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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Football Game Notes
10/21/2002 | Football
Oct. 21, 2002
AUDIO LINKS
(Thursday, 6-7 pm) | Live Game Broadcast (Noon airtime) |
OLE MISS LINKS
Ole Miss Game Notes in PDF Format (updated Oct. 23, 2002) | Depth Chart in PDF Format | Ole Miss Statistics | Current Player Career Statistics and School Record Book (updated on Tuesday) | Monday Press Conference Transcript | Game Preview
ARKANSAS LINKS
Arkansas Game Notes in PDF Format
MISCELLANEOUS LINKS
SEC Weekly Release in PDF Format (updated Oct. 23, 2002)
DATE: Saturday, October 26, 2002
TIME: 1:00 p.m.
SITE: Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium (72,000).
TV: None
RADIO: Ole Miss Radio Network (David Kellum, play-by-play; Harry Harrison, color analyst; Stan Sandroni, sideline reporter; Gary Darby, Pregame host).
POLLS: Ole Miss dropped out of both The Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today Coaches Top 25 polls, after being ranked No. 21 last week by The AP and No. 22 in the ESPN/USA Today poll. The Rebels did, however, receive 17 votes in this week's AP poll and 15 in the ESPN/USA Today rankings. Arkansas is unranked. (see the National Rankings on page 6).
SERIES INFO: Saturday's meeting will the 49th all-time between Ole Miss and Arkansas dating back to 1908. Ole Miss records show the Rebels trailing 23-24-1 in the all-time series, while Arkansas' records indicate a 25-22-1 advantage for the Razorbacks. Arkansas claims a forfeit victory in a 1914 game that Ole Miss won 13-7. Ole Miss is 1-5 all-time at Fayetteville, however, the Rebels earned their first-ever win there the last time the two teams played in Fayetteville in 2000, 38-24. Ole Miss has won three of the last five meetings, though, the Razorbacks snapped a two-game losing streak in the series with last year's 58-56 seven-overtime win in Oxford. The two teams met almost yearly from 1937-1969 before the series took a hiatus until 1981. The two schools have played yearly since then, and Ole Miss is 8-12-1 against Arkansas since the series resumed. The Rebels and Razorbacks have split the 10 meetings since Arkansas joined the SEC in 1992.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Junior QB Eli Manning (New Orleans, La.) needs one TD pass to take sole possession of first place on the Ole Miss career list ... The Rebels are looking to snap a three-game road skid ... Ole Miss is 10-4 following a loss under head coach David Cutcliffe.
OLE MISS HEAD COACH DAVID CUTCLIFFE: David Cutcliffe (Alabama, 1976) is in his fourth full season as the head coach of the Rebels. He was named the 34th head coach at The University of Mississippi on Dec. 2, 1998 after 17 seasons as an assistant at Tennessee. He coached his first game four weeks later in the 1998 Independence Bowl, and guided the Rebels to a 35-18 win over heavily-favored Texas Tech. Cutcliffe has a 28-15 record at Ole Miss, leading the Rebels to at least seven wins in each of his first full three seasons to become the only coach besides Harry J. Mehre to win at least seven games in each of his first three seasons at the school. Cutcliffe is 2-1 against Arkansas and Razorbacks head coach Houston Nutt.
ARKANSAS HEAD COACH HOUSTON NUTT: Houston Nutt is in his fifth season as the head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks. He is 33-21 with the Razorbacks and 69-43 in his 10th year as a collegiate head coach. Prior to Arkansas, Nutt served four seasons as the head coach at Murray State from 1993-1996, posting a 31-16 record, and coached Boise State for one season in 1997, leading the Broncos to a 5-6 mark. Nutt is 2-2 against Ole Miss, and 1-2 versus Rebel Head Coach David Cutcliffe.
ARKANSAS SCOUTING REPORT: Arkansas is averaging 31.3 points and 441.2 yards of offense per game. The Razorbacks rank 14th in the nation in total offense, and are third in the nation in rushing offense, averaging 275.5 yards per game. Senior RB Fred Talley is averaging 91.0 yards per game on the ground, having rushed for a team-leading 546 yards on 71 carries and one TD. He is averaging 7.7 yards per carry. Sophomore QB Matt Jones is a dual threat, having completed 56-of-101 passes for 827 yards with six TDs and three interceptions, and is the team's second-leading rusher with 367 yards on 64 carries and three scores. Junior SE George Wilson is Arkansas' leading receiver with 22 catches for 268 yards and two scores. Defensively, Arkansas is allowing an average of 22.3 points and 372.8 yards per game. Senior punter Richie Butler ranks seventh in the nation with an average of 44.3 yards per punt, and has a long of 79 this season.
