Sep 24, 2016; Oxford, MS, USA; Mississippi Rebels quarterback Chad Kelly (10) drops back to pass under pressure from Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Roquan Smith (3) during the first quarter of the game at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Photo Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports
OXFORD, Miss. — Domination, pure and simple.
Mississippi’s 45-14 win over No. 12 Georgia Saturday at Vaught-Hemmingway Stadium certainly qualified as that.
A crowd of 65,843 — the second-largest home attendance in school history — watched the No. 23 Rebels (2-2, 1-1 SEC) pile up 509 yards of offense, most courtesy of quarterback Chad Kelly, who completed 18 of 24 passes for 282 yards and two touchdowns. The senior also rushed three times for 42 yards, 41 coming on a touchdown run in the third quarter.
All total, five different players scored for the Rebels, including tight end Evan Engram, who led all receivers with six catches for 95 yards and one score.
Georgia, meanwhile, struggled with everything it tried.
That included heralded freshman quarterback Jacob Eason, who completed just 16 of 36 passes for 137 yards against the Rebels, who posted their largest margin of victory in an SEC contest since a 41-3 win over Vanderbilt in 2014.
This one was over quickly.
After stopping Georgia (3-1, 1-1) on the Bulldogs’ opening drive, the Rebels quickly got on the board with a 24-yard field goal by Gary Wunderlich.
That was just the beginning.
On the Bulldogs’ ensuing possession, a 52-yard pick-six by cornerback Derrick Jones gave Ole Miss even more momentum.
The Rebels’ offense took it from there, scoring first on 1-yard run by D’Vaughn Pennamon to push the lead to 17-0 before passes of 55 and 19 yards to DaMarkus Lodge and Evan Engram, respectively, extended the halftime lead to 31-0.
It would get much worse.
The Rebels tacked on two more touchdowns in the third, one on a 5-yard pass from Jason Pellerian to Eugene Brazley that was followed by Kelly’s 41-yard run.
Georgia finally got on the board with five minutes left in the third quarter on a 10-yard run by freshman Brian Herrien, who also scored the Bulldogs’ second and final touchdown on a 1-yard run with 7:38 to go in the game.
NOTES: Georgia’s 31-0 halftime deficit was the largest for Bulldogs since trailing Alabama 31-0 in 2008. The Crimson Tide went to win that game 41-30. … With 323 total yards, Kelly became Ole Miss’ all-time leader in career offensive yardage, breaking the record of 5,621 held by Archie Manning. … George RB Nick Chubb rushed 12 times for 57 yards before leaving the game in the second quarter. He did not return.
