg. | |
| 1. | Doug Elmore, 1959-1961 | 6.64 |
| 2. | Glynn Griffing, 1960-1962 | 6.62 |
| 3. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 6.43 |
| 4. | Rocky Byrd, 1949-1951 | 6.37 |
TOTAL OFFENSE
| Player, Years | Yards | |
| 1. | John Fourcade, 1978-1981 | 6,713 |
| 2. | Romaro Miller, 1997-2000 | 6,413 |
| 3. | Kent Austin, 1981-1985 | 6,179 |
| 4. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 6,123 |
HEAD COACH DAVID CUTCLIFFE
Fourth year at Ole Miss
Record at Ole Miss: 29-19 (.604)
Career Record: 29-19 (.604/4 years)
AT OLE MISS (1998-PRESENT)
- Named the 34th head coach at The University of Mississippi on Dec. 2, 1998.
- Coached first game in the 1998 Independence Bowl and guided the Rebels to a 35-18 win over heavily-favored Texas Tech in what was possibly the bowl season's biggest upset.
- Led Ole Miss to at least seven wins in each of his first three full seasons to join Harry J. Mehre as the only coach in school history to do so ... With a win in the 2002 MainStay Independence Bowl, would become the first coach history to record at least seven wins in each of his first full four years at Ole Miss.
- Reached the 25-win mark at Ole Miss with a 38-16 win over Memphis on Sept. 7, tying him with legendary coach John Vaught as the second fastest in school history to reach the 25-victory mark.
- The 2002 MainStay Independence Bowl, to be televised by ESPN, will mark Ole Miss' 32nd TV appearance since Cutcliffe's first full season in 1999, including the 17th on either ESPN or ESPN2.
- Ole Miss' 324 points this season marked the first time in school history the Rebels have topped the 300-point mark in three consecutive seasons.
- A total of 71 team or individual records have been broken during Cutcliffe's four years.
- Has had two first team All-Americans in DB Ken Lucas (2000) and OL Terrence Metcalf (2001).
- Coached 20 players to All-SEC accolades.
- Produced seven NFL draft picks, including Deuce McAllister, a first-round draft choice of the New Orleans Saints in 2001.
- Coached a total of 15 players at Ole Miss that have made professional rosters in either the NFL, CFL or NFL Europe.
PRIOR TO OLE MISS
- Spent 17 years as an assistant under Johnny Majors and Phillip Fulmer at Tennessee from 1982-1998 ... Helped the Volunteers compile a 154-46-7 record during his time in Knoxville, including winning five SEC championships and one national title in 1998.
- The Volunteers went to 16 bowl games in his 17 years on the UT staff.
- Was Tennessee's offensive coordinator from 1993-1998.
- Recipient of the 1998 Broyles Award, given annually to the nation's top assistant coach.
- Coached NFL quarterbacks Heath Shuler, Peyton Manning and Tee Martin.
