In one of the most underrated non-conference games of the season, No. 20 Ole Miss traveled to New Orleans to play No. 24 Tulane in what would turn out to be a come-from-behind win for the Rebels.
The game seemed like a shootout in the beginning, as Ole Miss scored within the first minute by way of a Jaxson Dart touchdown pass to none other than Tre Harris. All looked good on the Rebel side of things, but after a quick start, the offense went stale.
The game slowed down shortly after Tulane drove right back down the field and scored with ease. The Green Wave, which was without starting quarterback Michael Pratt due to injury, went with QB Kai Horton to lead the offense. The sophomore from Carthage, Texas, looked very strong in the first half, making some nice throws and often catching the Ole Miss defense on its heels.
Ole Miss struggled on the offensive line, and Tulane’s defense exposed this weakness throughout the game. Tulane’s defensive line accounted for four sacks and forced Dart into some questionable throws. On top of that, the Ole Miss rushing attack was shaky as star RB Quinshon Judkins could not get anything going.
Judkins did find the end zone, however, in the third quarter to tie the game 17-17. The explosive sophomore back walked into the end zone untouched, swinging the momentum irreversibly back in favor of Ole Miss.
Coordinator Pete Golding and the defense struggled early but found their way after halftime, holding Tulane to zero points in the third quarter and only three points in the fourth. After being down 17-10 at halftime, Ole Miss laid it on the Green Wave in dominant fashion.
The Rebels ended with 37 points on the board compared to the Green Wave’s 20, making the game look less competitive than it actually was.
Dart undoubtedly lived up to his potential in this game. He made many big plays with his legs, as well as big throws late in the game, keeping Ole Miss on the field. One of these plays included Dart connecting with TE Michael Trigg for a clutch touchdown on fourth down to extend the game to a 10-point lead.
In an effort to close the game out, kicker Caden Davis nailed a career-long 56-yard field goal that gave the Rebels a two-score lead over Tulane late in the fourth quarter.
The defense also made big plays, with CB Deantre Prince making some key pass deflections; the defensive playmaker also had an interception to give the Rebels a lot of momentum.
To ice the game, LB Khari Coleman forced a fumble, and defensive end Jared Ivey came up with an easy scoop and score. Ole Miss closed out the game 37-20.
The Rebels secured a much-needed, confidence-boosting win against the team that will most likely win the American Athletic Conference.
Ole Miss will return to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 16, to play Georgia Tech.
