In their final game of the 2024 season, the Ole Miss Rebels defeated the Duke Blue Devils in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla., 52-20 on Jan. 2, 2025.
Quarterback Jaxson Dart threw for 404 yards and four touchdowns, completing 77 percent of his passes. Wide receiver Jordan Watkins had seven receptions for 180 yards and two touchdowns. Trey Washington flew around the field, making 10 ten tackles.
First half
The high-powered Ole Miss offense, led by Dart in his last game in a Rebel uniform, took the field first. JJ Pegues picked up the first down for the Rebels on fourth down. Dae’Quan Wright caught a ball for 31 yards, putting Ole Miss in the red zone. Lane Kiffin reached into his bag of tricks on another fourth-down play, but kicker Caden Davis threw an interception. The Blue Devils’ drive ended on a failed fourth down conversion attempt.
Antwan “Juice” Wells scored the first touchdown of the game with a 32-yard catch. The Rebel defense forced a three-and-out, giving the ball right back to Ole Miss. Running back Logan Diggs got his first action of the year with a six-yard reception.
The Rebels drove methodically down the field, throwing the ball with relative ease. Bentley capped off the drive with a one-yard rushing touchdown. Khari Coleman, replacing Pooh Paul, tackled Duke’s running back instantly in the backfield for a loss. Ole Miss ended the first quarter with a 14-0 lead.
Dart took a sack, leading to a third and 19, in which he ran for 19 yards to convert the first down. Wright made a very good 22-yard catch, as Dart took a big shot. Ole Miss settled for three points, unable to get into the end zone.
Duke drove down the field, making their way deep into Ole Miss territory and scoring a touchdown on a wide open pass to Javon Harvey. Dart threw a dime into the endzone to Wright for the score, pushing the lead to 24-7. Ole Miss would get the ball back with 11 seconds, running into the half with a 17-point lead.
Second half
The Ole Miss defense forced a quick three-and-out to begin the second half. Ole Miss had a three-and-out of their own, punting the ball back to the Blue Devils. Isaiah Hamilton picked off Duke’s quarterback and returned it for a touchdown, extending the lead even more.
Dart threw a 51-yard pass to Watkins to put Ole Miss on the goal line. Bentley ran the ball in for another Ole Miss score, extending the lead to 31 points. The Rebels went into the fourth quarter with the game comfortably in hand.
The starters for the Rebels were in the game to begin the fourth quarter. Unable to do anything, they punted the ball away. After a quick defensive possession, the Ole Miss offense came back in, led by Dart. Dart would throw another touchdown.
Duke scored another touchdown, but the lead was insurmountable, as Ole Miss scored again, continuing to lay it on the Blue Devils.
Stat of the game
Ole Miss had its first pick-six in three years.