CUTCLIFFE RECORD BREAKDOWN
| W-L | Pct. | |
| SEC: | 15-17 | .469 |
| vs. SEC West: | 8-12 | .400 |
| vs. SEC East: | 7-5 | .583 |
| Non-Conference opponents: | 14-2 | .875 |
| Bowl Games: | 2-1 | .667 |
| Home: | 18-8 | .692 |
| Away: | 9-10 | .474 |
| Neutral: | 2-1 | .667 |
| Day Games: | 16-10 | .615 |
| Night Games (6 pm start or later): | 13-9 | .591 |
| vs. Top 25 teams | 3-8 | .273 |
| When leading at halftime: | 25-7 | .781 |
| Overtime games: | 2-1 | .667 |
REBEL GAME NOTES
REBELS, CORNHUSKERS RANK AMONG NATIONAL LEADERS IN BOWL APPEARANCES AND BOWL WINS: Two of the nation's most storied programs will meet for the first-time ever when Ole Miss faces Nebraska in the 2002 MainStay Independence Bowl on Dec. 27 in Shreveport, La. The Rebels and Cornhuskers both rank among the top 15 on the NCAA Division I-A lists for bowl appearances and bowl wins. The two schools have combined to make 71 bowl appearances (including the 2002 MainStay Independence Bowl), with Nebraska making its 41st trip to the postseason and Ole Miss its 30th. The two schools have also posted a combined 37-32 (.536 winning percentage) in bowl games. Nebraska is 20-20 in bowl games and Ole Miss is 17-12. The following charts show the all-time leaders in NCAA history in bowl appearances and bowl victories:
BOWL APPEARANCES
| School | No. |
| 1. Alabama | 51 |
| 2. Tennessee | 43 |
| 3. Texas | 42 |
| T4. Nebraska | 41 |
| T4. Southern California | 41 |
| 6. Georgia | 38 |
| 7. Penn State | 37 |
| 8. Oklahoma | 36 |
| T9. LSU | 34 |
| T9. Michigan | 34 |
| T9. Ohio State | 34 |
| 12. Arkansas | 33 |
| T13. Florida State | 31 |
| T13. Georgia Tech | 31 |
| T15. Ole Miss | 30 |
| T15. Florida | 30 |
BOWL VICTORIES
| School | No. |
| 1. Alabama | 29 |
| 2. Southern California | 25 |
| T3. Penn State | 23 |
| T3. Tennessee | 23 |
| 5. Oklahoma | 22 |
| T6. Georgia Tech | 20 |
| T6. Nebraska | 20 |
| T8. Georgia | 19 |
| T8. Texas | 19 |
| 10. Florida State | 18 |
| T11. Ole Miss | 17 |
| Michigan | 17 |
REBEL BOWL NOTES:
- Ole Miss is making its fifth bowl appearance in the last six years, and its third in head coach David Cutcliffe's first four seasons with the Rebels ... The Rebels are one of two teams in the SEC Western Division to make five bowl appearances in the last six years.
- The 2002 MainStay Independence Bowl will be the Rebels' fourth bowl game under Cutcliffe. Cutcliffe made his Ole Miss coaching debut in the 1998 Independence Bowl, leading the Rebels to a 35-18 upset over heavily-favored Texas Tech ... Ole Miss is 2-1 in bowl games under Cutcliffe.
- Ole Miss' last bowl appearance was the 2000 Music City Bowl in Nashville, Tenn., falling 49-38 to West Virginia.
- The loss to the Mountaineers broke a string of four consecutive bowl wins for the Rebels.
- The Rebels are making an Independence Bowl-record fifth appearance in the game, and their first since the defeating Oklahoma 27-25 in the 1999 contest.
- Ole Miss is 8-4 (.667 winning percentage) in bowl games played in the state of Louisiana ... The Rebels are 5-3 in the Sugar Bowl and 3-1 in the Independence Bowl.
OLE MISS AND THE BIG XII CONFERENCE IN BOWL GAMES: The 2002 MainStay Independence Bowl match-up with Nebraska will mark Ole Miss' seventh bowl game against a team that is currently a member of the Big XII Conference. The Rebels are 4-2 in bowl games against the Big XII -- including a perfect 3-0 in the Independence Bowl -- going 2-0 versus Texas Tech, 1-0 against Oklahoma and 1-2 versus Texas. The 1999 Independence Bowl against the Sooners marked the last time the Rebels faced a Big XII opponent in the bowl game. Ole Miss won that game 27-25 on Les Binkley's 39-yard field goal as time expired. The following chart shows the result's of Ole Miss' bowl games against teams currently in the Big XII:
| Date | Opponent | Bowl | Site | Result |
| 1-1-58 | Texas | Sugar | New Orleans, La. | W, 39-7 |
| 1-1-62 | Texas | Cotton | Dallas, Texas | L, 7-12 |
| 12-17-66 | Texas | Bluebonnet | Houston, Texas | L, 0-19 |
| 12-20-86 | Texas Tech | Independence | Shreveport, La. | W, 20-17 |
| 12-31-98 | Texas Tech | Independence | Shreveport, La. | W, 35-18 |
| 12-31-99 | Oklahoma | Independence | Shreveport, La. | W, 27-25 |
REBELS ALL-TIME VERSUS BIG XII: Ole Miss is 5-14 (.263 winning percentage) all-time versus schools currently in the Big XII Conference entering the Dec. 27 MainStay Independence Bowl game with Nebraska. The Cornhuskers will be the second Big XII team the Rebels have faced this season. Ole Miss lost to Texas Tech 42-28 in Lubbock back on Sept. 14. The following chart shows Ole Miss' record versus schools currently in the Big 12:
| School | W-L-T | Pct. | Last Game |
| Baylor | 0-1-0 | .000 | 1975 |
| Missouri | 1-3-0 | .250 | 1979 |
| Nebraska | 0-0-0 | .000 | -- |
| Oklahoma | 1-0-0 | 1.000 | 1999 |
| Texas | 1-5-0 | .167 | 1966 |
| Texas A&M | 0-4-0 | .000 | 1980 |
| Texas Tech | 2-1-0 | .667 | 2002 |
FIVE REBELS EARN ALL-SEC HONORS: Ole Miss had five players named to either the Coaches or Associated Press All-SEC teams. Senior SS Matt Grier (Smithville, Miss.) and senior LB Eddie Strong (Batesville, Miss.) earned first team All-SEC honors by the conference's coaches, and senior C Ben Claxton (Dublin, Ga.) was named to the second team. Claxton and Grier also earned second team honors from the AP. Junior WR Chris Collins (Gloster, Miss.) and junior QB Eli Manning (New Orleans, La.) were also named to the AP's second team All-SEC squad. In addition, Grier was selected as an All-SEC performer by The Sporting News.
OLE MISS PLACES FOUR ON ALL-SEC FRESHMAN TEAM: DL McKinley Boykin (Bessemer, Ala.), WR Mike Espy (Madison, Miss.), DB Travis Johnson (Shannon, Miss.), and OL Tre' Stallings (Magnolia, Miss.) were all named to the Coaches All-SEC Freshman team. Espy, Johnson and Stallings also garnered All-SEC Freshman accolades from The Sporting News.
REBEL RAMBLINGS:
- Ole Miss is playing a 13th game in a season for the first-time ever.
- With a 6-6 record, Ole Miss has won at least six games in six straight years for the first time since posting seven consecutive seasons with at least six wins from 1965-1971.
- Ole Miss is the only school in the SEC West to post six straight seasons with at least six wins.
- A win the 2002 MainStay Independence Bowl would also give the Rebels six straight winning seasons for the first time since having seven straight from 1965-1971.
- The 24-12 win over Mississippi State on Thanksgiving Night snapped a five-game losing streak for the Rebels ... The five-game losing streak was the longest by Ole Miss since losing its final five games of the 1991 season.
- Ole Miss has won 28 of its last 30 games versus non-conference opponents dating back to a 38-0 shutout over Tulane on Nov. 12, 1994 ... The Rebels' two losses to non-SEC teams during that span have come to West Virginia (49-38) in the 2000 Music City Bowl and to Texas Tech (42-28) on Sept. 14 in Lubbock ... The loss to the Mountaineers halted Ole Miss' 22-game win streak versus non-SEC teams and the this season's defeat to the Red Raiders stopped the Rebels' 24-game regular-season winning streak against non-conference opponents.