2002 ARKANSAS SCHEDULE/RESULTS (3-3, 1-3 SEC)
| SEPT. 7 | BOISE STATE | W, 41-14 |
| SEPT. 14 | SOUTH FLORIDA | W, 42-3 |
| SEPT. 28 | ALABAMA* | L, 12-30 |
| Oct. 5 | at Tennessee* | L, 38-41 (6 OT) |
| Oct. 12 | at Auburn* | W, 38-17 |
| OCT. 19 | KENTUCKY* | L, 17-29 |
| OCT. 26 | OLE MISS* | 1 PM |
| NOV. 2 | TROY STATE | TBA |
| Nov. 9 | at South Carolina* | TBA |
| NOV. 16 | LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE | TBA |
| Nov. 23 | at Mississippi State* | TBA |
| NOV. 29 | LSU* | 1:30 PM |
* - SEC game.
HOME GAMES IN BOLD CAPS
All times are Central.
ELI MANNING FACT SHEET
MANNING TIES ANOTHER MARK: Eli Manning (New Orleans, La.) needs one TD pass to take sole possession of first place on the Ole Miss career list. He is currently tied with Romaro Miller (1997-2000) for first place with 43. Manning tied Miller's school career mark with three TD passes against Arkansas State (10/12). Manning's 43 career TD passes is also tied with Miller for 18th place on the SEC's career list.
CHART TOPPER: Enters Saturday's game at Arkansas having set or tied 18 school records (see box below).
NOTING ELI
* Is 12-6 (.667 winning percentage) as a starter.
* Is on the Davey O'Brien Award watch list for the nation's top quarterback, and is on the Football Writers' Association of America (FWAA) All-America watch list.
* Listed as a candidate by the Walter Camp Foundation for its prestigious Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, the fourth oldest individual college football award in the country.
* Named to the 2002 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Good Works Team.
* Completed 18 passes at Alabama last Saturday to pass Archie Manning (1968-70) and Mark Young (1985-88) for fourth place on the Ole Miss career list with 414. Archie was fifth in career completions with 402 and Young was fourth with 410.
* The 219 passing yards against the Crimson Tide moved him past his father, Archie (1968-70), for fifth place on the school's career list with 4,907. Archie passed for 4,753 yards during his career.
* Needs 84 yards passing to tie Mark Young (1985-88) for fourth place on the Ole Miss career list with 4,971.
* Is 93 passing yards shy of becoming the fourth passer in Ole Miss history to total 5,000 career passing yards.
* Needs 137 total yards of offense to become the sixth player in Ole Miss history to reach the 5,000-yard mark.
* Can tie Mark Young (1985-88) for fifth place on the Ole Miss career list for total offense with 168 yards. Young totaled 5,031 yards of total offense during his career.
* Is averaging 202.6 yards of total offense per game in 24 career games, ranking first on the Ole Miss career list entering Saturday's game with Arkansas.
* Became the first quarterback in school history to record back-to-back 300-yard passing games, throwing for 374 yards at Texas Tech (9/14) and for 386 yards against Vanderbilt (9/21).
* The 386 yards against Vanderbilt ranks third on the school's single-game list, and his 374 yards versus Texas Tech was the fifth-highest total in school history.
* The 386-yard performance against the Commodores was his fourth career 300-yard performance to set a new Ole Miss career record.
* Set a school single-game record against Vanderbilt for average yards per passing attempt at 9.4 (min. 40 attempts).
* Had completions of 79 and 78 yards against Vanderbilt, making him the only quarterback in school history to have two completions of over 70 yards in the same game ... Also joins Romaro Miller as the only quarterbacks to have at least two completions of over 70 yards in a career at Ole Miss. Miller had three career completions of over 70 yards.
* 396 yards of total offense against Vanderbilt and the 376 yards of offense versus Texas Tech ranks fourth and fifth, respectively, on the Ole Miss single-game list.
* Average of 9.2 yards per play against Vanderbilt ranks as the highest in school history by a player who recorded between 40-49 plays (rush+pass attempts) in a game.
* 57 pass attempts at Texas Tech set a new Ole Miss single-game mark, breaking the previous record of 56 set by his father, Archie, against Southern Miss on Oct. 17, 1970.
