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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Gator Bowl: Dart, Pegues Setting the Tone
12/19/2024 | Football
Ole Miss boasts about as many NFL Draft prospects as any team in college football, but even with the professional ranks calling, the Rebels have almost no opt-outs, as they've decided to leave the line ringing as they look to close out their college careers together in the January 2 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl against Duke.
No Doubt on Dart
The First Team All-SEC quarterback Jaxson Dart will be learning an NFL offense in just a matter of months, but he'll first lead Ole Miss into battle one last time.
The winningest starting quarterback in program history will look for one more to clinch back-to-back 10-win seasons for just the second time in program history. Despite falling just short of the College Football Playoff, there's still plenty to play for in Jacksonville.
There wasn't any doubt. Never really had a second of thought about it. Just really excited to go compete one last time with the guys," Dart said. "I think it just shows the bond we have with one another. We just came together and said we wanted to finish this the way we started. I can't even remember a lot of guys having a doubt if they were playing or not.
Spirit of Chucky
There have been many outstanding Chucky Mullins Courage Award winners over the years in Oxford, but JJ Pegues just might be the No. 38 who has embodied Chucky's spirit the best, and the hometown hero is ready to do it one last time in the bowl game.
Pegues has fought through injury throughout the year and made critical contributions on both sides of the football to boost his NFL Draft stock, all while being a pillar in the Oxford/Lafayette community—and in another show of the No. 38 spirit, he's not giving up the opportunity to represent his hometown and Mullins one last time.
We all want to leave this place better than how we found it," Pegues said. "For me, being from here, wearing the jersey one more time, representing Chucky Mullins in 38 is a big thing for me. We're building something special, we started something special, and we just want to finish the right way.
Draft Prospects on Display
Perhaps no Rebel has boosted his NFL Draft stock more this season than Trey Amos, who went from obscurity to lockdown All-American corner status in just one year with the program. The Alabama transfer led the SEC and was No. 3 nationally with 16 passes defended, and he virtually erased an entire side of the field in pass coverage.
NFL scouts are drooling over the prospects of adding that to their defense, and they'll have one last chance to see Amos in action at the collegiate level. For Amos, even after earning All-America honors and shooting up draft boards, he's still focused on making the most out of every moment in Oxford.
I feel like we still have a lot to prepare for in this bowl game. We're all really excited for this bowl game and to play against Duke. We're just getting prepared. We're just ready. There's still stuff left on the table. Still want to keep improving for this last game, see what I can improve on and work on.
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