OLE MISS FACED SIX BOWL TEAMS IN 2002: Ole Miss faced six teams during the regular season that went on to earn trips postseason bowl games, including four that will be playing on New Year's Day. Ole Miss also faced an Alabama team that finished 10-3 but was ineligible for a bowl game due to NCAA sanctions. The following chart shows the Rebels' bowl-bound opponents in 2002 and how they fared in those games:
| Team | Bowl (Date) | Date, Site, Result |
| Texas Tech | Tangerine (12/23) | 9/14, Lubbock, L, 28-42 |
| Florida | Outback (1/1) | 10/5, Oxford, W, 17-14 |
| Arkansas | Music City (12/30) | 10/26, Fayetteville, L, 28-48 |
| Auburn | Capital One (1/1) | 11/2, Oxford, L, 24-31 |
| Georgia | Sugar (1/1) | 11/9, Athens, L, 17-31 |
| LSU | Cotton (1/1) | 11/23, Baton Rouge, L, 13-14 |
NEBRASKA TO GIVE REBELS ONE FINAL STERN TEST: Heading into the 2002 season, many around the Ole Miss program considered the Rebels' second half of the schedule to be one of the toughest six-game stretches in school history. Starting with the Oct. 19 game at Alabama, Ole Miss played four of its final six games on the road against some of the top teams in the SEC. Those final six opponents finished the regular season with a combined record of 50-25 (.667 winning percentage), with four teams advancing to bowl games. The Crimson Tide finished with a 10-3 record but were ineligible for postseason due to NCAA sanctions. Add Nebraska to the mix, and the Rebels' final seven opponents have a combined mark of 57-31 (.648 winning percentage) entering the bowl season, and the Cornhuskers will be the sixth opponent Ole Miss has faced with at least a .500 record in its last seven games. The following chart shows the final regular season record of the Rebels' last seven opponents and how they fared in those games entering the 2002 MainStay Independence Bowl match-up with Nebraska:
="">| School | W-L* | Rank* | Next Game/Score | vs. UM/Site |
| Alabama> | 10-3 | 13/- | L, 7-42 | Tuscaloosa |
| Arkansas | 9-4 | 25/RV | L, 28-48 | Fayetteville |
| Auburn | 8-4 | 19/22 | L, 24-31 | Oxford |
| Georgia | 12-1 | 4/4 | L, 17-31 | Athens |
| LSU | 8-4 | RV/25 | L, 13-14 | Baton Rouge |
| Miss. State | 3-9 | -/- | W, 24-12 | Oxford |
| Nebraska | 7-6 | -/- | Independence Bowl | Shreveport |
Rankings: AP / ESPN/USA Today
REBELS' SEASON A TALE OF THE TURNOVER: If one stat can tell the story of a team's season, for Ole Miss in 2002, it would be turnovers. In the first six games of the year when the Rebels started 5-1, Ole Miss was a +7 in takeaway/giveaway ratio and had scored 56 points off 15 opponent turnovers. During Ole Miss' five-game losing skid, the Rebels were a -4 in the takeaway/giveaway column, with their 14 turnovers leading to 45 points for the opposition -- an average of nine points per game. In the regular-season finale against Mississippi State on Nov. 28, the Rebels regained their early season form by winning the turnover battle and capitalizing on the Bulldogs' miscues. Ole Miss converted three Mississippi State turnovers into 14 points in the 24-12 win that secured a bowl bid. The following chart breaksdown the Rebels' turnover story in 2002:
| Games | Takeaways | Turnovers | Ratio | Points Off Turnovers |
| 1-6 | 15 | 8 | +7 | UM 56, Opp. 29 |
| 7-11 | 9 | 14 | -5 | Opp. 45, UM 27 |
| 12* | 3 | 2 | +1 | UM 14, Opp. 0 |
| Totals | 27 | 24 | +3 | UM 97, Opp. 74 |
REBELS ON TV:
- The 2002 MainStay Independence Bowl on Dec. 27, to be televised by ESPN, will mark the Rebels' school-record 10th TV appearance of the season. Ole Miss broke its record for TV appearances in a season when the Rebels played their ninth televised contest of the season against Missisippi State, also shown on ESPN, on Thanksgiving Night. Ole Miss' previous record for TV games in a season was eight set in 2000.
- The bowl game will be the Rebels' fourth straight game -- and its fourth of the year -- that has been aired on either ESPN or ESPN2. ESPN2 carried Ole Miss' Nov. 9 game at Georgia and its Nov. 23 contest at LSU.
- Ole Miss has a 7-8 record (.467 winning percentage) all-time on ESPN, including a 4-2 record in bowl games.
