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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss Hosts State in 2006 Egg Bowl
11/24/2006 | Football
DATE: Saturday, November 25, 2006
TIME: 1:00 p.m. CT
SITE (CAPACITY): Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/Hollingsworth Field(60,580)
TV: The Ole Miss-Mississippi State game will not be televised live. A CSS replay of the Ole Miss-Mississippi State game will be on Sunday, Nov. 26 at 1 p.m.
RADIO: Ole Miss Radio Network (David Kellum, play-by-play; Pete Cordelli, color analyst; Stan Sandroni, sideline reporter; Richard Cross and Harry Harrison, pregame and postgame hosts). Sirius Satellite Radio channel 153 (Ole Miss broadcast).
POLLS: Ole Miss and Mississippi State are not ranked in either the Associated Press poll or the ESPN Coaches' poll.
SERIES INFO: This game will be the 103rd meeting of one of the nation's most-played rivalries. Ole Miss holds a 58-38-6 advantage in the series dating back to 1901. The Ole Miss-Mississippi State series is listed as tied for the 16th most-played in NCAA Division I-A history. The series is also listed as the 10th longest uninterrupted series, as the NCAA considers Saturday's game the 91st consecutive year that the two schools have faced each other. Neither team, however, fielded a squad in 1943 due to World War II. Saturday's game will be the 79th "Battle of the Golden Egg," as the two schools started playing for the trophy in 1927. Ole Miss holds a 52-21-5 advantage in the "Egg Bowl." The home team has won six of the last seven games. Ole Miss had taken three straight in the series with an average margin of victory of 20.0 during the streak before MSU defeated the Rebels 35-14 last season in Starkville. The Bulldogs lead 8-7 in the last 15 meetings since the series returned to campus sites in 1991, after being played yearly in Jackson from 1973-1990. The Rebels hold a 19-10-3 advantage in games played in Oxford.
OLE MISS HEAD COACH ED ORGERON: Ed Orgeron (Northwestern State, 1984) is in his second season as the Ole Miss head coach, having been hired on Dec. 16, 2004. The Rebels are 6-16 under Orgeron as he posted a 3-8 mark in his first season in Oxford. Ole Miss is Orgeron's first career head coaching position, although he possesses over 20 years of college coaching experience, most recently as an assistant head coach on USC's 2003 and 2004 national champion teams. Orgeron is 0-1 versus MSU.
MISSISSIPPI STATE HEAD COACH SYLVESTER CROOM: Sylvester Croom is in his third season as the head coach at Mississippi State. He has led the Bulldogs to a 9-24 record, in this his first career head coaching assignment. Prior to taking the position at Mississippi State, Croom spent three seasons from 2001-2003 as an assistant coach with the Green Bay Packers. Croom also served on NFL coaching staffs with Tampa Bay (1987-1990), Indianapolis (1991) and San Diego (1992-1996). Croom started his coaching career as a graduate assistant on Paul "Bear" Bryant's staff at Alabama in 1976. He then served as an assistant for the Crimson Tide from 1977-1986. Croom is 1-1 versus the Rebels.
MISSISSIPPI STATE SCOUTING REPORT: The Bulldogs enter Saturday's game with a 3-8 record, including a 1-6 mark in SEC play. MSU was a 28-14 victim of SEC West Champion Arkansas in their last outing. Prior to the loss to the Razorbacks, MSU picked up its lone SEC win at Alabama, defeating the Crimson Tide 24-16 in Tuscaloosa. The Bulldogs are led on offense by junior wide receiver Tony Burks who has 33 catches for 825 yards and eight TDs. Burks has had to work with a trio of quarterbacks due to injury. Sophomore Michael Henig started the season at the signal caller position and returned from injury to join the starting line-up again, but was injurred in the game versus Arkansas and will not play Saturday. Senior Omarr Conner replaced Henig earlier in the season before getting injured himself and will be the starter in the game. Senior linebacker Quinton Culberson leads the Bulldog defense with 98 tackles (49 solo). He also has 9.0 TFLs for minus 27 yards and two interceptions. Jeramie Johnson has a team leading five forced fumbles and Derek Pegues leads MSU with four interceptions.