* The 34 pass completions versus the Red Raiders was the third-highest single-game total in Ole Miss history, three shy of Kent Austin's single-game record of 37 against Tennessee in 1982 ... Manning also holds the second-highest single-game total with 35 set last year versus Georgia.
* Had a streak of 110 consecutive passes without an interception, the fifth-longest streak in school history, from the second quarter of the Texas Tech contest (9/14) to the first quarter of the Arkansas State game (10/12).
* Was 14-of-19 passing for 290 yards with three TDs and one interception versus the Indians ... While the 14 completions matched his career low as a starter, averaged 20.7 yards per completion in the contest.
* Started the Alabama game (10/19) with seven straight completions to give him a streak of 13 straight completions dating back to the second quarter of the Arkansas State contest (10/12).
MANNING IN THE NCAA RANKINGS
(through games of October 19)
| CATEGORY | NO. | RANK |
| Lowest Percentage of Passes Intercepted | 1.65 | 13th |
| Passing Attempts Per Game | 34.71 | 18th |
| TD:Int Ratio | 3:1 | 20th |
| Passing Yards Per Game | 255.6 | 20th |
| Completions Per Game | 19.86 | 22nd |
MANNING IN THE SEC RANKINGS
| CATEGORY | NO. | RANK |
| Passing Yards Per Game | 255.6 | 2nd |
| Completions Per Game | 19.86 | 2nd |
| Passing Attempts Per Game | 34.71 | 2nd |
| Total Offense Per Game | 247.4 | 2nd |
| Lowest Percentage of Passes Intercepted | 1.65 | 3rd |
| TD:Int Ratio | 3:1 | 3rd |
| Touchdown Passes | 12 | 3rd |
| Total Offensive Plays | 257 | 3rd |
SCHOOL RECORDS HELD BY MANNING
SINGLE GAME
Passing Attempts: 57, at Texas Tech (9/14/2002) Consecutive Pass Completed: 18 vs. Murray State (9/1/2001)
Completion Percentage (30-39 attempts): 80.6 (25x31) vs. Middle Tennessee (10/20/2001)
TD Passes: 6 vs. Arkansas (11/3) - broke his own record of 5 set against Murray State on Sept. 1, 2001
SEASON
Passing Yards: 2,948 (2001)
Passing Attempts: 408 (2001)
Completions: 259 (2001)
Highest Percentage of Passes for TDs: 7.60 (2001)
Pass Effic. Rating (min. 200 attempts): 144.8 (2001)
Total Offense: 2,957 (2001)
Total Offensive Plays (rush + pass): 442 (2001)
Total TDs Responsible For: 31 (2001)
Most TD Passes in a Three-Game Span: 12 from Oct. 20-Nov. 3, 2001 vs. Middle Tennessee, LSU and Arkansas
CAREER
Career TD Passes: 43* (tied with Romaro Miller) Consecutive Games with a TD Pass: 16, 2000 Music City Bowl - present
Consecutive 200-yard Passing Games: 11, Sept. 1, 2001- present
Consecutive 250-yard Passing Games: 6, Sept. 1-Oct. 20, 2001
Career 250-yard Passing Games: 11
Career 300-yard Passing Games: 4
MANNING'S GAME-BY-GAME STATISTICS
-2000-
| Opponent | Cmp-Att-Int | Yds | TD |
| Tulane | 1-5-0 | 4 | 0 |
| at Vanderbilt | 2-3-0 | 17 | 0 |
| Arkansas State | 3-4-0 | 25 | 0 |
| at Alabama | 5-9-0 | 36 | 0 |
| at Arkansas | 0-0-0 | 0 | 0 |
| at Georgia | 5-12-1 | 88 | 0 |
| West Virginia -1 | 12-20-1 | 167 | 3 |
-2001-
| Opponent | Cmp-Att-Int | Yds | TD |
| Murray State* | 20-23-0 | 271 | 5 |
| at Auburn* | 24-39-1 | 265 | 1 |
| at Kentucky* | 19-36-0 | 268 | 2 |
| at Arkansas State* | 20-29-0 | 269 | 2 |
| Alabama* | 22-41-0 | 325 | 1 |
| Middle Tennessee* | 25-31-0 | 257 | 3 |
| at LSU* | 28-44-1 | 249 | 3 |
| Arkansas* | 27-42-0 | 312 | 6 |
| Georgia* | 35-47-1 | 233 | 2 |
| at Mississippi State* | 16-36-3 | 213 | 2 |
| Vanderbilt* | 23-40-3 | 286 | 4 |
-2002-
| Opponent | Cmp-Att-Int | Yds | TD |
| UL-Monroe* | 17-31-1 | 192 | 1 |
| Memphis* | 14-30-0 | 174 | 3 |
| at Texas Tech* | 34-57-1 | 374 | 3 |
| Vanderbilt* | 24-41-0 | 386 | 2 |
| Florida* | 18-33-0 | 154 | 0 |
| Arkansas State* | 14-19-1 | 290 | 3 |
| at Alabama* | 18-32-1 | 219 | 0 |
1- Music City Bowl at Nashville, Tenn.
