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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss Football Prepares To Face The Crimson Tide Saturday
10/9/2000 | Football
Oct. 9, 2000
OXFORD, Miss - Coming off a 35-10 victory over Arkansas State last Saturday, the Ole Miss Rebel football squad now turns its attention to SEC Western Division foe Alabama this Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. (CT), and the contest will be televised nationally by ESPN.
Although Alabama is off to a 2-3 start, Ole Miss head coach David Cutcliffe expects Alabama to be ready for the Rebels.
"We are getting ready to get into a rough part of the schedule," Cutcliffe said. "Alabama has an outstanding football team. We have not played a team that has the team speed like Alabama does. It will be a great challenge for our football team."
Last year, Alabama defeated the Rebels (4-1, 2-1 SEC), 30-24 in Oxford. Ole Miss rallied for 17 straight points in the third quarter and had an opportunity to win the game in the final minutes. Deuce McAllister rushed for 63 yards on 13 carries and scored two touchdowns, including a 22-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, for the Rebels. Ole Miss quarterback Romaro Miller passed for 217 yards and one touchdown against the Crimson Tide. Alabama's Shaun Alexander led all rushers with 214 yards on 36 carries and scored three touchdowns. Alabama quarterback Andrew Zow passed for 177 yards, and receiver Freddie Milons had nine catches for 133 yards .
In last Saturday's 35-10 over Arkansas State, Miller passed for 226 yards and three touchdowns, and Deuce McAllister rushed for 85 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught a touchdown pass from Miller in the third quarter.
McAllister, an Heisman Trophy candidate, became the Rebels' all-time leading rusher with 2,729 yards in his career, passing Kayo Dottley's (1947-50) total of 2,654 yards. McAllister also became Ole Miss' all-time leading scorer with 210 points, surpassing Brian Lee's (1989-92) record of 207 points.
McAllister now holds seven career records at Ole Miss, rushing attempts (534), rushing yards (2,279), rushing touchdowns (31), career 100-yard rushing games (11), all-purpose yards (4,277), total touchdowns scored (35), and total points scored (210).
Miller became the school's career leader in touchdown passes with 34. He broke the record of 31--held at the time by Archie Manning, Kent Austin and Mark Young--with a 23-yard strike to L.J. Taylor in the second quarter against Arkansas State.
"I want to congratulate Romaro Miller and Deuce McAllister on the records that they set," Cutcliffe said. "I am proud of them and proud for them. They're both very special young men."
Cutcliffe also announced that center Charlie Perkins would miss the remainder of the season with a knee injury suffered in the Arkansas State game.
Sophomore center Ben Claxton, who hasn't played since suffering a fracture in his lower left leg in the season opener against Tulane, returned to the practice field Monday.
"Ben got in some limited work, but we held him out of all contact," Cutcliffe said. "It's still too early to tell if he will be able to play this week, but he is making some progress."
Following the Alabama game, Ole Miss will have an open date and will be back in action on Oct. 28 against UNLV in Oxford.
