GAMER: Ole Miss finishes perfect 7-0 season at home with 35-3 win over ULM
OXFORD, Miss. – Returning to the Vaught and still on pace for a record-setting season, the Ole Miss Rebels defeated the ULM Warhawks 35-3 on a day of military appreciation and senior send-offs.
7-0 at the Vaught ✅ pic.twitter.com/1mgKH1SkMP
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) November 18, 2023
Offense
Per usual, the Rebels received the opening kick and Quinshon Judkins helped carry the load quickly into ULM territory. However, the Warhawk defensive line held strong to force a 50-yard field goal attempt from Caden Davis that missed wide right.
After the Warkawks quickly went three-and-out, Ole Miss did not capitalize on the opportunity, turning the ball over on downs in their own territory.
But with just under 5 minutes in the quarter, the Rebels finally found the endzone. A drive that was full of big rushes from Judkins and Ulysses Bentley IV eventually ended in a 14-yard scamper to paydirt for Bentley.
Rebs strike first 🥇@BentleyDoo | @SECNetwork pic.twitter.com/dznTM63vGy
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) November 18, 2023
Following the interception by the defense, the Rebel offensive line continued to struggle as it did for much of the game. Jaxson Dart was sacked twice on the drive, which led to a squandered opportunity for Ole Miss on offense once again.
Dart spoke postgame on the offensive lull in the first half.
“I was super frustrated, especially because it was senior day, you wanna play good for those guys with all the work that they’ve put in. That first half was definitely frustrating and we had a lot of guys speak up in the halftime locker and really helped kick guys into focus. I just felt like we were just kicking ourselves in the foot a little bit, just not finishing plays. We were moving the ball just fine, we just weren’t finishing. So, I was super happy with how we were able to close out the second half.”
Dart on the first half struggles
The Ole Miss offense could not get anything going outside of the one drive of big runs from both Rebel backs. After the touchdown, the offensive line really started to struggle for the Rebels, failing to get any type of push for much of the game.
Coach Kiffin commented postgame on the offensive line struggles without Jayden Williams and Micah Pettus. Pettus underwent surgery this week and is presumably out for the remainder of the season.
“I would think Jayden (Williams) will be back. Without watching this film yet, I can’t really give a perfect assessment. Holding penalties kind of felt a little big in the game.”
Kiffin on the offensive line
Coming out of the half, Dart began to find his tight end Caden Prieskorn for multiple big plays to keep the drive alive. A couple of runs from Judkins eventually put the Rebels back in scoring position which allowed Dart to give Tre Harris a 50/50 ball that the ‘big play’ receiver pulled in for the touchdown grab.
Can’t defend that 😬@JaxsonDart ➡️ @_treharris13 pic.twitter.com/8CsigiI1qY
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) November 18, 2023
Set up nicely around midfield by their defense, the Ole Miss offense went back to work through the air as Dart continued to find Prieskorn. The Rebel signal-caller eventually found his tight end out in the flats for a 2-yard touchdown pass to make it 21-3 late in the third quarter.
First TD for the TE ‼️@JaxsonDart ➡️ @cpkorn12 pic.twitter.com/t3rgu4Fwdf
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) November 18, 2023
“Just doing whatever they asked me to do, whether it was blocking or catching. Just did my job as a whole and got out there and competed.”
Prieskorn on his career day as a Rebel
The senior tight end had 6 catches for 69 yards and a score, which was his first touchdown as a Rebel.
The Ole Miss offense found its stride in the third quarter, continuing to find open field through the air. Dart tossed his third touchdown of the game, this time to Dayton Wade, finding the senior wideout over the middle of the field and letting him do the rest for the 58-yard score.
Your weekly crazy Dayton Wade highlight 💨@JaxsonDart ➡️ @__vierr pic.twitter.com/Y2Gwi4gyaq
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) November 18, 2023
As the fourth quarter began to roll on, Ole Miss began to rotate backups in as Spencer Sanders took the field at quarterback. Sanders found freshman wideout Cayden Lee on a bubble screen that Lee decided to turn into a 51-yard house call for his second touchdown of the year.
Second career catch, second career TD for the freshman 🥳@SpenceSanders | @Cayden_X_Lee pic.twitter.com/wKwbXPILsK
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) November 18, 2023
Outside of Prieskorn’s best game of the year, Dart finished the day with 310 yards passing, 3 touchdowns and a 77% completion rate. Dayton Wade also had another 100+ yard game along with his long catch and run for a score.
Defense
With their backs against the endzones after a turnover on downs from the Rebel offense, the Landshark defense did what they’ve done all season and got to the quarterback. Ladarius Tennison was in on the sack for the Rebels, as the hybrid safety found himself in the backfield often and early in this one.
Through one quarter of play, the Rebel defense held the Warhawks to just one yard total on offense. A strange stat to see and something to be fired up about on the Ole Miss side after a tough defensive showing a week ago.
After putting together what looked to be their first good drive of the game, the ULM quarterback decided to take a shot down field into no-man’s land. Trey Washington was there and came down with his fourth pick of the year to put the Ole Miss offense back on the field.
INTrey @ht_trey1 | @SECNetwork pic.twitter.com/DzmUGfYnF3
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) November 18, 2023
Following the solid first quarter from the Ole Miss defense, the Warhawks figured it out on the ground in the second. ULM gained 102 of their 103 total yards in the quarter, eventually ending the half with a field goal to make it 7-3 as time expired in the first half.
Trey Washington spoke postgame about what Ole Miss could have done better defensively.
“We should have stopped the run and forced them to throw the ball more so we could create more turnovers. Yeah, it was frustrating, but we have to move on and continue to improve.”
Washington on the defensive performance
ULM continued to move the ball well on the ground against the Rebel defense; however, the Warhawks elected to go for it on fourth down around midfield which ended with the ULM quarterback saving his team the loss of yards and throwing it into the ground to give the Rebs the ball back.
Again, the Warhawks moved the ball well into Ole Miss territory only for the Rebel defense to stand tall on fourth once again to keep ULM out of the endzone as they did all game.
D comes through again 🛑 pic.twitter.com/Yg2WxgHxN3
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) November 18, 2023
After the field goal going into the half, the Rebel defense forced 3 punts and 3 turnovers on downs in the second half. Ole Miss held ULM to fewer than 30 yards on four straight drives at one point in the half as well.
Ladarius Tennison had a solid day with 6 tackles, a sack and a pair of tackles for loss. Of course, Washington came away with the lone turnover for the Rebels as well.
Kiffin explained his halftime message to the team.
“Just told guys to reset and really challenge themselves. Act like they’re going out to a SEC game, they got a half left here, come out with some great intensity and try to challenge or bring their own energy. They were gonna have to bring it themselves.”
Kiffin on his halftime message
Up Next
The Rebels have a short week as they are back on the road for the final game of the season next Thursday to take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs. The Egg Bowl is scheduled for a 6:30 pm CT kickoff on ESPN.
Kameron Wicker
Kam is a senior at Ole Miss, currently pursuing a degree in Journalism. Even though he's from Delhi, Louisiana, that didn't stop Kam from growing up a diehard Ole Miss fan. He's a sports guru who watches and follows all sports at all times. He lettered four years in football and baseball in high school and is an avid Saints, Pelicans, and Astros fan. In his free time, you can find him watching sports or at the rec participating in them.