CLUTCH PERFORMER: When the game is on the line, Eli Manning has a knack for performing in the clutch during the fourth quarter. Entering Saturday's game with Saturday's game at Arkansas, Manning's career pass efficiency rating of 148.4 in the fourth quarter is his highest in any quarter (except overtime). The following chart breaks down Manning's career stats by quarter:
FIRST QUARTER
| Year | Cmp-Att-Int | Yds | TD | Rating |
| 2000 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2001 | 59-86-0 | 638 | 3 | 142.3 |
| 2002 | 30-58-2 | 302 | 1 | 94.3 |
| TOTAL | 89-144-2 | 940 | 4 | 123.0 |
SECOND QUARTER
| Year | Cmp-Att-Int | Yds | TD | Rating |
| 2000 | 1-3-0 | 15 | 0 | 75.3 |
| 2001 | 70-109-4 | 756 | 8 | 139.4 |
| 2002 | 44-71-2 | 518 | 6 | 145.5 |
| TOTAL | 115-183-6 | 1289 | 14 | 140.7 |
THIRD QUARTER
| Year | Cmp-Att-Int | Yds | TD | Rating |
| 2000 | 3-5-0 | 21 | 0 | 95.3 |
| 2001 | 62-106-1 | 646 | 3 | 117.1 |
| 2002 | 36-64-0 | 646 | 2 | 151.4 |
| TOTAL | 101-175-1 | 1313 | 5 | 129.0 |
FOURTH QUARTER
| Year | Cmp-Att-Int | Yds | TD | Rating |
| 2000 | 24-45-2 | 301 | 3 | 122.63 |
| 2001 | 58-93-4 | 811 | 12 | 169.60 |
| 2002 | 29-50-0 | 323 | 3 | 132.1 |
| TOTAL | 111-188-6 | 1435 | 18 | 149.1 |
OVERTIME
| Year | Cmp-Att-Int | Yds | TD | Rating |
| 2001 | 10-14-0 | 97 | 5 | 247.49 |
| TOTAL | 10-14-0 | 97 | 5 | 247.49 |
NOTE: Totals include the 2000 Music City Bowl
BRINGING IT BACK INTO THE FAMILY: Heading into Saturday's game with Alabama, junior QB Eli Manning has broken 10 school records in his career that were either held by Archie Manning, who played at Ole Miss from 1968-1970, or were at one time. The following chart shows marks currently held by Eli, that were also set at one time by Archie:
| CATEGORY | ELI | ARCHIE (YEAR) | WHEN ARCHIE'S MARK FELL |
| Passing Attempts - Game | 57 | 56 (1970) | Broken by Eli versus Texas Tech (9/14) |
| Passing Yards - Season | 2,948 | 1,762 (1969) | 1980 by John Fourcade (1,897) |
| Pass Attempts - Season | 408 | 265 (1969) | 1980 by John Fourcade (286) |
| Pass Completions - Season | 259 | 154 (1969) | 1982 by Kent Austin (186) |
| Total Offense - Season | 2,957 | 2,264 (1969) | 1980 by John Fourcade (2,299) |
| Total Plays (Rush + Pass) - Season | 442 | 389 (1969) | 1980 by John Fourcade (411) |
| TDs Responsible For - Season | 31 | 23 (1969) | 2001 by Eli Manning (31) |
| Consec. Game w/TD pass | 16 | 8** | 1999 by Romaro Miller (8) |
| Career 250-yard passing games | 10 | 6 (1968-1970) | by Kent Austin w/7 from 1981-1985 |
| Career 300-yard passing games | 4 | 3 (1968-70) | Tied by Stewart Patridge (1994, 96-97) and Romaro Miller (1997-2000) |
