Lane Kiffin talks about the Rebels’ 38-35 win over Texas A&M: ‘Just really proud of the way our guys battled’
OXFORD, Miss. – No. 10 Ole Miss (8-1, 5-1 SEC) defeated the Texas A&M Aggies, 38-35, in thrilling fashion on Saturday. Rebels’ head coach Lane Kiffin met with the media to discuss the win after the game.
“What an exciting finish to a game. It had an LSU feel, seemed like we were in command and let it slip away there and get back at the end. Go down and score on a 75-yard drive and block a kick at the end. I got to give our players a lot of credit.”
Lane Kiffin on the win
(Click here for a transcript of Kiffin’s postgame comments.)
Kiffin added that Texas A&M came into Oxford with an overall record of 5-3. “They have great players. Credit A&M for coming back in a game that was headed in one direction,” he said.
Ole Miss had an opportunity to go up 21-0 in the second quarter and had to attempt a 41-yard field goal by Caden Davis that was blocked and returned by Jacoby Matthews 75-yard touchdown return to get on the scoreboard.
“Just really proud of the way our guys battled and it’s one thing to go down and miss a short field goal. I thought our guys did a good job of holding them there to a longer field goal (at the end of the game).”
Lane Kiffin on his team battling
Junior quarterback Jaxson Dart had a big day against the Aggies with 387 yards passing and two touchdowns.
“I thought he was fabulous today,” Kiffin said of his quarterback. “Their statistics, and they are the best defense in the country. Negative plays, sacks and third down (which) they are third in the country,” he explained.
“That’s a really hard defense to play that well of a game at quarterback and take care of the ball at the same time too.”
Lane Kiffin on Dart
Against the Aggies, Dart threw no interceptions and was only sacked one time.
“Awesome game by (Dart) and Tre (Harris) showed up today and that is where we thought the matchup was that would help us,” Kiffin said.
Harris led the receiving corps with 11 receptions for 213 yards and a touchdown.
“Awesome game by Dart and obviously Tre (Harris), showing up today. That was kind of where we thought the matchup was that would help us in our favor, because obviously people really struggle inside against them. (The plan) was to just let Tre go one-on-one outside, so that takes Jaxson making the throws and Tre making some great plays.“
Lane Kiffin on Tre Harris
In the second half, Texas A&M began to run the ball more effectively than the first.
“Not really any changes that they made,” Kiffin said. “They just made plays and it’s part of the game. They have really good linemen and (quarterback) Max (Johnson) is very competitive and makes plays for them.”
Johnson finished the day going 31-42 for 305 yards passing a touchdown and an interception.
Kiffin added that the Rebels did a great job in the return game. “I don’t think they got a yard in the kickoff return game and only four yards in punt return,” he said.
Ole Miss heads to Athens next Saturday for a top–10 matchup against the Georgia Bulldogs.
“I am excited for (our players), our fans,” Kiffin said. “I just thought our guys had a good week of practice. I was a little concerned we haven’t had too many early kick games so I just tried myself to bring a lot of energy to them.
Adam Brown
Adam Brown joins The Rebel Walk as the Managing Editor after being on the Ole Miss beat as a Sports Editor for over 11 years. He is a lifelong Oxford resident. Brown graduated from the University of Mississippi with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.
Prior to The Rebel Walk, Brown was the sports editor of HottyToddy.com covering every Ole Miss sport and local high school sports in the community.
