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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
5-1
Middle Tennessee (HC)
5-2
Balanced Attack Carries Rebels Past Blue Raiders, 45-17
10/20/2001 | Football
Oct 20, 2001
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OXFORD, Miss. (AP) - Mississippi used its rejuvenated running game to set up passing opportunities for quarterback Eli Manning in a 45-17 homecoming victory over Middle Tennessee.
Manning threw three touchdown passes, Joe Gunn ran for 111 yards on 19 carries and Charles Stackhouse added 85 yards on 16 carries.
The Rebels (5-1) outgained the Blue Raiders (5-2) 478 yards to 328 to set up an important Southeastern Conference game next week at LSU.
Runs by Stackhouse and Gunn spurred the Rebels on a 74-yard, 15-play opening drive with Stackhouse scoring on a 1-yard run. Syniker Taylor returned an interception 44 yards to quickly get the ball back and Ole Miss got a 26-yard field goal by Jonathan Nichols.
After holding Ole Miss on a fourth-and-1 play midway through the second quarter, Middle Tennessee (5-2) put together a 9-play, 66-yard scoring drive with Kendall Newson catching a 14-yard touchdown pass from backup quarterback Jason Johnson.
Johnson, 11-for-25 for 115 yards, replaced starter Wes Counts with less than 10 minutes gone in the contest and played the remainder of the day. Counts threw the interception to Taylor after entering the game completing 71 percent of his passes.
A pair of catches by Armstead positioned the Rebels for another score just before halftime. Manning, 25-of-31 for 257 yards, drove the Rebels 80 yards in 15 plays, capped by a 12-yard touchdown throw to Collins.
Collins had eight catches in the first half but left with a high ankle sprain early in the third period and didn't return.
After Brian Kelly's 26-yard field goal pulled Middle Tennessee to 17-10, Ole Miss drove 80 yards in 10 plays and scored on Manning's 29-yard pass to Bill Flowers.
Von Hutchins and Matt Grier combined for 15 tackles to lead Mississippi's defense, while Michael Woods led the Blue Raiders with 12 tackles.
Team Stats
MT 0, UM 7
UM - C. Stackhouse 1 yd run (J. Nichols kick), 15 plays, 74 yards, TOP 6:10
MT 0, UM 10
UM - J. Nichols 27 yd field goal 4 plays, -3 yards, TOP 1:32
MT 7, UM 10
MT - NEWSON, Kendall 14 yd pass from JOHNSON, Jason (KELLY, Brian kick) 9 plays, 66 yards, TOP 3:42
MT 7, UM 17
UM - Chris Collins 12 yd pass from Eli Manning (J. Nichols kick) 15 plays, 80 yards, TOP 6:01
MT 10, UM 17
MT - KELLY, Brian 25 yd field goal 10 plays, 72 yards, TOP 3:09
MT 10, UM 24
UM - Bill Flowers 29 yd pass from Eli Manning (J. Nichols kick) 10 plays, 80 yards, TOP 3:48
MT 10, UM 31
UM - C. Stackhouse 1 yd run (J. Nichols kick), 8 plays, 69 yards, TOP 4:46
MT 10, UM 38
UM - Bill Flowers 27 yd pass from Eli Manning (J. Nichols kick) 2 plays, 29 yards, TOP 0:43
MT 17, UM 38
MT - CALICO, Tyrone 22 yd pass from JOHNSON, Jason (KELLY, Brian kick) 8 plays, 75 yards, TOP 3:01
MT 17, UM 45
UM - Joe Gunn 3 yd run (J. Nichols kick), 14 plays, 80 yards, TOP 7:33