** - Archie and Romaro Miller were tied for the record when it was broken by Eli.
COMPARING THE MANNINGS
The following chart compares the three Manning quarterbacks - Archie, Peyton and Eli - after 23 games in their careers, not including bowl games
| GP | Comp-Att-Int | Yards | Pct. | Avg/G | TD | Effic. | |
| Archie Manning, 1968-1970 | 24 | 342-630-30 | 4,040 | .543 | 168.3 | 26 | 111.0 |
| Peyton Manning, 1994-96 | 24 | 404-641-16 | 5,173 | .630 | 215.5 | 40 | 144.5 |
| Eli Manning, 2000-present | 24 | 414-684-14 | 4,907 | .605 | 204.5 | 43 | 137.4 |
MANNING ON THE OLE MISS CAREER TOP 10 CHARTS
PASSING ATTEMPTS
| Player, Years | No. | |
| 1. | Kent Austin, 1981-85 | 981 |
| . | ||
| . | ||
| . | ||
| 5. | Archie Manning, 1968-1970 | 761 |
| 6. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 684 |
COMPLETIONS
| Player, Years | No. | |
| 1. | Kent Austin, 1981-1985 | 566 |
| 2. | Romaro Miller, 1997-2000 | 497 |
| 3. | John Fourcade, 1978-1981 | 445 |
| 4. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 414 |
PASSING YARDS
| Player, Years | No. | |
| 1. | Romaro Miller, 1997-2000 | 6,311 |
| 2. | Kent Austin, 1981-1985 | 6,184 |
| 3. | John Fourcade, 1978-1981 | 5,412 |
| 4. | Mark Young, 1985-1988 | 4,971 |
| 5. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 4,907 |
PASSING TDs
| Player, Years | No. | |
| 1. | Romaro Miller, 1997-2000 | 43 |
| Eli Manning, 2000-present | 43 |
COMPLETION PERCENTAGE
(min. 210 attempts)
| Player, Years | Pct. | |
| 1. | Paul Head, 1993-1996 | 61.5 |
| 2. | Stewart Patridge, 1994, 96-97 | 60.8 |
| 3. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 60.5 |
PASS EFFICIENCY
(min. 210 attempts)
| Player, Years | Effic. | |
| 1. | Jake Gibbs, 1958-1960 | 145.3 |
| 2. | Glynn Griffing, 1960-1962 | 138.9 |
| 3. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 137.4 |
AVERAGE YDS/PASS ATTEMPT
(min. 210 attempts)
| Player, Years | Avg. | |
| 1. | Eagle Day, 1953-1955 | 8.7 |
| . | ||
| . | ||
| 4. | Glynn Griffing, 1960-1962 | 7.5 |
| John Darnell, 1987-1989 | 7.5 | |
| 6. | Lawrence Adams, 1993-93, 95-96 | 7.3 |
| 7. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 7.2 |
200-YARD PASSING GAMES
| Player, Years | No. | |
| 1. | Romaro Miller, 1997-2000 | 19 |
| 2. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 15 |
250-YARD PASSING GAMES
| Player, Years | No. | |
| 1. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 11 |
| 2. | Romaro Miller, 1997-2000 | 8 |
300-YARD PASSING GAMES
| Player, Years | No. | |
| 1. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 4 |
| 2. | Archie Manning, 1968-1970 | 3 |
| Romaro Miller, 1997-2000 | 3 | |
| Stewart Patridge, 1996-1997 | 3 |
TDs RESPONSIBLE FOR
| Player, Years | No. | |
| 1. | Archie Manning, 1968-1970 | 56 |
| 2. | John Fourcade, 1978-1981 | 47 |
| 3. | Romaro Miller, 1997-2000 | 46 |
| 4. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 43 |
TOTAL OFFENSE PER GAME
(minimum 14 career games)
| Player, Years | Avg. | |
| 1. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 202.6 |
| 2. | Archie Manning, 1968-1970 | 199.1 |
| 3. | Romaro Miller, 1997-2000 | 183.2 |
TOTAL OFFENSE PER PLAY
(minimum 150 career plays)
| Player, Years | Avg. | |
| 1. | Rocky Byrd, 1949-1951 | 6.37 |
| 2. | Doug Elmore, 1959-1961 | 6.64 |
| 3. | Glynn Griffing, 1960-1962 | 6.62 |
| 4. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 6.58 |
TOTAL OFFENSE
| Player, Years | Yards | |
| 1. | John Fourcade, 1978-1981 | 6,713 |
| . | ||
| . | ||
| . | ||
| 5. | Mark Young, 1985-1988 | 5,031 |
| 6. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 4,863 |
HEAD COACH DAVID CUTCLIFFE
Fourth year at Ole Miss
Record at Ole Miss: 27-14 (.658)
Career Record: 27-14 (.658/4 years)
AT OLE MISS (1998-PRESENT)
* Named the 34th head coach at The University of Mississippi on Dec. 2, 1998.
