By Adam Brown
Sports Editor
adam.brown@hottytoddy.com
The Ole Miss Rebels weathered the storm at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock to defeat the Arkansas Razorbacks 37-33.
Ole Miss (5-2, 1-2) opened the game strong as senior quarterback Jordan Ta’amu found D.K. Metcalf for a 49-yard reception on the third play of the game. Rebel field goal kicker Luke Logan capped off a five-play drive with a 36-yard score.
Arkansas responded with 17 unanswered points off of a field goal and two touchdowns as Ty Storey found Cheyenne O’Grady with a 39-yard strike for a touchdown. The Razorbacks closed out the first quarter scoring on a 69-yard scamper by running back Rakeem Boyd.
In the second quarter, Ta’amu scored a rushing touchdown from 18 yards out. Arkansas quickly responded with a touchdown of their own as backup quarterback Cole Kelley came in and tossed a 39-yard pass to La’Michael Pettway. The Razorbacks would score another field goal before the end of the half.
Ole Miss answered right before halftime as Ta’amu found DeMarkus Lodge from six yards out. Arkansas took a 27-17 advantage into the locker room at half.
The Rebels answered Arkansas’ field goal in the third quarter with a 66-yard touchdown pass from Ta’amu to Octavious Cooley. The Razorbacks took a 33-27 lead into the final 15 minutes of the game.
Ole Miss’s Landshark defense did not allow Arkansas to put another point on the scoreboard the rest of the game. Ta’amu and the offense went to work finding a way to overcome a nine-point deficit to pick up the win.
Rebel Isaiah Woullard reached pay dirt from two yards out at the 4:15 mark of the fourth quarter. Still 33-31, Arkansas.
The Rebels got the ball back with 2:02 left in the game and drove a hard 97 yards for a touchdown. Ta’amu made two pass plays to A.J. Brown for 20 yards and Dawson Knox for 48 yards. Ta’amu then scampered 15 yards to the Razorback red zone. Scottie Phillips scored two plays later from five yards out.
Arkansas’ Kelley threw an interception to Zedrick Woods with 35 seconds remaining in the game that secured the victory for Ole Miss.
Ta’amu finished the game passing for 387 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. He also led the Rebels on the ground with 141 yards on 17 touches. Ole Miss gained a total of 611 yards of offense.
The Razorbacks gained 299 yards on the ground and 177 yards in the air for 476 yards of offense against the Landshark defense.
Ole Miss returns to action on Saturday as they host the Auburn Tigers. Kickoff is slated for 11 a.m. on ESPN.
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