Photo by Shelby Rayburn/The Local Voice
A third stringers dream it was for the second straight week.
No. 10 Ole Miss returned home and continued its dominance what has become two and half quarter play for Rebel Football. For the second straight game, Head Coach Hugh Freeze played second and third stringers for the majority of the second half.
Of course, the skipper was somewhat torn over that decision.
“We were able to play all of our threes and that’s great,” he said “I love it. I really do. These kids have paid a price to be on this team and we had some fifth year senior walk-ons that were able to get in and make some plays. The negative side to that is that when we get into these 4th quarter battles, as a coach, you worry about what’s going to be like. Hopefully, that won’t be a concern.”
The Rebels offense, led by senior signal caller Bo Wallace outscored the visiting Louisiana-Lafayette Rajun’ Cajuns 56-15 to move to 3-0 for the second straight year. The last time Ole Miss accomplished that? 1971-72.
Wallace, who completed 14 straight passes to start the game, had 320 yards passing and four touchdowns in just over two quarters of work. For the record, he is 58 for 72 (80.5 percent) for 857 yards, eight touchdowns and one interception since the first half of the Boise State game. His 1,023 yards thorough the air so far this season rank him 8th nationally and second in the SEC behind Texas A&M quarterback Kenny Hill (1,031). Wallace leads the NCAA in completion percentage at 75.5. percent.
The Rebels, who scored a touchdown on eight of 15 possessions, compiled 554 total yards with a surprising 225 of that on the ground. The running game, or lack thereof, has been a concern for this squad through the first two games. In week three, both I’tavious Mathers and Jaylen Walton had explosive touchdown scampers for 56 and 71 yards, respectively.
“It’s better, but not where we need it to be,” Freeze said in his post game press conference. “We will keep working on it. There were some good things today and we should have gone to some different things earlier.”
Not where it needs to be seems to allude to the fact that Ole Miss is still lacking the ability to consistently churn out five and six yard runs to open up the passing game. Once the “Group of Death” that is the SEC West is an opponent each week, that consistency may be the difference between a win and a loss.
On defense, the secondary attributed three more interceptions to the season total. Senior Senquez Golson had two while taking one of those to the house for a touchdown in the third quarter. The Rebel secondary leads the nation in that category with eight on the year.
The Rebels will get an off week before hosting Memphis and No. 3 Alabama.
GENERAL NOTES
• Today’s attendance at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium was a sellout crowd of 60,937.
• The Rebels now own an all-time record of 639-497-35 (.561 winning percentage).
• Ole Miss is 3-0 for the second straight year … It’s the first time the Rebels have started 3-0 in consecutive seasons since 1971-72.
• The Rebels’ 56 points were their most since beating Idaho 59-14 last year … It was the second-highest scoring output for a Hugh Freeze-coached Rebel team.
OFFENSIVE NOTES
• The Rebel offense piled up 554 yards of total offense and 340 through the air.
• Ole Miss completed passes to nine different receivers.
• Senior QB Bo Wallace posted his third straight 300-yard game, going 23 of 28 for 316 yards with four TDs and an interception.
• Wallace tied Eli Manning for the school record with 10 career 300-yard passing games and moved into second place all-time with 49 touchdown passes.
• Senior WR Vince Sanders had career highs of eight catches, 125 yards and two touchdowns, all in the first half.
• Junior WR Cody Core caught four passes for 41 yards, including his team-leading fourth touchdown of the year.
• Junior RB Jaylen Walton rushed seven times for 89 yards and a touchdown, and also had two catches for 48 yards and another score … His 71-yard touchdown run was a career long.
• Junior RB I’Tavius Mathers ran the ball only three times, but had 57 yards and a touchdown.
DEFENSIVE NOTES
• The Ole Miss defense allowed only one touchdown today and has only allowed two touchdowns all year.
• Senior CB Senquez Golson picked off two passes, including one that he returned 59 yards for a touchdown.
• The Rebels have had a pick-six in consecutive games for the first time since 2009 (Memphis, Southeastern Louisiana).
• Ole Miss entered the game ranked second nationally in interceptions and had three more against the Ragin’ Cajuns.
Junior CB Mike Hilton picked off a pass for his second career interception.
Game Notes provided by Ole Miss Media Relations. 
