Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins continues his march on the record books
OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins continued his march on the record books Thursday night in Starkville as the Rebels defeated Mississippi State, 17-7.
Judkins pushed his season total over 1,000 yards and became just the third running back in Ole Miss history to rush for over 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons. He also scored his 15th rushing TD on the season.
Make it back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons for Quinshon Judkins!@qaj4_ | ESPN pic.twitter.com/i8sA6hYSP4
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) November 24, 2023
With that, Judkins stands alongside legendary Georgia running back Herschel Walker as the only running backs in SEC history to have both 1,000 yards and 15 TDs in each of his first two seasons.
After the win over State, Judkins commented on his accomplishments.
“You know, I think it’s a great milestone. I’m just thankful and blessed to be in this position, thankful for the guys up front that help me get through holes. With the win that we got today, I think overall everyone is excited and happy because we came out on top, so I’m looking forward to our next game.“
Quinshon Judkins on crossing the 1,000-yard-mark again
During the Thanksgiving matchup in Starkville, Quinshon rushed for 119 yards on 28 carries, the most of any rusher on the field. After rushing for 91 yards and losing last year’s Egg Bowl, Judkins described how motivated the team felt heading into this year’s game.
“The whole process from losing that last game last year and then coming back and preparing, waiting for this game on our schedule. I think everybody came into this game with a chip on their shoulder, knowing that each team was going to give it their best and we ended up on top.“
Quinshon Judkins
Although the final score was 17-7, the Rebs only led 3-0 at the half and struggled to move the ball. Judkins only had nine carries for 40 yards in the first two quarters, and Dart had completed 10-of-17 passes, averaging 2.4 yards per pass. Luckily, in the second half, Ole Miss more than doubled its rushing yards and handed the ball off 22 more times than in the first.
Quinshon Judkins: TAKEOVER 😤
Judkins locked in his 1K yard season for Ole Miss on rivalry week:
🔴 119 yards
🔵 92 YAContact
🔴 15 forced missed tackles
🔵 TDpic.twitter.com/fsLVMoq4tH
— Redshirt Heisman (@TasteOfSport) November 24, 2023
“That shows the belief that Coach Kiffin and Coach Weis have in me. We knew the game plan going into this game, and those guys on State’s side of the ball stunted a lot, plugged the holes, so we wanted to have time to gameplan, and we came back out and kept running the ball.“
Quinshon Judkins on the Rebels’ second-half ground game
One of Judkins’ many impressive stretches in the game occurred after Jaxson Dart was left lying on the ground following a helmet-to-helmet collision. Judkins rushed for 38 yards on five carries in the drive, capping it off with a touchdown run that gave the Rebs a 10-7 lead.
Judkins explained how seeing his quarterback injured brought his energy to another level.
“That definitely fired me up that our quarterback was laying on the ground and those guys were just stomping over him, so I took it personal and did that.“
Quinshon on being motivated even more
After the Egg Bowl victory, Ole Miss has achieved its second 10-win season in three years under head coach Lane Kiffin. This year’s group has only suffered losses to Alabama and Georgia, both on the road and both two of the best teams in the country. The Rebels have a chance to get 11 wins, the most in Ole Miss history.
Judkins talked about why this team has been so successful.
“I think because everyone is all in. No guy is focused on himself or stats. Everyone wants to win, everyone wants to be the best that they can, and they’re supporting everyone else that’s on the offensive side of the ball, defensive, kickers, everyone on the team. Everyone’s involved, and we care about each other.“
Quinshon Judkins
On December 3rd, the Rebs will find out who and where they play for their bowl game, but until then, let’s celebrate the achievements of this year’s incredibly talented team.
Hotty Toddy!
