Ole Miss Drops Heartbreaker to South Carolina

By Adam Brown
Sports Editor
adam.brown@hottytoddy.com

The Ole Miss Rebels lost a hard fought match at home to the South Carolina Gamecocks 48-44 in an offensive shootout.

South Carolina got on the board first on the opening kickoff with a 90 yard kickoff return. The Rebels quickly answered with a field goal off the boot of Luke Logan.

Ole Miss (5-4, 1-4) found themselves in an early 17-3 deficit, but found a way to tie it up 27-27 at the half when Rebel running back Scottie Phillips found the end zone from nine yards out.

Senior quarterback Jordan Ta’amu got his team back into the end zone with a 17 yard run. Prior to halftime Phillips scored his second touchdown from a yard out.

After halftime, the scoring chess match continued as the Rebels and the Gamecocks traded points. Ole Miss went ahead with a field goal then South Carolina scored a touchdown. Phillips reached pay dirt soon after for the final time of the day with a two-yard dash. He finished the day with 21 touches for 141 yards and three touchdowns.

In the fourth quarter running back Isaiah Woullard scored the final touchdown as the Rebels took a 44-34 lead with 14:15 left in the game. South Carolina reeled off 14 unanswered points to pick up the victory.

Ole Miss had a chance to win the game in the closing minutes, but the drive stalled out at their own 48 yard line when they failed to get the first down.

Ta’amu led the Rebels through the air for 379 yards and carried the ball 21 times for 66 yards and one touchdown. Ole Miss ended the game with 616 yards of total offense. 

South Carolina’s quarterback Jake Bentley was 22-32 on the day for 363 passing yards and two touchdowns. The Landshark defense allowed the Gamecocks 510 total yards in the game.

Ole Miss returns to action next Saturday as they travel to College Station, Texas to take on the Texas A&M Aggies.