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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Saturday, August 30
Oxford, Miss.
6:45 PM
Ole Miss
1-0 , 0-0
63
vs
7
Georgia State
0-1 , 0-0
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Georgia St.
0
7
0
0
7
Ole Miss
7
18
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21
63
Football Opens 2025 Season with 63-7 Victory Over Georgia State
8/30/2025 | Football
OXFORD, Miss. – No. 15 Ole Miss football overcame a couple of early miscues to turn in a dominant 63-7 victory over Georgia State to open its 2025 season on Saturday night at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
The Georgia State pass rush caused a pair of early interceptions to keep the game close in the opening half, but Ole Miss kept its foot on the gas to come away with a decisive win to start 1-0 for the fifth straight season. The Rebels became the first team in SEC history to score 60-plus points in three consecutive season-openers. Ole Miss beat Furman 76-0 in 2024 and topped Mercer 73-7 in 2023.
Lane Kiffin's squad outgained Georgia State 695-260, including a 400-69 advantage through the air. Ole Miss totaled 33 first downs in the victory, including an 8-for-13 mark on third downs, while the Rebel defense held Georgia State to 2-for-15 on third downs.
Offensive Leaders
Austin Simmons finished 20-for-31 for 341 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions in his first career start. Harrison Wallace III led the receiving corps with 130 yards and a touchdown on five catches, while tight ends Dae'Quan Wright and Caleb Odom each scored, combining for eight catches and 135 yards. Kewan Lacy broke the century mark on the ground and found the end zone three times in his Rebel debut, going 108 yards on 16 carries. Logan Diggs put the game away late, going for 91 yards and a touchdown on seven carries.
Defensive Leaders
TJ Dottery led the Rebel defense with nine tackles, including a shared tackle for loss, and broke up one pass. Zxavian Harris had a monster day, totaling five tackles, including a sack, with an interception and two pass breakups. Jaden Yates finished second behind Dottery with eight tackles in his Rebel debut.
First Quarter
Georgia State started with the ball and converted a 4th-and-1 to move near midfield, but a pass breakup by Nick Cull ended the opening drive early. Ole Miss' first drive was short as well—though the result was different as Austin Simmons went 3-for-3 for 65 yards, including a 38-yard scoring strike to Dae'Quan Wright to make it 7-0 after just three offensive plays and 48 seconds of possession.
After a Panther three-and-out, Simmons was hit by Preseason All-Sun Belt defensive lineman Henry Bryant and intercepted on the second play of the following drive. Georgia State looked poised to score in response, again moving the chains on a 4th-and-1, but Zxavian Harris notched a key third-down sack to force a field goal attempt, which was off target to keep the visitors off the board.
Simmons hit Winston Watkins on a 28-yard gain, followed by a 31-yard Deuce Alexander run, to push Ole Miss into Georgia State territory. There, Simmons was looking for another TD connection with Wright, but he was intercepted by Jordan Huff to snuff out the scoring chance.
Second Quarter
The Panthers had driven into Ole Miss territory to end the first quarter, but heavy pressure by Harris on third down helped force a punt. Simmons found Harrison Wallace III on a deep ball for 47 yards to open the ensuing drive, but the Georgia State defense locked down in its own territory to force a 42-yard field goal from Lucas Carniero to make it 10-0.
TJ Dottery swatted the first pass of the ensuing drive, then Wydett Williams Jr. knocked down the third-down attempt to force a punt, which Wallace returned just shy of midfield, to the Ole Miss 44-yard line. The home team took advantage of the good field position as Simmons connected with Wright and Wallace for big gains on the ensuing drive. Then the Rebels leaned on the ground game to finish it, as Kewan Lacy spun his way into the end zone from a yard out for his first TD in an Ole Miss uniform, making it 17-0.
Georgia State responded with a big drive of its own, starting with a 29-yard run by former Rebel Rashad Amos. Then Christian Veilleux tossed a 43-yard touchdown to Javon Robinson to get on the board, 17-7.