REB TALK SLATED FOR THURSDAY LINE-UP: Ole Miss head coach Ed Orgeron's weekly call-in radio show, Reb Talk, will air Tuesday, Nov. 21, from 7 to 8 p.m. CT from the Oxford University Club just off the Oxford Square. A full listing of radio affiliates is available on page 6.
WILLIS NAMED BUTKUS, NAGURSKI FINALIST: Ole Miss senior LB Patrick Willis was recently named one of five finalists for the 2006 Bronko Nagurski Award given to the nation's top defensive player as voted on by the Football Writer's Association of America. The other four finalists are Gaines Adams of Clemson, Leon Hall of Michigan, James Laurinaitis of Ohio State and Reggie Nelson of Florida. The winner will be announced on Dec. 4 and presented the Bronko Nagurski Trophy at a gala banquet at the Westin Hotel in Charlotte, N.C. Willis was also recently named a finalist for the 2006 Butkus Award given to the nation's top linebacker. Willis is joined by Laurinaitis and Paul Posluszny of Penn State as the finalists for the award. The winner will be announced on Thursday, Dec. 7, at the Home Depot ESPN College Football Awards Show. Willis was also named a Lott Trophy Semifinalist last week. He is one of seven players still being considered for the award.
OFFENSIVE NOTES VS. LSU
Junior RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis led Ole Miss in rushing for the 11th-straight game ... Green-Ellis finished with 96 yards on 28 carries with 1 TD ... He now has 962 yards on the season and needs just 38 yards to become Ole Miss' first 1,000-yard rusher since Deuce McAllister recorded 1,082 yards on 212 carries during the 1998 season ... Green-Ellis also posted a career-long reception of 19 yards in the first quarter.
Sophomore WR Mike Wallace recorded a catch for the 10th-straight game ... Wallace finished the game with four catches for 35 yards.
Junior RB Bruce Hall recorded his second career TD with a 22-yard catch from junior QB Brent Schaeffer ... It marked the first career TD reception for Hall and his second-straight game with a TD.
The Ole Miss offense recorded TDs on back-to-back possessions in the first half marking just the third time this season they have scored TDs on back-to-back possessions ... They previously did so versus Memphis and Vanderbilt, both Rebel wins.
GREEN-ELLIS LEADS THE GROUND GAME: Ole Miss junior RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis is the leader in the Rebel ground game. Green-Ellis has led Ole Miss in rushing in each of the last 11 games with a career-high 135 in the Rebels' loss to Georgia. Green-Ellis posted his fourth 100-yard rushing game of the season with 116 yards on 14 carries in Ole Miss' win over Northwestern State. Green-Ellis currently ranks second in the SEC with 87.5 yards per game. With 962 yards through the first 11 games, the New Orleans native is currently on pace to become Ole Miss' first 1,000-yard rusher since Deuce McAllister recorded 1,082 yards on 212 rushes during the 1998 season, lacking just 38 yards. Through the first 111 years of Ole Miss football, the Rebels have only had two players go over 1,000 yards rushing in McAllister (1,082 yards in 1998) and Kayo Dottley (1,355 yards in 1949 and 1,057 yards in 1950). The following are Green-Ellis' 2006 game-by game rushing statistics:
Opponent Carries Yards TDs
Memphis 26 127 2
Missouri 16 69 0
Kentucky 19 85 0
Wake Forest 12 54 0
Georgia 24 135 0
Vanderbilt 24 101 2
Alabama 21 56 1
Arkansas 20 79 0
Auburn 13 44 0
Northwestern St. 14 116 1
LSU 28 96 1
Totals 217 962 7
HALL MAKING ALL THE PLAYS
Junior RB Bruce Hall has found a way to do a little bit of everything for the Rebels this season. Hall ranks second on the team in rushing with 176 yards on 30 carries. He also has four catches for 26 yards and has also completed one pass for nine yards. Hall, who also lines up on special teams, has recorded one solo tackles in 10 games.
LANE RETURNS TO THE GAME: Junior TE Robert Lane hauled in his two longest receptions of the season versus Auburn to lead the Ole Miss receiving crew with 78 yards. Lane, who returned to the line-up after missing the Alabama and Arkansas games with an injury, opened the game with a 37 yard reception and then grabbed his season long reception of 41 yards in the third quarter.
