Comeback Falls Short in Baton Rouge

BATON ROUGE, La. – Facing an early deficit and a driving rain at Tiger Stadium, the Ole Miss football team never gave up—but the Rebels' comeback attempt fell just short as they couldn't overcome six turnovers in a 53-48 defeat to LSU on Saturday.

Matt Corral completed 15 of 27 passes for 251 yards and three touchdowns through the air while adding 17 carries for 158 yards on the ground—but the Rebel signal-caller was also responsible for five interceptions and the game-sealing fumble late in the fourth quarter.

Braylon Sanders led the Rebels in receiving with four catches, 70 yards and two touchdowns. On the ground, freshman Henry Parrish had 16 carries for 82 yards and two scores, all three of which are career highs. Defensively, Lakia Henry led Ole Miss with 12 tackles, followed by Jacquez Jones with 11. As a defense, the Rebels surrendered 593 total yards, 435 of which from LSU quarterback Max Johnson which enabled another shootout they fell on the short end of.

On the opening possession of the game, the Rebel defense forced a three-and-out, setting up Matt Corral and his offense on their own 15-yard line following a block-in-the-back penalty.

Three plays into the drive, Corral hit Casey Kelly for a 57 yard catch and run to the LSU 26 yard line. Three more plays later, Ole Miss struck first blood with a 20-yard touchdown pass from Corral to Sanders on a jump ball. Just like that, the Rebels had a 7-0 lead with 11:18 left in the opening frame. After a few completions for Johnson, the Tiger drive would stall, forcing a punt and giving Ole Miss the ball near their own goal post at their own seven-yard line. The Rebels proceeded to go backwards on a three-and-out offensively.

LSU made their way to the Ole Miss 16-yard line, but a few incompletions forced Cade York to kick a 34 yard field goal, cutting Ole Miss' lead 7-3 with 5:35 left in the first quarter. Corral proceeded to throw a 31-yard pick-six to Jay Ward on the first play of the ensuing drive, giving LSU their first lead of the game, 10-7. The Rebels would go three-and-out responding to the turnover. After one first down, Johnson threw three straight incompletions, giving the ball back to Ole Miss late in the first quarter. The Rebels would reach Tiger territory, but on fourth down, an interception by Todd Harris gave LSU the football at their own 15.

To begin the second quarter, Koy Moore and Josh Williams led the Tigers downfield to the Ole Miss goal line. On 4th-and-goal, Johnson used a QB sneak to give LSU a 17-7 lead with 12:17 left in the first half. On the ensuing kickoff, Jerrion Ealy took the ball 100 yards the other way for an Ole Miss touchdown. Ole Miss then trailed 17-14. After an LSU punt downed at the Rebel five-yard line, Corral began to make things happen with his legs, but a strip sack forced a loose ball that was caught by Ali Gaye for an interception. LSU had the football at the Ole Miss 40. Four plays later, Johnson found Kayshon Boutte 32 yards for a touchdown, giving LSU a 10 point lead again, 24-14 with 4:50 left in the first half.

The Rebels responded with 1:33 off the clock in six plays. Big passes from Corral to Parrish and Ealy set up the latter for a goal line touchdown with 3:07 left in the half, Ole Miss down 24-21. A few minutes later, LSU again answered. After eight plays, LSU faced 4th-and-2 on the Ole Miss 18-yard line. Johnson found Boutte all alone in the middle of the field for another touchdown grab, leaving Ole Miss just 58 seconds left to make something happen. It was LSU that made something happen. Corral threw another yet another interception trying to throw the football away in his own red zone. Jabril Cox came up with the pick, and York connected on another 34-yard field goal to give LSU a 34-21 halftime lead.

The Tigers dominated time of possession in the first half with a 18:33-11:27 advantage and had a 318-238 edge in total yards. LSU's average field position in the first half was the 45-yard line.

As the rain began to pour to begin the second half, Corral threw his fifth interception of the game to Ward. The Tigers again took advantage of short field position and put more points on the board. York connected from 23 yards out for his third of the game and the Tigers had a 37-21 lead with 9:50 left in the third quarter.

Corral didn't throw in the towel. A 25-yard scramble and 17-yard catch by Sanders set up Parrish to score from 10 yards out, capping off a five play, 65 yard drive. Following a failed two-point conversion attempt, LSU's lead was cut down to 37-27 with 8:11 in the third quarter. The Rebel defense forced a three-and-out, giving Corral another chance to go down field. Again, Corral answered the call. A trio of big gains from Corral, Parrish and Ealy put Ole Miss on the doorstep of the goal line. On third-and-goal, Corral found Dontario Drummond in the back of the end zone from make it a one-score game with 4:03 left in the third quarter. Luke Logan's PAT cut LSU's lead 37-34.

Johnson found Boutte for a 47-yard gain, but Ole Miss held firm and later forced fourth down. York connected on a 50-yard field goal with ease, and the Tigers led 40-34 with 2:16 left in the third quarter.

Going into the fourth quarter, the 16-point deficit was erased. The Rebels cashed in a fourth-down gamble two plays later with a 25 yard touchdown pass from Corral to Sanders. Logan's PAT gave Ole Miss their first lead since the first quarter, 41-40 with 14:42 left. Boutte again would gash the Rebel defense downfield, but Ole Miss finally got the big turnover they needed. Johnson's pass was under thrown trying to find his man in the end zone and Keidron Smith picked the football with 12:35 left to play.

The ground game moved Ole Miss to the fringes of the LSU end zone. With fourth-and-goal on the Tiger goal line, Matt Corral walked into the end zone untouched on a bootleg run, with the exception of an official. The Rebels opened up an eight point, 48-40 lead with 8:43 left to play.

Again it would by Boutte being the weapon of choice for LSU on the ensuing drive. A pair of big catches from him would put the Tigers on the Ole Miss goal line. Johnson broke the plane on a QB sneak, but Jalen Jordan broke up the two-point conversion, making the score 48-46 in Ole Miss' favor with 5:31 left in the game. LSU would force a three-and-out, setting up Johnson and LSU at their own 44-yard line with 2:36 left to play.

Johnson found Boutte once more on the sidelines and the Tiger receiver broke numerous tackles en route to a 45-yard touchdown reception. LSU led 53-48, leaving Ole Miss 1:34 left to go and try to win it. The Rebels reached the 28-yard line of LSU, but just outside of the red zone Corral ran forward and Gaye jarred the football loose with JaCoby Stephens recovering it with 40 seconds left, putting the game on ice.

The Rebels now await a potential bowl game invite after concluding the 2020 regular season. Date and kickoff time is to be announced at a later date.

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Team Stats

Matt Corral

Players Mentioned

Matt Corral

Dontario Drummond

Jerrion Ealy

Lakia Henry

Jacquez Jones

Jalen Jordan

Casey Kelly

Luke Logan

Braylon Sanders

Keidron Smith

Players Mentioned

Matt Corral

Dontario Drummond

Jerrion Ealy

Lakia Henry

Jacquez Jones

Jalen Jordan

Casey Kelly

Luke Logan

Braylon Sanders

Keidron Smith

The University of Mississippi Athletics