- ESPN's broadcast of the 2002 MainStay Independence Bowl will mark the 32nd time Ole Miss has appeared on TV since head coach David Cutcliffe's first full season in 1999.
- Ole Miss appeared on one of the four national networks (ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC) three times this season, appearing twice on CBS and once on ABC, to mark the first time since 1979 that the Rebels have made at least two appearances in the same season on one of the four major networks.
- All-time, Ole Miss will be making its 129th TV appearance in the 2002 MainStay Independence Bowl, since the Rebels made their TV debut in the 1953 Sugar Bowl versus Georgia Tech ... Ole Miss is 57-69-2 (.453 winning percentage) all-time in TV games.
REBELS LOSE ZEIGLER AND GOETHIE FOR MOST OF 2002 CAMPAIGN: Ole Miss was without two players, due to injuries, who figured to contribute significantly on both sides of the ball this season in senior TE Doug Zeigler (Wilmington, Ohio) and senior LB Lanier Goethie (Baxley, Ga.). Both suffered injuries during the first half of the Sept. 21 contest with Vanderbilt in Oxford. Zeigler sustained a broken tibia and fibula in his left leg and was forced to undergo surgery that night and will miss the bowl game, while Goethie broke a bone in his left foot and his status is doubtful. Zeigler was the Rebels' starting tight end the past three seasons and had 48 receptions and five TDs in 33 career games. Goethie was a returning starter at linebacker and was this year's recipient of the Chucky Mullins' Courage Award. Both Goethie and Zeigler were also two of four permanent team captains this season.
OFFENSIVE NOTES:
- The Rebels' 324 points scored this season marks the first time in school history that Ole Miss has scored at least 300 points in three consecutive seasons.
- Ole Miss has had 19 different players record at least one reception this season, including QB Eli Manning (New Orleans, La.), who caught his own deflected pass against Mississippi State on Nov. 28 ... The Rebels have five players with at least 20 receptions and eight with at least 10 catches.
- Junior WR Chris Collins (Gloster, Miss.) and sophomore WR Bill Flowers (Pelham, Ala.) both enter the 2002 MainStay Independence Bowl in range of LeMay Thomas' (1992-1995) Ole Miss single-season receptions record of 56 set in 1995 ... Collins is currently fifth on the school single-season receptions list with 49, and Flowers ranks sixth at 47.
- Collins is also 62 receiving yards shy of tying Willie Green's (1986-1989) school season record of 816 receiving yards set in 1989.
- Collins and sophomore WR Bill Flowers (Pelham, Ala.) rank fith and sixth, respectively, in the SEC in receptions per game. Collins averaging 4.08 receptions per game, and Flowers 3.92 ... Collins is also fourth in the SEC in receiving yards per game (62.8).
- Collins' 10 TD receptions this season is tied for the SEC lead.
- Collins will enter the 2002 MainStay Independence Bowl with a streak of 21 consecutive games with at least one reception, and Flowers has a streak of 18 straight games with at least one catch.
- The Rebels have picked up 153 first downs through the air this season to set a new school record for first downs by passing in a season. The previous mark was 141 set last season.
- Ole Miss is 15 first downs shy of its school record of 268 set last year.
- The Rebels have ran 823 plays from scrimmage this season, 26 shy of the school record of 849 set in 1980.
- With 267 yards of total offense against Nebraska in the 2002 MainStay Independence Bowl, Ole Miss can tie the school record for most yards in a season, set by last year's team with 4,565.
