Rebels Tame Wildcats

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

No. 14 Ole Miss defeated the No. 7 Kentucky Wildcats 22-19 on Saturday.

The Rebels (5-0, 1-0 SEC) used all three phases to secure the win over the Wildcats. Ole Miss ended Kentucky’s go-ahead drive by a sack on the Wildcats quarterback Will Levis by Jared Ivey, who forced a fumble that was picked up by Tavis Robinson.

Ole Miss jumped out to an early 14-0 advantage after two touchdown runs by Zach Evans from four yards out and a 48-yard dash by Quinshon Judkins in the first quarter. Sophomore quarterback Jaxson Dart got the Rebels down into scoring position on the first drive in six plays.

Judkins finished the day with 15 touches for 105 yards and a touchdown. Evans added nine attempts for 24 yards and a score.

Kentucky (4-1, 1-1 SEC) answered at the end of the quarter with a 10-yard run by Chris Rodriguez Jr. and missed the PAT to make it 14-6.

The Rebels would then score five more points in the second quarter on an intentional grounding in the end zone that resulted in a safety and a 53-yard field goal off the boot of Jonathan Cruz to make it 19-6.

Dart passed for 213 yards and an interception. He found seven different targets on the day with Malik Heath getting six catches for 100 yards.

Kentucky found the end zone prior to halftime on a five-yard connection from Levis to Tayvion Robinson. 

Ole Miss took a 19-12 advantage at halftime.

Kentucky scored its second touchdown of the day on a 17-yard pass by Levis.

In the second half, Ole Miss was held to a field goal in the third quarter by Cruz that broke the 19-19 tie.

Ole Miss put up 399 total yards of offense with 186 yards on the ground. The defense held the Wildcats to 328 yards of total offense.

Ole Miss travels to Nashville on Saturday to take on the Vanderbilt Commodores. The kick is set for 3 p.m. on SEC Network.