THE WICKER MAN: Ole Miss senior offensive lineman Andrew Wicker is a traveling man and one of the most valuable players on the Rebel squad. Wicker, who played his first three seasons on the Rebel defensive line, was moved to the offensive side of the ball with the hiring of Ed Orgeron. In his time on the offensive line, Wicker since picked up starts at two different positions in right tackle and his natural position of left guard. In all, Wicker has started at four different spots during his Rebel career, as he also picked up starts at defensive tackle and nose guard prior to his move to the offense.
DEFENSIVE NOTES VS. LSU
Senior LB Patrick Willis led the Rebel defense with 12 tackles (six solo) ... Willis has now recorded 10 or more tackles in 17 of his last 19 games ... Willis posted a season-high three TFLs for minus 12 yards, including his first sack of the season for a loss of 10 yards ... He also forced a fumble and recorded a pass defensed.
Junior LB Rory Johnson added 11 tackles (four solo) has now recorded 10 or more tackles in five of the last six games and has a total of 76 tackles combined in those last six outings.
The Rebel defense held the Tigers to 308 yards of total offense, 113 yards below their season average of 421 yards per game.
Sophomore DB Dustin Mouzon recorded a career-best eight tackles (seven solo) in his first career start.
Junior DL Jeremy Garrett set a new career high in tackles with eight (five solo) versus the Tigers ... Garrett also recorded a TFL for minus one yard for the second-straight game.
Freshman DL Greg Hardy posted his team leading third sack of the season ... The sack dropped LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell for a loss of five yards.
JOHNSON TACKLING THE SEC: Junior LB Rory Johnson arrived at Ole Miss' fall camp from Hinds CC two weeks late, leaving him scrambling to learn the Ole Miss defense. After picking up confidence with a good outing versus the Georgia in his first career start, Johnson had a breakout performance in guiding Ole Miss to its first SEC win of the 2006 season versus Vanderbilt. Against the Commodores, Johnson posted 16 tackles (nine solo), three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and one pass defensed. Johnson haulted a late Vandy drive by taking the ball out of Commodore QB Mackenzi Adams hands and giving the ball back to Ole Miss. For his play, Johnson was named this week's SEC Defensive Player of the Week on Monday, Oct 9. Johnson is the second Rebel player to earn SEC honors as Dexter McCluster was named the SEC's Freshman of the Week on Sept 4. Johnson did not stop there as he has recorded double-digits in tackles in five of the last six games and has collected 72 tackles over that span.
HARDY WREAKING HAVOC: Rebel freshman DE Greg Hardy, who has started eight of 11 games this season, colleced a career-high 10 (five solo) tackles in the win over Vanderbilt. Hardy also turned in his third forced fumble of the season and one pass defensed versus the Commodores. The 10 tackles mark his first double-digit tackling performance of his career. On the season, Hardy ranks fifth on the team in tackles with 47 (28 solo), while leading Ole Miss with four forced fumbles and three sacks. Since joining the starting line-up, Hardy has collected 44 (26 solo) tackles, four forced fumbles, three passes defensed, and three sacks on the season.
SPECIALTY NOTES VS. LSU
Freshman K Joshua Shene missed a 37-yard field goal with 30 seconds remaining in the first half, before connecting on a 38-yard attempt and 45-yard attempt in the third quarter ... The 45-yard field goal was the second longest of his career ... He made a 52 yard attempt in Ole Miss' win over Northwestern State ... Shene is now 12-of-15 on the season ... He had connected on nine-straight field goals prior to the miss ... Shene was good on 2 PATs and has connected on all 18 of his PATs on the season.
Sophomore LB Jamarca Sanford picked up his first career carry on a fake punt ... Sanford rushed for three yards, picking up a Rebel first down ... Sanford also recovered an onside kick with 9:48 remaining in the second quarter ... It marked the first time Ole Miss recovered an onside kick since Mike Espy recovered one versus Wyoming in 2004.
Freshman WR Marshay Green returned Ole Miss' first kick-off of the second half for 62 yards, a career-best ... Green also had a 53-yard return in the second quarter, tallying 115 yards on kick-off returns ... His 62-yard return was the second longest of the season for Ole Miss as sophomore RB Mico McSwain returned a kick-off for 69 yards versus Vanderbilt ... Green also had 14 yards in punt returns on the evening.
Sophomore P Rob Park attempted his second career pass on a fake punt late in the first quarter ... Park's pass to TE Robert Hough went incomplete ... The attempt was the second fake punt of the game and the third of the season for Ole Miss.
