Ole Miss 39 Vanderbilt 35
In week one, the Rebels and Commodores battled it out on Thursday night at Nashville in what proved to be another classic barn-burner in this SEC rivalry. After trailing 21-10 at halftime, the Rebels made some adjustments along the offensive line, giving QB Bo Wallace the time he needed, sparking a comeback victory finished by Jeff Scott’s 75 yard touchdown run with 1:07 left to play. The Rebels scored 29 points in the second half. 
Jeff Scott, Sr. RB ~ 138 yards on 12 carries and a TD. Averaged 11.5 yards per carry.
Protecting the Ball
Bo Wallace did not turn the ball over in this high scoring game. After throwing 17 interceptions in 2012, the junior signal caller was accurate and smart with his passes in this all important game. The Rebels did not yield a fumble either, leaving the game with a +2 turnover margin.
Bo Wallace, Jr. QB ~ Completed 31 of 47 (65%) passes for 283 yards. Rushed 18 times for 48 yards and two touchdowns.
Freshmen Shine
All the hype around this recruiting class proved to be as good as advertised. The numbers don’t lie, as the freshmen on the field proved to be vital components of the victory.
Tony Connor, Fr. DB ~ Recorded 3 tackles and and interception.
Robert Nkemdiche, Fr. DE ~ 2 Tackles, one for a loss and rushed once for 11 yards on a fake punt.
Laquon Treadwell, Fr. WR ~ Caught a team high nine passes for 82 yards.
Evan Engram, Fr. TE ~ Five catches for 61 yards.
Room for Improvement
Vanderbilt did not have a scoring drive where they failed to capitalize off a big play. The Commodores completed passes of at least 28 yards on four of their five scoring drives. A 32 yard rush paved they way for the other touchdown. Busted coverage in the secondary could cause the Rebels problems down the road, especially at Texas next weekend.
Big Yardage Plays in Scoring Drives for Vandy
2Q – 28 yard pass
2Q – 55 yard pass
2Q – 33 yard pass
3Q – 32 yard rush
4Q – 42 yard pass
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This article was originally published in The Local Voice #187, September 5, 2013. Download the PDF here: http://www.thelocalvoice.net/oxford/?p=8775