* Coached first game in the 1998 Independence Bowl and guided the Rebels to a 35-18 win over heavily-favored Texas Tech in what was possibly the bowl season's biggest upset.
* Joins Harry J. Mehre as the only coach in school history to win at least seven games during each of his first three seasons at Ole Miss.
* Reached the 25-win mark at Ole Miss with a 38-16 win over Memphis on Sept. 7, tying him with legendary coach John Vaught as the fastest in school history to reach the 25-victory mark.
* The Rebels' 27 wins and .643 winning percentage since 1999 ranks as the best in the SEC Western Division.
* Last Saturday's contest at Alabama, televised by CBS, marked Ole Miss' 27th TV appearance since Cutcliffe's first full season in 1999, including the third on CBS.
* The 2001 team set 11 offensive team records, including most points scored with 391.
* Has had two first team All-Americans in DB Ken Lucas (2000) and OL Terrence Metcalf (2001).
* Coached 15 players to All-SEC accolades.
* Produced seven NFL draft picks, including Deuce McAllister, a first-round draft choice of the New Orleans Saints in 2001.
* Coached a total of 15 players at Ole Miss that have made professional rosters in either the NFL, CFL or NFL Europe.
PRIOR TO OLE MISS
* Spent 17 years as an assistant under Johnny Majors and Phillip Fulmer at Tennessee from 1982-1998 ... Helped the Volunteers compile a 154-46-7 record during his time in Knoxville, including winning five SEC championships and one national title in 1998.
* The Volunteers went to 16 bowl games in his 17 years on the UT staff.
* Was Tennessee's offensive coordinator from 1993-1998.
* Recipient of the 1998 Broyles Award, given annually to the nation's top assistant coach.
* Coached NFL quarterbacks Heath Shuler, Peyton Manning and Tee Martin.
CUTCLIFFE RECORD BREAKDOWN
| W-L | Pct. | |
| SEC: | 14-13 | .519 |
| vs. SEC West: | 7-9 | .438 |
| vs. SEC East: | 7-4 | .636 |
| Non-Conference opponents: | 14-2 | .875 |
| Bowl Games: | 2-1 | .667 |
| Home: | 17-7 | .708 |
| Away: | 9-7 | .563 |
| Neutral: | 2-1 | .667 |
| Day Games: | 16-8 | .667 |
| Night Games (6 pm start or later): | 12-7 | .632 |
| vs. Top 25 teams | 3-6 | .333 |
| When leading at halftime: | 24-6 | .800 |
| Overtime games: | 2-1 | .667 |
REBEL GAME NOTES
REBEL RAMBLINGS:
* A win Saturday would match Ole Miss' 3-1 SEC start from last season, which is the Rebels' best SEC start since also posting a 3-1 mark after four conference games in 1990.
* Ole Miss is looking to snap a three-game road losing streak since a 35-24 win at LSU last year, Saturday at Arkansas ... Overall, the Rebels are 4-6 in their last 10 road contests, including 3-5 in SEC games.
* Ole Miss has started at least 5-2 every year since 1998.
* Ole Miss is 23-3 under head coach David Cutcliffe when leading after three quarters.
* The Rebels are 10-4 (.714 winning percentage) following a loss under head coach David Cutcliffe.
OLE MISS-AUBURN GAME TO BE CARRIED BY JP: Ole Miss' Nov. 2 home game with Auburn will be televised by Jefferson-Pilot and will have an 11:30 a.m., kickoff, the SEC Office announced Monday.