Freshman OL John Jerry blocked the PAT after LSU scored to tie the game at 20-20 with six seconds remaining in the game ... The block was the first of Jerry's career.
SHENE FINDING HIS GROOVE: Rebel freshman K Joshua Shene has been a bright spot on the Rebel special teams during the 2006 season. After not attempting a field goal in Ole Miss' first three games, Shene has made 12-of-15 over the last eight outings, and had a season-long streak of nine-straight field goals made snapped at LSU. He has also made all 18 of his PATs. Shene recorded a career-long field goal of 52 yards in the Rebels' win over Northwestern State. The 52-yarder is tied for the second longest field goal made by an SEC kicker this season.
CASSIUS GOES FOR THE KNOCKOUT: Ole Miss freshman DB Cassius Vaughn made a splash in a big way in Ole Miss' narrow loss to Georgia. Vaughn, who has played on special teams in each of the Rebels' first eight games, finally got a piece of the action picking up his first career punt block in the second quarter. The outstanding special teams play led to an Ole Miss field goal and got Ole Miss on the board versus the Bulldogs. Vaughn nearly repeated the feat against Vanderbilt, instead tackling the Commodore punter for a loss of 13 yards. Vaughn's play versus Vanderbilt led to an Ole Miss TD.
2006 TEAM CAPTAINS: On September 9, Ed Orgeron announced his two permanent team captains for the 2006 campaign. A pair of seniors wear the title LB Patrick Willis (Bruceton, Tenn.) and OL Andrew Wicker (Zachary, La.). Junior TE Robert Lane joined Willis and Wicker as a team captain for the LSU game.
BLOCK PARTY: Freshman OL John Jerry was the latest Rebel to join in the block party as Jerry forced the game into overtime at LSU by blocking the Tigers PAT with six seconds remaining in regulation. In the game versus Georgia, Ole Miss blocked two punts, although the first was called back for a holding penalty. Rebel DBs Dustin Mouzon and Cassius Vaughn each picked up a block on Georgia's Gordon Ely-Kelso in the first half of action. In addition, Ole Miss senior DB Trumaine McBride blocked a Kentucky field goal attempt earlier in the season. The Rebels' nearly recorded another block on a punt versus Vanderbilt, as the punter was tackled for a loss.
FIRST HALF REBELS: Ole Miss has been a strong first half team this season, posting 109 points in the first half of action. Of the Rebels' 168 points, 67 have come in the second period of play. Conversely, the Rebels have struggled to put points on the board in the second half, picking up just 29 points in the third quarter and 27 points in the fourth quarter. Below is an Ole Miss-opponent comparison by quarter:
1st 2nd 3rd 4th OT Total
Ole Miss 42 67 29 27 3 168
Opponent 66 55 54 74 9 258
NEWCOMERS THROWN INTO ACTION: Through the first 11 games of the season, 22 members of the 2006 signing class have already seen game action, including 17 true freshmen. Ole Miss ranks second in the country with its 17 true freshmen seeing action. Temple has had 19 first-year players see action and Illinois has fielded 17. Jonathan Cornell (Fr., LB) and Bryan Kendricks (Fr, DB) were the latest newcomers to check into the game as both saw action for the first time against Georgia. The following newcomers have hit the field in their first season in the Red and Blue: Corey Actis (Jr., OL), Cordera Eason (Fr., RB), Daverin Geralds (Fr., DL), Marshay Green (Fr., WR), BenJarvus Green-Ellis (Jr., RB), Bruce Hall (Jr., RB), Andy Hartmann (Fr., FB), Greg Hardy (Fr., DL), Jamal Harvey (Fr., DB), Shay Hodge (Fr., WR), Hayward Howard (So., DL), John Jerry (Fr., OL), Rory Johnson (Jr., LB), Kendrick Lewis (Fr., WR), Kentrell Lockett (Fr., DL), Dexter McCluster (Fr., WR), Preston Powers (Fr., LS), Brent Schaeffer (Jr., QB) Joshua Shene (Fr., K), Marcus Tillman (Fr., DE) and Cassius Vaughn (Fr., DB).