Ole Miss settled in and responded with a long, methodical drive. The Rebels went 75 yards in 16 plays over 4:58, converting four third downs along the way. Lacy finished it off with a 2-yard touchdown run. Georgia State was flagged for offsides on the ensuing PAT, prompting Ole Miss to go for two, and Trinidad Chambliss cashed in on a run up the middle to make it 25-7 at the half.
Third Quarter
Ole Miss came out of the locker room hot as Simmons raced 11 yards on the ground, then linked up with Wallace for 24 through the air, setting the stage for an explosive Lacy touchdown—the sophomore racing 42 yards to make it a three-touchdown day in his Rebel debut and put the Rebels ahead 32-7. He joined BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Scottie Phillips to become the third Rebel since 2000 with multiple rushing TDs in his debut.
Harris then came through with his first career interception in traffic on the ensuing drive, giving it to the Rebel offense at the 20-yard line.
The Rebels wasted little time capitalizing. Alexander and Lacy moved the chains on a pair of runs, then Simmons dumped it off to yet another newcomer, Caleb Odom, who dove over the pylon for his first Rebel TD and a 39-7 Ole Miss lead.
Ole Miss had one final scoring drive in the frame after a 16-yard Lacy run and plays of 8 and 9 yards by Alexander pushed the Rebels into the red zone. Georgia State clamped down there, forcing a 33-yard Carniero field goal to make it 42-7.
Fourth Quarter
A Kapena Gushiken pass breakup forced a punt to start the fourth quarter, and Ole Miss quickly turned the stop into points. Simmons notched a 35-yard completion to Odom, then he delivered a 26-yard touchdown to Wallace to cap a strong first start.
After three straight three-and-outs, Logan Diggs ripped off a 15-yard run. Then Chambliss hit De'Zhaun Stribling for a 37-yard gain down the sideline before finding Izaiah Hartrup for a 15-yard score to bring the Rebel advantage to 56-7.
Georgia State's TJ Peyton opened the ensuing drive with a huge 49-yard run with Williams making a touchdown-saving tackle. The Panthers attempted a 4th-and-11 in the Ole Miss red zone, but heavy pressure from Gushiken forced a turnover on downs.
The Ole Miss offense made one final statement when Diggs exploded for 51 yards just shy of the Georgia State red zone. The senior finished it off with three straight runs, making it 63-7 with a 5-yard score.
Next Up
SEC play begins next week for Ole Miss as the Rebels will hit the road to take on Kentucky in their 2025 conference-opener. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. CT on ABC.
Stay Connected
Stay up to date with all the latest Ole Miss football news and content! Subscribe to The Sip, the official newsletter of Rebel football, and we'll drop the best Ole Miss football stories, videos and social media content to your inbox each week.
Update today to the all-new version of the Ole Miss Sports app, presented by Renasant Bank! The new app will serve as a dynamic hub for Rebel gameday content, including ticketing, parking, schedules, shopping for official Ole Miss merchandise and much more. Click here for more info or to download.
The Georgia State pass rush caused a pair of early interceptions to keep the game close in the opening half, but Ole Miss kept its foot on the gas to come away with a decisive win to start 1-0 for the fifth straight season. The Rebels became the first team in SEC history to score 60-plus points in three consecutive season-openers. Ole Miss beat Furman 76-0 in 2024 and topped Mercer 73-7 in 2023.
Lane Kiffin's squad outgained Georgia State 695-260, including a 400-69 advantage through the air. Ole Miss totaled 33 first downs in the victory, including an 8-for-13 mark on third downs, while the Rebel defense held Georgia State to 2-for-15 on third downs.
Offensive Leaders
Austin Simmons finished 20-for-31 for 341 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions in his first career start. Harrison Wallace III led the receiving corps with 130 yards and a touchdown on five catches, while tight ends Dae'Quan Wright and Caleb Odom each scored, combining for eight catches and 135 yards. Kewan Lacy broke the century mark on the ground and found the end zone three times in his Rebel debut, going 108 yards on 16 carries. Logan Diggs put the game away late, going for 91 yards and a touchdown on seven carries.