TOUGH ROAD AHEAD: Last Saturday's game at Alabama marked the first of a six-game stretch versus SEC opponents that had a combined 24-11 record, entering last weekend's action. Three of the six teams were also ranked, including Alabama, which was No. 24 in The Associated Press Top 25. The five remaining teams on the schedule for the Rebels, have a combined mark of 23-14 (.622 winning percentage), as only one of the five teams has a sub-.500 record. Three of the contests are on the road, and two of the five remaining opponents are ranked in the top 10, Georgia (#5) and LSU (#10). The followng chart shows how the Rebels have fared in the second half of the season and the current record of each of the remaining Rebel opponents:
| School | W-L* | Rank* | Next Game/Score | vs. UM/Site |
| Alabama> | 4-2 | 24/NR | L, 7-42 | Tuscaloosa |
| Arkansas | 3-3 | -/- | Sat. vs. Ole Miss | Oct. 26 (A) |
| Auburn | 4-3 | -/- | Sat. vs. LSU | Nov. 2 (H) |
| Georgia | 7-0 | 5/5 | Sat. at Kentucky | Nov. 9 (A) |
| LSU | 6-1 | 10/10 | Sat. at Auburn | Nov. 23 (A) |
| Miss. State | 3-4 | -/- | 11/2 vs. Kentucky | Nov. 28 (H) |
* - At time of the game
NOTE: The home (H) and away (A) designation reflects if it is a home or away game for Ole Miss ... The first ranking reflects The AP poll and the second the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Top 25.
OLE MISS BEST IN THE WEST UNDER CUTCLIFFE: Since David Cutcliffe's first full season in 1999, Ole Miss' 27 wins is tied for the most by an SEC Western Division school, and the Rebels' .643 winning percentage ranks as the best in the SEC West. The Rebels are also the only SEC Western Division team to have recorded five straight seasons with at least seven wins since 1997. The following chart shows the overall standings of the SEC Western Division since 1999 (records include bowl games):
| School | W-L | Pct. |
| Ole Miss | 27-15 | .643 |
| LSU | 27-16 | .628 |
| Auburn | 25-18 | .581 |
| Alabama | 25-18 | .581 |
| Arkansas | 24-18 | .571 |
| Mississippi State | 24-18 | .571 |
SEC WEST'S WINNINGEST TEAMS SINCE 1998 TO MEET SATURDAY: The SEC Western Division's two winningest teams since the 1998 season - Ole Miss and Arkansas - will meet Saturday in Fayetteville, Ark. Since the 1998 season, Ole Miss' 34-20 mark is tops in the SEC West. Arkansas owns the SEC West's second best record since 1998 at 33-21.
REBELS CAPITALIZING ON TURNOVERS IN 2002: Through seven games in the 2002 season, Ole Miss has outscored the opposition 56-29 off turnovers this season. Last season, the Rebels were being outscored 34-31 off turnovers, a 30-point turnaround from last season. Ole Miss has also improved its takeaway/giveaway margin this season compared to this same point last season. The Rebels have are a +7 in turnover margin this season, compared to a +1 a year ago. Ole Miss is second in the SEC and 21st in the nation in turnover margin. Last year, the Rebels finished 62nd in the nation in turnover margin, finishing witha takeaway/giveaway ratio of -1. The following chart compares Ole Miss' takeaway/giveaway ratio and points off turnovers after seven games this season, compared to after seven games in 2001:
| Year | Takeaways | Turnovers | Ratio | Points off Turnovers |
| 2001 | 12 | 11 | +1 | UM 17, Opp. 27 |
| 2002 | 16 | 9 | +7 | UM 56, Opp. 29 |
REBELS IN OCTOBER
* The Rebels are 206-138-14 (.595 winning percentage) all-time in the month of October.
* Saturday's loss at Alabama snapped a seven-game win streak for Ole Miss during October since a 45-7 loss to the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa on Oct. 14, 2000.
* Ole Miss is 11-3 (.786 winning percentage) under head coach David Cutcliffe during the month of October, including 5-3 versus SEC opponents.
* The Rebels are 63-84-9 (.433 winning percentage) in road games during October.
* In SEC games played in October, Ole Miss has an overall record of 89-91-6 (.495 winning percentage).
* In SEC road games during October, the Rebels are 40-58-4 (.412 winning percentage).
REBELS TABBED FOR THIRD IN THE WEST: Ole Miss was picked to finish third in the SEC Western Division by a panel of media members at the annual SEC Media Days. The Rebels received seven first-place votes to win the West, and two votes to win the overall SEC title. The following shows the predicted order of finish for the SEC Eastern and Western Divisions from the SEC Media Days (first-place votes are listed in parenthesis):
Eastern Division
| School | Pts | |
| 1. | Tennessee (41) | 136 |
| 2. | Georgia (19) | 175 |
| 3. | Florida (19) | 197 |
| 4. | South Carolina (3) | 305 |
| 5. | Kentucky | 428 |
| 6. | Vanderbilt | 481 |
Western Division
| School | Pts | |
| 1. | LSU (43) | 140 |
| 2. | Alabama (24) | 203 |
| 3. | Ole Miss (7) | 291 |
| 4. | Auburn (3) | 311 |
| 5. | Arkansas (5) | 330 |
| 6. | Mississippi State | 447 |
SEC Champion: Tennessee (34), Florida (17), Georgia (16), LSU (4), Ole Miss (2), South Carolina (2), Alabama (1).