STARTING SOMETHING: Eleven offensive players and 10 players on the defensive side of the ball have picked up their first career starts through the first nine games of the season. Brent Schaeffer (QB), Mike Wallace (WR), Dexter McCluster (WR), Corey Actis (C), David Traxler (RT), John Jerry (RG), Marshay Green (WR), Michael Hicks (WR), Shay Hodge (WR), Maurice Miller (OL) and BenJarvus Green-Ellis (RB) have each started for the first time for the Rebel offense, while Greg Hardy (DE), Peria Jerry (DE), Hayward Howard (DT), Viciente DeLoach (DE), Marcus Tillman (DE), Jonathan Cornell (WLB), Dustin Mouzon (CB), Rory Johnson (WLB) and Terrell Jackson (DB) have started for the Rebel defense.
RUN DMC: Ole Miss freshman WR Dexter McCluster is racking up yards in all phases of the game. McCluster, who was named Freshman of the Week by both the Southeastern Conference and Rivals.com after the Memphis game, is second on the team in all-purpose yards behind BenJarvus Green-Ellis. McCluster has gained 68 yards on the ground, 232 yards through the air and 274 on kick-off returns, despite missing the majority of the last four games with an injury.
YOUNG RECEIVERS: Ole Miss boasts experienced pass-catchers at the running back and tight end positions, but at wide receiver, the Rebel talent is young. Of the 124 receptions on the season, 98 are to first-time pass-catchers. Sophomore Mike Wallace leads the way with 23 receptions for 372 yards. Freshmen Marshay Green and Dexter McCluster are next on the list as Green has 19 catches for 174 yards and a two TDs and McCluster has 15 receptions for 232 yards and a TD. Redshirt freshman Michael Hicks was the most recent young receiver to get in the mix as he caught the first pass of his career versus Wake Forest, finishing the game with three catches for 53 yards.
SCHEDULE NOTES
Ole Miss has faced six teams that went to bowl games last year: Memphis (Motor City), Missouri (Independence), Georgia (Sugar), Alabama (Cotton), Auburn (Capital One) and LSU (Peach).
The Rebels have played two first-time opponents in Wake Forest and Northwestern State.
For the first time in two years, Ole Miss plays seven home games this season, hosting Memphis (Sept. 3), Wake Forest (Sept. 23), Georgia (Sept. 30), Vanderbilt (Oct. 7), Auburn (Oct. 28), Northwestern State (Nov. 4) and Mississippi State (Nov. 25).
REBELS ADD HERALDED SIGNING CLASS: This preseason, Ole Miss has welcomed what many have called the greatest recruiting class in school history. Highlighted by JUCO All-American QB Brent Schaeffer and Parade High School All-American DL Marcus Tillman, the Rebels' signing class has been ranked as high as ninth in college football. Below charts where the media experts tabbed Ole Miss' 2006 incoming class:
CBS SportsLine.com 9th
SuperPrep 13th
ESPN.com 14th
Tom Lemming 15th
Scout.com 15th
CollegeFootballNews.com 15th
Rivals.com 16th
Max Emfinger 16th
2006 SEASON GAME-BY-GAME NOTES
GAME #1: OLE MISS 28
MEMPHIS 25
The Rebels' 28 points scored versus Memphis was the most by an Ole Miss team since they tallied 31 points at South Carolina on Oct. 9, 2004.
The newcomers on the Rebel offense had a warm welcome to their new home, accounting for 321 of Ole Miss' 337 yards in the win over Memphis. Transfers BenJarvus Green-Ellis (RB) and Brent Schaeffer (QB) tallied 127 and 48 yards, respectively, on the ground to go along with Dexter McCluster's (WR) 60 yards of rushing. McCluster also added 86 receiving yards.
Junior RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis plowed his way to 127 yards and 2 TDs on 26 carries in his Rebel debut versus Memphis. Green-Ellis, who registered career highs of 203 yards and 3 TDs on 42 carries while spending his first two collegiate seasons at Indiana, tallied the most yards by an Ole Miss running back since Vashon Pearson turned in 139 yards on 21 carries versus Wyoming in 2004.
Behind Green-Ellis' performance, the Rebels picked up 240 yards on the ground, the most by an Ole Miss squad since the season-ending win over Mississippi State in the 2004 Egg Bowl. Ole Miss notched 283 yards versus the Bulldogs. The Rebels did not eclipse the 200-yard mark in rushing for all of the 2005 season, with the highest mark of 163 coming against Kentucky.
