Instant Reaction: Ole Miss defeats Liberty, 27-14

OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss got off to a quick start, racking up 24 points in the first half. And although the offense cooled off in the second half, the Rebels fought through injuries and defeated Hugh Freeze and his Liberty team, 27-14, at Vaught-Hemingway.

Here’s our instant reaction from today’s game:

Positive

• The Ole Miss defense forced Liberty QB Malik Willis to throw three interceptions and held him to only 71 yards on 27 carries. The Rebels also got to the quarterback very well in the game, totaling 9 sacks as a team.

• With wide receivers Jonathan Mingo and Dontario Drummond out and Braylon Sanders only getting four targets, catching two, it was good to see John Rhys Plumlee (110 yards) and Dannis Jackson (126) go for over 100 yards receiving. They helped fill some of the void left with the absence of the starters.

Negative

• Although the Rebels came away with the win, the second half left a bit to be desired as they only scored three points and 164 total yards of offense in the third and fourth quarters. This compares to the 302 yards and 24 points in the first half. In the upcoming games it will be important for Ole Miss to remain laser focused in all four quarters and finish games.

Offensive MVP: Jerrion Ealy

• Ealy finished the game with 15 carries for 115 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. He also added 4 receptions for 24 yards. His 70-yard rushing touchdown on the opening series set the tone for the game.

Defensive MVP: AJ Finley

• Finley finished the game with 12 total tackles and two interceptions. Finley’s second interception came in the fourth quarter on a Liberty first down on the Ole Miss 16-yard line, and it sealed the victory for the Rebels.

Honorable Mention: Sam Williams

• Williams finished the game with 8 total tackles, two 2 sacks, 2.5 tackles for loss and one forced fumble. He also set the modern-era, single-season sack record for Ole Miss and has a total of 10.5 thus far. 

Play of the Game: Jerrion Ealy 70-yard TD run

• Ealy’s 70-yard touchdown run on the second play from scrimmage got the ball rolling for the Rebels.

(Feature image credit: Josh McCoy, Ole Miss)