From the Associated Press:
OXFORD, Miss. - Even Lane Kiffin admitted he was excited as the No. 11
Ole Miss Rebels make the decisive big plays in the final two minutes
for a 38-35 comeback win over Texas A&M Saturday.
Quinshon Judkins ran for three touchdowns, including the winning 1-yard
scoring with with 1:40 remaining. Zxavian Harris followed up on the
game's final play, tipping a 47-yard field goal attempt by Texas A&M
kicker Randy Bond to prevent overtime.
“What a really exciting way to finish a game. Exciting,” Kiffin
repeated. “We seemed in command, let it get away, come back to get ahead
and get a play at the end. Our guys really played well.”
The Rebels (8-1, 5-1 SEC) remained in second place in the SEC West race
with their fifth consecutive win. Texas A&M (5-4, 3-3) was denied bowl
eligibility for another week and lost for the third consecutive time to
the Rebels.
Judkins, who had 102 yards rushing on 23 carries, capped a nine-play,
75-yard drive to give the Rebels the decisive margin. Jaxson Dart was 24
of 33 for 387 yards and two touchdowns. Tre Harris caught 11 passes for
for 213 yards, including an 11-yard TD.
“It was an awesome game by Dart,” Kiffin said. “That was a really good
game against a good defense without a mistake and it still went to the
wire.”
The Rebels got scoring runs of 9 and 6 yards from Judkins to build a
20-14 halftime lead.
Jahdae Walker led Texas A&M with eight receptions for 100 yards and
Amari Daniels had 70 yards on 12 rushes with a 1-yard touchdown.
“Our guys fought, battled and we got to help them make one more play,”
Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said. “We got to find a couple of inches
and cure this problem.”
Max Johnson, 31 of 42 passing for 305 yards, rallied the Aggies from a
31-21 fourth quarter deficit, scoring on a 1-yard run for a 35-31 lead
with 4:34 remaining. Johnson threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to Jake
Johnson, but threw a third quarter interception to John Saunders Jr.
that halted a potential scorng drive.
A&M’s Le’Veon Moss left with an injury in the second half after running
nine times for 52 yards and a touchdown.
SPECIAL TEAMS TURNAROUND
Texas A&M, trailing 14-0 midway, kept the game close thanks to a big
play on special teams. After Ole Miss had a 12-yard touchdown run erased
by a holding penalty, Shemar Turner blocked Jacoby Mathews’ 41-yard
field goal attempt and returned it for a 75-yard touchdown to make it
14-7.
“It was critical. The special teams block got us back in the game,”
Fisher said. “Then we got rolling on offense.”
THE TAKEAWAY
Texas A&M: The road losing streak extended to nine games and the Aggies
are 0-4 against ranked teams. The Aggies still have to play at No. 13
LSU but otherwise have a manageable schedule and could still win eight
games.
Ole Miss: This marked the fourth time the Rebels overcame a
second-half deficit to win.
“We've been in this position before, so I was confident,” Dart said. “I
knew we would come back at the end. I just thought we might have scored
too fast. But it worked out.”
POLL IMPLICATIONS
The No. 11 Rebels have spent most of the season as the third-highest
ranked among six SEC teams in the Top 25. They have a chance to move up
depending on how teams ahead of them fare.
UP NEXT
Texas A&M: The Aggies host Mississippi State next Saturday to open a
two-game home stand.
OXFORD, Miss. - Even Lane Kiffin admitted he was excited as the No. 11
Ole Miss Rebels make the decisive big plays in the final two minutes
for a 38-35 comeback win over Texas A&M Saturday.
Quinshon Judkins ran for three touchdowns, including the winning 1-yard
scoring with with 1:40 remaining. Zxavian Harris followed up on the
game's final play, tipping a 47-yard field goal attempt by Texas A&M
kicker Randy Bond to prevent overtime.
“What a really exciting way to finish a game. Exciting,” Kiffin
repeated. “We seemed in command, let it get away, come back to get ahead
and get a play at the end. Our guys really played well.”
The Rebels (8-1, 5-1 SEC) remained in second place in the SEC West race
with their fifth consecutive win. Texas A&M (5-4, 3-3) was denied bowl
eligibility for another week and lost for the third consecutive time to
the Rebels.
Judkins, who had 102 yards rushing on 23 carries, capped a nine-play,
75-yard drive to give the Rebels the decisive margin. Jaxson Dart was 24
of 33 for 387 yards and two touchdowns. Tre Harris caught 11 passes for
for 213 yards, including an 11-yard TD.
“It was an awesome game by Dart,” Kiffin said. “That was a really good
game against a good defense without a mistake and it still went to the
wire.”
The Rebels got scoring runs of 9 and 6 yards from Judkins to build a
20-14 halftime lead.
Jahdae Walker led Texas A&M with eight receptions for 100 yards and
Amari Daniels had 70 yards on 12 rushes with a 1-yard touchdown.
“Our guys fought, battled and we got to help them make one more play,”
Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said. “We got to find a couple of inches
and cure this problem.”
Max Johnson, 31 of 42 passing for 305 yards, rallied the Aggies from a
31-21 fourth quarter deficit, scoring on a 1-yard run for a 35-31 lead
with 4:34 remaining. Johnson threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to Jake
Johnson, but threw a third quarter interception to John Saunders Jr.
that halted a potential scorng drive.
A&M’s Le’Veon Moss left with an injury in the second half after running
nine times for 52 yards and a touchdown.
SPECIAL TEAMS TURNAROUND
Texas A&M, trailing 14-0 midway, kept the game close thanks to a big
play on special teams. After Ole Miss had a 12-yard touchdown run erased
by a holding penalty, Shemar Turner blocked Jacoby Mathews’ 41-yard
field goal attempt and returned it for a 75-yard touchdown to make it
14-7.
“It was critical. The special teams block got us back in the game,”
Fisher said. “Then we got rolling on offense.”
THE TAKEAWAY
Texas A&M: The road losing streak extended to nine games and the Aggies
are 0-4 against ranked teams. The Aggies still have to play at No. 13
LSU but otherwise have a manageable schedule and could still win eight
games.
Ole Miss: This marked the fourth time the Rebels overcame a
second-half deficit to win.
“We've been in this position before, so I was confident,” Dart said. “I
knew we would come back at the end. I just thought we might have scored
too fast. But it worked out.”
POLL IMPLICATIONS
The No. 11 Rebels have spent most of the season as the third-highest
ranked among six SEC teams in the Top 25. They have a chance to move up
depending on how teams ahead of them fare.
UP NEXT
Texas A&M: The Aggies host Mississippi State next Saturday to open a
two-game home stand.