Junior CB Nate Banks posted a career-best 3 passes defensed versus Memphis.
Junior DE Viciente DeLoach forced a fumble in the third quarter versus Memphis. It was the first forced fumble of his career.
Freshman WR Dexter McCluster gained 122 yards on 5 kick-off returns for the Rebels.
Sophomore P Rob Park punted three times versus Memphis for an average of 47.3 yards, a single game career-best average.
GAME #2: OLE MISS 7
MISSOURI 34
Junior QB Brent Schaeffer completed his first TD pass in a Rebel uniform versus Missouri with a 30-yard strike to freshman WR Marshay Green in the second quarter. Schaeffer previously recorded 2 TD passes as a freshman at Tennessee.
The Rebels had the ball for just 57 plays versus Missouri compared to 83 vs. the Tigers. Despite the difference in the number of plays, Ole Miss led in possession time 30:49 to 29:11.
Freshman WR Marshay Green caught his first career pass with a 5-yard reception in the second quarter at Missouri. Green followed that up with his first career TD reception on the following play.
Ole Miss' 162 yards of total offense versus Missouri was the Rebels' lowest offensive output since posting only 136 yards versus Auburn in 1998.
Four Rebels recorded their first career reception in the loss to Missouri. Along with Marshay Green, junior RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis, sophomore WR Mike Wallace and freshman WR Kendrick Lewis each grabbed their first pass-catch.
Senior LB Patrick Willis recorded 10 tackles (6 solo) and also picked up a career-best two pass break-ups versus Missouri. The 10 tackles marked the fourth-straight double-digit tackling game for Willis dating back to last season. He has recorded 10 or more tackles in nine of his last 10 games.
Sophomore DL Peria Jerry was credited with his first career sack at Missouri. Jerry sacked Tiger QB Chase Daniel in the first quarter for a 2-yard loss. Jerry also recorded a career-high six tackles in the game.
In his first career start, true freshman DL Marcus Tillman posted a career-high six (five solo) tackles, including 2.0 TFLs for minus two yards.
Sophomore CB Dustin Mouzon posted a career-best five (four solo) tackles. Mouzon also recorded his first career forced fumble versus Missouri.
Rob Park had a career-high 10 punts for a career-high 405 yards at Missouri, including a long of 48 yards. Park's previous career-best marks came against LSU in 2005 when he punted nine times for 325 yards.
GAME #3: OLE MISS 14
KENTUCKY 31
Junior QB Brent Schaeffer completed 13-of-26 passes versus Kentucky for 190 yards, two TDs and one interception. The two TDs marked the first multiple TD performance of Schaeffer's career. The 190 yards were a new career best. Schaeffer also rushed 11 times for 65 yards, both career highs.
Junior RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis finished the Kentucky game with 85 yards on 19 carries ... Green-Ellis now has 216 yards on 52 carries versus Kentucky in his college career.
Freshman WR Marshay Green hauled in his second career TD with a 47-yard pass reception from QB Brent Schaeffer with 1:03 remaining in the first quarter at Kentucky. The TD marked the first Ole Miss points scored in the first quarter of play this season ... Green's 47-yard reception was a career-long.
Junior TE Robert Hough caught his first career TD pass with a 27-yard grab from Schaeffer with 4:08 remaining in the second quarter versus Kentucky. Hough's TD was the first for a Rebel TE since Lawrence Lilly hauled in a 4-yard TD pass versus Mississippi State in 2004 ... The reception by Hough was also the first for an Ole Miss TE this season.
The Ole Miss offense tallied 395 total yards on 65 plays versus Kentucky, season-highs for both. The 395 yards were the most by a Rebel offense since recording 400 yards versus Vanderbilt in 2005.
Junior LB Garry Pack posted a career-best 14 tackles against the Wildcats. His previous career high was 10 tackles versus Mississippi State in 2005. His 14 solo tackles are also a career high.
Senior LB Patrick Willis recorded 13 tackles (seven solo) and also picked up 1.5 TFLs for minus five yards and a pass break-up versus Kentucky. The 13 tackles marked the fifth-straight double-digit tackling game for Willis. He has recorded 10 or more tackles in 10 of his last 11 games.
