Notes and Notables: Ole Miss defeats Liberty, 27-14

OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss defeated Liberty, 27-14, Saturday in what was current Liberty head coach and former Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze’s return to Vaught-Hemingway. Here are some notes and notables from the Rebels’ win.

GENERAL NOTES

• The Rebels are now 56-15 versus non-conference opponents dating back to a 38-0 win over Tulane on Nov. 12, 1994.• Attendance for today’s game was 53,235.
• Ole Miss has still only lost one home non-conference game since 2012 (Sept. 23, 2019 vs. #23 Cal, 28-20).
• Ole Miss has a 4-2 record against current FBS independents schools.

 OFFENSIVE NOTES

•  QB Matt Corral finished the game 20-of-27 for 324 yards and one touchdown.• This game marked the first time all season that Ole Miss tallied less than three fourth down attempts … The Rebels were 0-1 today on fourth down.
• Corral is now tied for fourth in school history with 10 career 300-yard passing games … It marked the third 300-yard passing performance for Corral this season.
• Corral has thrown a touchdown pass in 20 of his last 21 games.
• Corral remains No. 4 on Ole Miss career record book in completions (534) … He is just the fifth Rebel QB to surpass 500 career completions.
• Corral ranks No. 3 in career passing yards with 7,465 yards … Corral is only the third Ole Miss QB to surpass 7,000 yards.
• Corral is No. 3 in career total offense with 8,717 total yards.
• RB Jerrion Ealy led Ole Miss in rushing with a season-high 115 yards on 10 carries, including two TDs.
• Ealy’s 70-yard TD run on the second play of the game was the longest rush since 2019 when John Rhys Plumlee recorded a 75-yard rush against New Mexico State.
• Ealy moved to a tied for ninth all-time in Ole Miss history with 19 career rushing touchdowns.
• Ealy currently ranks just outside the top-10 on Ole Miss’ career charts with 1,903 rushing yards.
• WR Dannis Jackson registered six catches for 126 yards and a TD, career highs in both receptions and receiving yards.
• WR John Rhys Plumlee tallied career highs in both receptions (seven) and yards (110).
• It marked the first time since last season (vs. South Carolina) that Ole Miss had two receivers surpass the century mark (Elijah Moore & Braylon Sanders).

 DEFENSIVE NOTES

• Ole Miss has tallied two or more sacks in eight of the nine games this season.• The nine team sacks are the third-most by a Rebel team in a single game. (11 vs. Mississippi State, 2008; 10 vs. Vanderbilt, 1996).
• Ole Miss has now forced at least one turnover in 18 of the 19 games in the Kiffin era.
• The Rebels’ three interceptions are the most by an Ole Miss squad since 2019, when they tallied three INTs vs. Southeastern.
• Today marked the second time this season that Ole Miss has held an opponent scoreless during the first half.
• AJ Finley led the Rebels with 12 total tackles, including two interceptions.Finley becomes the first Rebel to tally two interceptions in the same game since CJ Moore register two interceptions vs. Cal in 2017.
• DL Sam Williams finished the game with eight tackles and two sacks.
• LB Chance Campbell tied his career high with 10 total tackles … It marks the third time this season Campbell has tallied three double-digit tackles this season.
• Williams now has 10.5 sacks on the year, which sets a new Ole Miss modern-day single season record.
• Williams has at least one sack in eight of nine games this season.
• The second quarter interception by Jaylon Jones was the first of his career.

 SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES

• Costa is 4-for-6 this season on field goals greater than 40 yards.• K Caden Costa was 2-for-3 on field goal attempts including a long of 43 yards.
• Costa’s 11 field goals on the season are the most by a true freshman since 2006, when Joshua Shene connected on 14 successful attempts.

(Notes and Notables, Feature image courtesy of Ole Miss Athletics)

Evelyn Van Pelt

Evelyn has covered sports for over two decades, beginning her journalism career as a sports writer for a newspaper in Austin, Texas. She attended Texas A&M and majored in English. Evelyn’s love for Ole Miss began when her daughter Katie attended the university on a volleyball scholarship. Evelyn created the Rebel Walk in 2013 and has served as publisher and managing editor since its inception.