FLOWERS, COLLINS FORM ONE OF TOP RECEIVING DUOS IN SCHOOL HISTORY: Junior WR Chris Collins (Gloster, Miss.) and sophomore WR Bill Flowers (Pelham, Ala.) have combined to catch 96 passes for 1,266 yards and 13 TDs this season to form one of the top receiving duos in Ole Miss history. They need five catches between them in the MainStay Independence Bowl to tie the school record for the most combined catches by two receivers in a season, currently held by the 1995 pair of LeMay Thomas (56 rec., 801 yards, 3 TDs) and Ta'Boris Fisher (45-493-4) with 101. Collins leads the Rebels in receptions (49), receiving yards (754) and TD receptions (10). Flowers has caught 47 passes this season for 512 yards and three scores. Against Arkansas on Oct. 26, Flowers and Collins combined to become first Rebel receivers to each catch at least 10 passes in a game. The following chart shows the top receiving tandems in school history, in terms of receptions:
| Receivers, Year | No. |
| LeMay Thomas (56)/Ta'Boris Fisher (45), 1995 | 101 |
| Floyd Franks (54)/Barney Poole (43), 1969 | 97 |
| Chris Collins (49)/Bill Flowers (47), 2002 | 96 |
| Chris Collins (54)/Jamie Armstrong (40), 2001 | 94 |
| Rufus French (43)/Cory Peterson (40), 1997 | 83 |
| Buford McGee (42)/Mark Harmon (41), 1982 | 83 |
REBEL RECEIVING DUO LOOKING TO RECORD A FIRST: With three receptions by sophomore WR Bill Flowers (Pelham, Ala.) and one by junior WR Chris Collins (Gloster, Miss.) in the 2002 MainStay Independence Bowl against Nebraska, the two can give Ole Miss its first pair of 50-reception receivers in the same year. Currently, there have been only four seasons in which Ole Miss has had one receiver catch 50 passes in a season, including Collins with 54 last year. If Collins should reach the 50-reception mark, he would be the first player in school history to have two seasons with at least 50 catches.
COLLINS SETS OLE MISS SEASON AND CAREER MARKS FOR TD RECEPTIONS: With two TD receptions against Mississippi State in the regular-season finale on Nov. 28, junior WR Chris Collins (Gloster, Miss.) set an Ole Miss season record for TD receptions and became the school's career leader in that category. Collins has 10 TD catches this season to break the season mark of nine, set by Ken Toler (1977-80) in 1980 and later tied by Grant Heard (1996-2000) in 2000. His 17 career TD receptions is one better than Heard's mark of 16. Collins broke both marks taking a slant pass from junior QB Eli Manning (New Orleans, La.) and racing 77 yards in the third quarter of the 24-12 win over the Bulldogs.
COLLINS TIES SINGLE-GAME MARK VERSUS AUBURN: With three TD receptions against Auburn on Nov. 2 in Oxford, junior WR Chris Collins (Gloster, Miss.) tied the Ole Miss single-game record, set five times previously, including once by Collins in last year's season opener versus Murray State. Prior to the Auburn game, current senior Jason Armstead (Moss Point, Miss.), against Arkansas last season, was the last player to have three TD receptions in a game. The others to catch three TD passes in a game were Johnny Brewer (1960 vs. Tulane), Louis Guy (1962 vs. Houston) and Pat Coleman (1989 vs. Arkansas State).
HANDS OFF!: Since the start of the 1999 season, Ole Miss has allowed the fewest sacks in the SEC during that span with 46, 25 fewer than LSU with 71. The Rebels are also leading the SEC in the fewest sacks allowed for the third straight season, having given up 13 in 12 games this season. The following charts show the top five teams for the fewest sacks allowed in the SEC since 1999 and for the 2002 season:
FEWEST SACKS ALLOWED SINCE 1999
| Team | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | Total | |
| 1. | Ole Miss | 16 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 46 |
| 2. | LSU | 25 | 12 | 19 | 15 | 71 |
| 3. | Georgia | 21 | 12 | 15 | 27 | 75 |
| 4. | Florida | 18 | 26 | 13 | 19 | 76 |
| 5. | Arkansas | 14 | 17 | 19 | 27 | 77 |
FEWEST SACKS ALLOWED IN 2002
FLOWERS IN ELITE COMPANY AMONG REBEL RECEIVERS:
| Team | No. | |
| 1. | Ole Miss | 13 |
| 2. | LSU | 15 |
| 3. | Auburn | 18 |
| 4. | Florida | 19 |
| South Carolina | 19 | |
| Vanderbilt | 19 |
--RECEPTIONS--
| Player, Years | Rec. |
| Bill Flowers, 2001-present | 75 |
| Chris Collins, 2000-present | 66 |
| Grant Heard, 1996-2000* | 56 |
| Ta'Boris Fisher, 1993-1996 | 54 |
| James Harbour, 1981-1984 | 53 |
--RECEIVING YARDS--
| Player, Years | Yards |
| Chris Collins, 2000-present | 860 |
| Bill Flowers, 2001-present | 827 |
| Willie Green, 1986-1989* | 810 |
| Grant Heard, 1996-2000 | 804 |
| James Harbour, 1981-1984 | 759 |
--TOUCHDOWNS--
| Player, Years | No. |
| J.R. Ambrose, 1984-87 | 8 |
| Barney Poole, 1942; 1946-1947 | 8 |
| Chris Collins, 2000-present | 7 |
| Bill Flowers, 2001-present | 7 |
| Willie Green, 1986-1989 | 5 |
DEFENSE SEES IMPROVEMENT IN DRIESBACH'S FIRST YEAR: The Ole Miss defensive unit saw marked improvement in several statistical categories this season from 2001 during the first year of defensive coordinator Chuck Driesbach and his 4-2-5 scheme. Most notable is the Rebels' improvement in rushing defense and its increase in QB sacks. Last season, opponents averaged 5.0 yards per rushing attempt and an average of 214.2 yards per game on the ground. This season, Driesbach's unit shaved off 1.1 yards off the opponent's average per rushing attempt and 63 yards off its average of rushing yards allowed per game. The Rebels' 28 sacks this season is 12 more than their total of 16 last year. Ole Miss equaled its sack total from a year ago in the sixth game of the year against Arkansas State. The chart on the following page shows the statistical improvement by the Rebel defense in several areas in 2002 from 2001:
| Category | 2001 | 2002 | Difference |
| Avg. Per Rush | 5.0 | 3.9 | -1.1 |
| Rushing Yards PG | 214.2 | 151.2 | -63.0 |
| Total Yards PG | 375.5 | 346.3 | -29.2 |
| QB Sacks | 16 | 28 | +12 |
| TFLs | 55 | 84 | +29 |
| Pass Deflections | 32 | 44 | +12 |
| QB Pressures | 45 | 62 | +17 |
| Interceptions | 12 | 16 | +4 |
DEFENSIVE NOTES:
- Sophomore FS Eric Oliver's (Jasper, Ala.) 116 tackles this season is the most by a Rebel defender since Abdul Jackson (1991-1994) recorded 139 in 1994 ... Oliver enters the bowl game ranked 10th in the SEC in tackles.
- Ole Miss recorded at least one sack in all 12 regular season games and has registered at least one in 32 of its last 33 games.
- Ole Miss intercepted three passes against Mississippi State and has picked off at least one pass in three straight games and in four of its last five games.
- Senior SS Matt Grier (Smithville, Miss.) and junior DB Von Hutchins (Natchez, Miss.) are tied for second in the SEC interceptions with five.
- With the 24-12 win over Mississippi State on Thanksgiving Night, the Rebels are now 18-1 under head coach David Cutcliffe when allowing less than 20 points. The 14-13 loss to LSU Nov. 23 marked the first time in 18 games under Cutcliffe that Ole Miss held the opposition to under 20 points and lost.
- The 79 yards rushing allowed by the Rebels against Mississippi State snapped a streak of six games in which Ole Miss allowed more than 100 yards rushing in a game.
- The Rebels have forced nine turnovers in the last three games against Georgia (2), LSU (4) and Mississippi State (3).
GRIER EARNS SEC AND BRONKO NAGURSKI NATIONAL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARDS AGAINST FLORIDA: Senior SS Matt Grier (Smithville, Miss.) earned SEC and Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance in the Rebels' 17-14 upset of No. 6 Florida on Oct. 5 in Oxford. Grier intercepted two passes in the third quarter to key the win. His first pick set up Vashon Pearson's four-yard TD run with 12:21 left in the third to pull Ole Miss to within 14-10. A series later, he intercepted another Rex Grossman pass and returned it 24 yards for what proved to be the game-winning TD. Grier also made a season-high nine stops (five solo), including 2.0 TFLs (-5 yards), and had one pass deflection in the contest.