The Rebel defense held Kentucky to a punt on the first possession of the game. It marked the first time this season Ole Miss did not allow a TD on the opponents opening drive.
In his first career start at Kentucky, freshman DE Greg Hardy recorded his first career forced fumble and fumble recovery. Hardy also posted a career-best two passes defensed.
Freshman WR Marshay Green returned the second kick-off of his career in the first quarter for 41 yards versus the the Wildcats. The 41-yard return marked a career-high for Green.
On the final play of the first half, senior CB Trumaine McBride blocked a 37-yard FG attempt by UK's Lones Seiber. It was the first blocked FG for the Rebels since Jayme Mitchell blocked a 51-yard attempt versus Tennessee in 2005. It was McBride's first career blocked FG.
GAME #4: OLE MISS 3
WAKE FOREST 27
Redshirt freshman Michael Hicks picked up his first career reception with a 20-yard catch to end the third quarter. Hicks finished the game versus Wake Forest with three catches for 53 yards.
Junior QB Seth Adams saw his first career action versus Wake Forest. Adams was 8-for-11 passing for 84 yards.
Senior LB Patrick Willis collected 11 tackles, marking the sixth-straight double-digit tackling game for Willis. He has now recorded 10 or more tackles in 11 of his last 12 games.
Sophomore DB Jamarca Sanford tallied 10 tackles, a new career-high. He previously posted eight tackles on three occasions.
The Rebel defense gave up a TD on the opponents' first drive for the third time in four games this season.
Sophomore LB Quentin Taylor picked up 9 tackles, a new career-high. He previously posted eight tackles in the season opener versus Memphis.
Freshman DE Greg Hardy recorded his second-straight game with a forced fumble in the loss to Wake Forest.
Junior DL Brandon Jenkins recovered his first career fumble following Hardy's strip in the first quarter. Jenkins also recorded a career-best six tackles.
Freshman K Joshua Shene connected on his first career FG in the second quarter, a 26-yard attempt. Shene was 1-of-2 on the evening after missing his first career attempt of 25 yards in the first quarter.
GAME #5: OLE MISS 9
#9/10 GEORGIA 14
Junior RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis led the Rebels on the ground for the fifth-straight game versus Georgia as he finished the game with a career-high 135 yards on 24 carries ...The 135 Yards also marked the second time this season Green-Ellis has gone over the century mark, as he had 127 yards in the season-opener versus Memphis ... The 135 yards marked the most by a Rebel running back since Vashon Pearson ran for 139 yards against Wyoming in 2004.
Freshman WR Dexter McCluster's 49-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter versus UGA was his first of the season, and the longest reception of the season for the Rebels ... the 49-yard reception was also a career-long for McCluster.
The Ole Miss defense shut out its opponent in the first half for the first time this season when it held Georgia scoreless the first two periods.
Freshman SS Cassius Vaughn blocked a punt by Georgia's Gordon Ely-Kelso in the second quarter ... The block was the first of Vaughn's career and the first blocked punt by a Rebel since Bryan Brown blocked a punt versus Kentucky in 2005.
Freshman K Joshua Shene was 1-for-2 on the evening, knocking through a 23-yard attempt in the second frame after missing a career-long attempt of 53-yards in the first quarter.
GAME #6: OLE MISS 17
VANDERBILT 10
Junior RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis scored his third TD of the season on a two-yard carry in the first quarter ... The TD was Green-Ellis' first since the season-opener versus Memphis ... The TD was only the second TD scored in the first quarter for the Rebels this season ... Green-Ellis led the Rebels' in rushing for the sixth time this season with 101 yards on 24 carries ... Green-Ellis posted his second-straight 100-yard rushing game and third of the season ...With 571 yards on the season, Green-Ellis becomes the fastest Rebel to reach the 500-yard mark in rushing since Vashon Pearson went over 500 yards in the sixth game of the season in 2004.
The Ole Miss offense posted 14 first quarter points after having scored only seven points in the first quarter in the first five games of the season.
The Rebels were held to a season-low 31 receiving yards ... The 31 receiving yards were the lowest by an Ole Miss offense in a victory, since the Rebels tallied 26 in a 43-14 win over Tennessee in 1977.