Defensive Leaders
TJ Dottery led the Rebel defense with nine tackles, including a shared tackle for loss, and broke up one pass. Zxavian Harris had a monster day, totaling five tackles, including a sack, with an interception and two pass breakups. Jaden Yates finished second behind Dottery with eight tackles in his Rebel debut.
First Quarter
Georgia State started with the ball and converted a 4th-and-1 to move near midfield, but a pass breakup by Nick Cull ended the opening drive early. Ole Miss' first drive was short as well—though the result was different as Austin Simmons went 3-for-3 for 65 yards, including a 38-yard scoring strike to Dae'Quan Wright to make it 7-0 after just three offensive plays and 48 seconds of possession.
After a Panther three-and-out, Simmons was hit by Preseason All-Sun Belt defensive lineman Henry Bryant and intercepted on the second play of the following drive. Georgia State looked poised to score in response, again moving the chains on a 4th-and-1, but Zxavian Harris notched a key third-down sack to force a field goal attempt, which was off target to keep the visitors off the board.
Simmons hit Winston Watkins on a 28-yard gain, followed by a 31-yard Deuce Alexander run, to push Ole Miss into Georgia State territory. There, Simmons was looking for another TD connection with Wright, but he was intercepted by Jordan Huff to snuff out the scoring chance.
Second Quarter
The Panthers had driven into Ole Miss territory to end the first quarter, but heavy pressure by Harris on third down helped force a punt. Simmons found Harrison Wallace III on a deep ball for 47 yards to open the ensuing drive, but the Georgia State defense locked down in its own territory to force a 42-yard field goal from Lucas Carniero to make it 10-0.
TJ Dottery swatted the first pass of the ensuing drive, then Wydett Williams Jr. knocked down the third-down attempt to force a punt, which Wallace returned just shy of midfield, to the Ole Miss 44-yard line. The home team took advantage of the good field position as Simmons connected with Wright and Wallace for big gains on the ensuing drive. Then the Rebels leaned on the ground game to finish it, as Kewan Lacy spun his way into the end zone from a yard out for his first TD in an Ole Miss uniform, making it 17-0.
Georgia State responded with a big drive of its own, starting with a 29-yard run by former Rebel Rashad Amos. Then Christian Veilleux tossed a 43-yard touchdown to Javon Robinson to get on the board, 17-7.
Ole Miss settled in and responded with a long, methodical drive. The Rebels went 75 yards in 16 plays over 4:58, converting four third downs along the way. Lacy finished it off with a 2-yard touchdown run. Georgia State was flagged for offsides on the ensuing PAT, prompting Ole Miss to go for two, and Trinidad Chambliss cashed in on a run up the middle to make it 25-7 at the half.
Third Quarter
Ole Miss came out of the locker room hot as Simmons raced 11 yards on the ground, then linked up with Wallace for 24 through the air, setting the stage for an explosive Lacy touchdown—the sophomore racing 42 yards to make it a three-touchdown day in his Rebel debut and put the Rebels ahead 32-7. He joined BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Scottie Phillips to become the third Rebel since 2000 with multiple rushing TDs in his debut.
Harris then came through with his first career interception in traffic on the ensuing drive, giving it to the Rebel offense at the 20-yard line.
The Rebels wasted little time capitalizing. Alexander and Lacy moved the chains on a pair of runs, then Simmons dumped it off to yet another newcomer, Caleb Odom, who dove over the pylon for his first Rebel TD and a 39-7 Ole Miss lead.
Ole Miss had one final scoring drive in the frame after a 16-yard Lacy run and plays of 8 and 9 yards by Alexander pushed the Rebels into the red zone. Georgia State clamped down there, forcing a 33-yard Carniero field goal to make it 42-7.
