Sep 6, 2014; Nashville, TN, USA; Mississippi Rebels quarterback DeVante Kincade (2) and receiver Quincy Adeboyejo (8) celebrate after a touchdown during the second half against the Vanderbilt Commodores at LP Field. Mississippi won 41-3. (Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Ole Miss made it look easy because it was easy.
Rolling up 547 total yards and never punting, the 15th-ranked Rebels opened their Southeastern Conference schedule on Saturday with a 41-3 rout of inept Vanderbilt at LP Field.
Quarterback Bo Wallace completed 23 of 30 passes for 320 yards and a touchdown in less than 2 1/2 quarters. Tight end Evan Ingram led the receiving corps with seven catches for 112 yards.
Running backs Jaylon Ingram and I’Tavius Mathers, along with backup quarterback DeVante Kincade, each had touchdown runs for Ole Miss (2-0, 1-0). Place-kicker Andrew Fletcher tacked on two short field goals.
The Rebels’ defense even got in on the act when cornerback Cliff Coleman made a shoe-top interception of a Stephen Rivers pass and returned it 39 yards for a touchdown 50 seconds into the third quarter.
The Commodores (0-2, 0-1), which have been outscored 78-10 in their first two games, avoided a shutout when kicker Tommy Openshaw converted a 26-yard field goal with 10:23 left.
Even that accomplishment came with a bit of a taint. Vandy took over at the Ole Miss 5 after nose tackle Vince Taylor recovered a fumble but went backward 4 yards in four plays.
Ingram started the scoring with a 20-yard run with 10:28 left in the first quarter, capping an 11-play, 75-yard drive.
Fletcher finished the Rebels’ next two possessions with 31 and 25-yard field goals. Wallace increased the lead to 20-0 when he found wide receiver Cody Core for a 20-yard scoring strike with 4:42 left in the first half.
After Coleman’s pick-six, Ole Miss’ offense continued its onslaught. Mathers’ 2-yard run with 9:29 remaining in the third quarter made it 34-0, and Kincade added a 2-yard touchdown run with 3:02 left upped the advantage to 41.
Rivers completed only 6 of 25 passes for 60 yards for the Commodores. Halfback Ralph Webb was their only bright spot on offense, rushing 18 times for 95 yards.
NOTES: This was Vanderbilt’s first regular-season game at LP Field since 2002, when it dropped a 24-0 decision to Tennessee. In those days, the stadium was known as Adelphia Coliseum. … Ole Miss opened SEC play on the road for the 10th time in 12 seasons and for the second straight year at Vandy. … Rebels redshirt freshman RB Jordan Wilkins is the younger brother of Commodores senior WR Trey Wilkins.