Junior LB Rory Johnson collected a career-best 16 (9 solo) tackles, including 12 in the first half ... The 16 tackles marked Johnson's first career double-figure tackling game ... Johnson also picked up his first career fumble recovery and returned it 28 yards ... He also turned in three forced fumbles on the afternoon, also a career-first.
Rory Johnson's 16 tackles are the most by an Ole Miss player since Broc Kreitz totaled 16 against Georgia in 1996.
Ole Miss freshman DE Greg Hardy forced a fumble in the third quarter, his third forced fumble of the season ... Hardy also recorded a career best 10 tackles and one pass defensed.
Rebel senior LB Patrick Willis collected 12 (8 solo) tackles ... Willis has now recorded 10 or more tackles in 12 of his last 14 games.
Rebel senior DB Charles Clark intercepted Vanderbilt quarterback Mackenzi Adams at the Ole Miss nine-yard line with 38 seconds remaining to preserve the win ...It marked his second career interception.
Freshman SS Cassius Vaughn downed Vanderbilt P Brett Upson in the first quarter of action ... With the TFL, Vaughn gave the Ole Miss offense the ball at the Commodore 17-yard line, which eventually led to a BenJarvus Green-Ellis 1-yard TD.
Sophomore RB Mico McSwain returned his first kick-off of the season for a career-best 69 yards in the second quarter.
Freshman K Joshua Shene connected on a career-long FG of 32 yards on the Rebels' opening drive of the second half.
Junior RB Hiram White recovered his first career fumble off a mishandled punt by Vanderbilt's Alex Washington in the third quarter of play.
GAME #7: OLE MISS 23
ALABAMA 26 (OT)
Junior RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis scored his fifth TD of the season on a two-yard carry in the first quarter ... The TD was Green-Ellis' third in the last two games ... Green-Ellis led the Rebels' in rushing for the seventh time this season with 56 yards on 21 carries.
Junior QB Brent Schaeffer completed 13 passes on the afternoon, which ties a career high ... Schaeffer was 13-for-20 for 163 yards and one TD.
Sophomore Mike Wallace caught his first career TD on a 55-yard pass from Brent Schaeffer in the fourth quarter. It was the Rebels' longest play from scrimmage this season. Wallace finished with three receptions for 86 yards, both career highs.
Freshman WR Shay Hodge recorded a career-long reception of 18 yards in the second quarter.
Junior TE Robert Hough set a career-high with three receptions.
The Rebel offense did not give up a sack for the first time this season.
Junior LB Rory Johnson led the Rebels in tackling for the second-straight game ... Johnson finished with 14 tackles (6 solo) ... Johnson has now recorded 10 or more tackles in back-to-back games and has a total of 30 tackles combined in his last two outings.
Senior Patrick Willis recorded 11 tackles (7 solo) ... Willis has now recorded 10 or more tackles in 13 of his last 15 games.
Freshmen Greg Hardy and Marcus Tillman both posted their second career sack in the game.
Ole Miss started its sixth different set of players on the defensive line in seven games this season. A total of eight different players have accounted for the six different line-ups.
Freshman K Joshua Shene drilled a 36-yard FG with 7:39 remaining in the second quarter to knot the game at 10 points a piece ... Shene also connected on a 24-yard FG with :04 seconds left in the period ... He then hit on a 37-yard FG in overtime to give the Rebels' a 23-20 lead ... The 37-yarder was a career-long and the three FG makes and attempts are also both career-highs ... He is now 6-of-8 on the season.
Punter Rob Park completed a five-yard pass to Bruce Hall on a fake punt in the fourth quarter to convert a first down. It was the first attempt and completion of Park's career and the first fake punt for the Rebels this season.
GAME #8: OLE MISS 3
ARKANSAS 38
Junior RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis led Ole Miss in rushing for the eighth-straight game ... Green-Ellis finished with 79 yards on 20 carries.
Redshirt freshman WR Michael Hicks grabbed a career-long 51-yard reception from QB Brent Schaeffer in the third quarter ... On the day, Hicks posted career-best marks in receptions with four and receiving yards with 88.
Freshman RB Cordera Eason recorded his first carry as a Rebel, carrying the ball for two yards. Eason finished the day with 10 yards on four carries.
Senior LB Patrick Willis led the Rebel defense with 13 tackles (10 solo) ... Willis, who was credited with 11 tackles in the first half, has now recorded 10 or more tackles in 14 of his last 16 games.
Junior LB