Fourth Quarter
A Kapena Gushiken pass breakup forced a punt to start the fourth quarter, and Ole Miss quickly turned the stop into points. Simmons notched a 35-yard completion to Odom, then he delivered a 26-yard touchdown to Wallace to cap a strong first start.
After three straight three-and-outs, Logan Diggs ripped off a 15-yard run. Then Chambliss hit De'Zhaun Stribling for a 37-yard gain down the sideline before finding Izaiah Hartrup for a 15-yard score to bring the Rebel advantage to 56-7.
Georgia State's TJ Peyton opened the ensuing drive with a huge 49-yard run with Williams making a touchdown-saving tackle. The Panthers attempted a 4th-and-11 in the Ole Miss red zone, but heavy pressure from Gushiken forced a turnover on downs.
The Ole Miss offense made one final statement when Diggs exploded for 51 yards just shy of the Georgia State red zone. The senior finished it off with three straight runs, making it 63-7 with a 5-yard score.
Next Up
SEC play begins next week for Ole Miss as the Rebels will hit the road to take on Kentucky in their 2025 conference-opener. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. CT on ABC.
Stay Connected
Stay up to date with all the latest Ole Miss football news and content! Subscribe to The Sip, the official newsletter of Rebel football, and we'll drop the best Ole Miss football stories, videos and social media content to your inbox each week.
Update today to the all-new version of the Ole Miss Sports app, presented by Renasant Bank! The new app will serve as a dynamic hub for Rebel gameday content, including ticketing, parking, schedules, shopping for official Ole Miss merchandise and much more. Click here for more info or to download.
Team Stats
GSU
OLE
Total Yards
260
695
Pass Yards
69
400
Rushing Yards
191
295
Penalty Yards
60
51
1st Downs
10
34
3rd Downs
2
8
4th Downs
2
1
TOP
31:24
28:36
1st Quarter
GSU 0, OLE 7
OLE - Wright,Dae'Quan 38 yd pass from Simmons,Austin (Carneiro,Lucas kick) 3 plays, 65 yards, TOP 00:48
2nd Quarter
GSU 0, OLE 10
OLE - Carneiro,Lucas 42 yd field goal 8 plays, 60 yards, TOP 02:36
GSU 0, OLE 17
OLE - Lacy,Kewan 1 yd run (Carneiro,Lucas kick), 9 plays, 56 yards, TOP 02:53
GSU 7, OLE 17
GSU - Robinson,Javon 43 yd pass from Veilleux,Christian (Rickman,Liam kick) 4 plays, 75 yards, TOP 02:12
GSU 7, OLE 25
OLE - Lacy,Kewan 2 yd run (Chambliss,Trinidad rush), 16 plays, 75 yards, TOP 04:58
3rd Quarter
GSU 7, OLE 32
OLE - Lacy,Kewan 42 yd run (Carneiro,Lucas kick), 6 plays, 75 yards, TOP 01:56
GSU 7, OLE 39
OLE - Odom,Caleb 9 yd pass from Simmons,Austin (Carneiro,Lucas kick) 3 plays, 20 yards, TOP 01:16
GSU 7, OLE 42
OLE - Carneiro,Lucas 33 yd field goal 10 plays, 37 yards, TOP 03:53
4th Quarter
GSU 7, OLE 49
OLE - Wallace III,Harrison 26 yd pass from Simmons,Austin (Baker,Mike kick) 2 plays, 61 yards, TOP 00:32
GSU 7, OLE 56
OLE - Hartrup,Izaiah 13 yd pass from Chambliss,Trinidad (Baker,Mike kick) 6 plays, 62 yards, TOP 02:36
GSU 7, OLE 63
OLE - Diggs,Logan 5 yd run (Baker,Mike kick), 6 plays, 82 yards, TOP 02:27
Game Leaders
Passing Leaders
CMP
20
TD
3
YDS
341
INT
2
CMP
4
TD
1
YDS
59
INT
0
Players Mentioned
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DT
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RB
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LB
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