GOETHIE WEARS CHUCKY MULLINS' NO. 38: Senior LB Lanier Goethie (Baxley, GA) was named this year's winner of the Chucky Mullins Courage Award in April, and as a result is wearing the late Mullins' No. 38 this season. He was No. 2 last season. Goethie has not seen action since suffering a broken bone in his left foot during the fourth game of the year against Vanderbilt on Sept. 21. In four games this season, he had recorded 22 tackles (14 solo) with two TFLs for -4 yards, and was credited with one pass deflection, one quarterback pressure and one forced fumble.
SPECIALTY NOTES
- The Rebels have not had a punt blocked in 43 straight games since the Sept. 25, 1999, game at Auburn.
- Sophomore PK Jonathan Nichols (Greenwood, Miss.) is two points shy of tying Les Binkley's (1999-2000) Ole Miss season record for the most points by a kicker with 78 in 1999.
- Nichols has made 46 consecutive PATs dating back to last season, ranking as the third longest streak in school history.
- Nichols' 37 PATs made this season currently is the most made in a season without a miss in school history.
- Nichols is third among SEC kickers in scoring, averaging 6.3 points per game, and is fifth in the SEC in scoring overall.
- Junior Ronald McClendon (Ponchatoula, La.) tied an Ole Miss single-game record with six kickoff returns versus Alabama (10/19). He shares the record with Rick Kimbrough (1974 vs. Alabama), Tyrone Ashley (1989 vs. Alabama), Vincent Brownlee (1991 vs. Georgia), and Deuce McAllister (1999 vs. Alabama and 2000 vs. Georgia).
- Ole Miss has returned at least one kick (kickoff or punt) for a score in each of the last four seasons. Deuce McAllister (1997-2000) returned a kickoff 100 yards for a score against Arkansas in 1999, and returned a punt 87 yards for a TD versus Auburn in 2000, senior Robert Williams returned a kickoff 97 yards for a score against the Razorbacks in 2000, and senior Jason Armstead (Moss Point, Miss.) returned a kickoff 93 yards for a score last season versus Murray State and had a 62-yard punt return for a TD this season versus Memphis on Sept. 7.
NICHOLS EARNS SEC HONORS VERSUS VANDERBILT: Sophomore PK Jonathan Nichols (Greenwood, Miss.) was named the SEC Special Teams Player of the Week, following his career-high 13-point performance against Vanderbilt on Sept. 21. Nichols converted all four PAT attempts and all three of his field goals attempts on the afternoon. He made field goals of 40, 42 and 28 yards. The 13 points is tied for the fourth-highest single-game total by a kicker in school history.
REBELS RECORD RARE FEAT VERSUS ARKANSAS STATE: For only the third time in school history, Ole Miss did not attempt a punt in the 52-17 win over Arkansas State on Oct. 12. The previous two occasions came in a 45-0 win over North Texas in 1956 and during a 35-9 win over Mississippi State in 1960.
FIVE REBELS EARN VERIZON DISTRICT VI ALL-ACADEMIC HONORS: Ole Miss had five players named to the Verizon District VI All-Academic team on Nov. 14, marking the third straight year the Rebels have placed at least three players on the academic all-district squad. Junior QB Eli Manning (New Orleans, La.) and sophomore punter Cody Ridgeway (Jackson, Tenn.) were named to the first team and will be placed on the ballot for the 2002 Verizon Academic All-America team. Named to the second team were sophomore place kicker Jonathan Nichols (Greenwood, Miss.), sophomore linebacker Rob Robertson (Centreville, Miss.) and junior DB Wes Scott (Jackson, Tenn.).
OLE MISS NAMED TEAM OF THE WEEK: With its 17-14 upset of No. 6 Florida on Oct. 5, Ole Miss was named the Team of the Week by the FWAA.