WELCOME TO THE NEWLY-EXPANDED VAUGHT-HEMINGWAY STADIUM/HOLLINGSWORTH FIELD: The Aug. 31 season opener with Louisiana-Monroe marked the unveiling of the newly expanded Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/Hollingsworth Field. The nearly two-year construction project, that began following the 2000 season, saw the bowling in of the south end zone. The construction raised the stadium's capacity from 50,577 in 2000 to 60,580, making it the largest on-campus facility in the state of Mississippi. A then-stadium record crowd of 58,151 watched the Rebels defeat the Indians 31-3, breaking the old attendance record of 52,476 set on Nov. 11, 2000 against LSU.
The record of 58,151 was eclipsed on Oct. 5 when a standing-room only crowd of 61,140 watched the Rebels defeat No. 6 Florida, 17-14.
Ole Miss has won 78.2 percent of its home games at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/Hollingsworth Field, compiling an all-time mark of 211-56-8.
M*A*S*H UNIT
* Senior RB Robert Williams (Gadsden, Ala.) returned to the lineup this past Saturday at Alabama after missing the previous two games versus Florida (10/5) and Arkansas State (10/12) with a high ankle sprain in the Vanderbilt game on Sept. 21.
* Senior TE Doug Zeigler (Wilmington, Ohio) was lost for the season after suffering a broken tibia and fibula in his left leg during the first half of the Sept. 21 game with Vanderbilt. He underwent successful surgery later that night. The Rebels' starting tight end the last three seasons, Zeigler had 48 career receptions for 612 yards and five TDs in 33 games.
* Senior LB Lanier Goethie (Baxley, Ga.) is doubtful for the remainder of the year after suffering a broken bone in his left foot during the Sept. 21 contest with the Commodores ... Goethie was third on the team in tackles entering the Vanderbilt game and was this year's recipient of the Chucky Mullins Courage Award.
NOTING LAST YEAR'S OVERTIME CLASSIC: When Arkansas' Jermaine Petty stopped Ole Miss TE Doug Zeigler (Wilmington, Ohio) on a two-point conversion attempt, it ended the longest game in NCAA football history, as the Razorbacks finally pulled out a 58-56 win in seven overtimes. A total of seven SEC or NCAA records were broken in the contest, including a combined 80 points scored during the seven overtimes. The two teams combined to total 988 yards on 198 plays, including 322 yards on 59 plays in overtime after regulation ended in a 17-17 tie. Ole Miss QB Eli Manning (New Orleans, La.) was 10-of-14 passing for 97 yards and five TDs during the overtime sessions.
REBELS ON POSTSEASON AWARDS WATCH LISTS: Ole Miss had four players named to watch lists for postseason awards in 2002 during the preseason, and senior SS Matt Grier (Smithville, Miss.) was named to the Bronko Nagurski Award Watch List after being named the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against Florida on Oct 5. The following is a list of Rebels on watch lists for 2002 postseason awards:
BRONKO NAGURSKI AWARD
(Nation's Top All-Around Defensive Player)
Matt Grier (Smithville, Miss.), Sr., SS
BUTKUS AWARD (Nation's Top Linebacker)
Eddie Strong (Batesville, Miss), Sr., LB
DAVEY O'BRIEN AWARD (Nation's Top Quarterback)
Eli Manning (New Orleans, La.), Jr., QB
LOMBARDI AWARD (Nation's Top Lineman/Linebacker)
Ben Claxton (Dublin, Ga.), Sr., C Doug Zeigler (Wilmington, Ohio), Sr., TE
RAY GUY AWARD (Nation's Top Punter)
Cody Ridgeway (Jackson, Tenn.), Soph, P
RIMINGTON TROPHY(Nation's Top Center)
Ben Claxton (Dublin, Ga.), Sr., C
WALTER CAMP PLAYER OF THE YEAR (Nation's Top Player)
Eli Manning (New Orleans, La.), Jr., QB
REBEL OFFENSE ON PACE TO BE ONE OF THE SCHOOL'S HIGHEST SCORING: Through seven games, the Ole Miss offense is on pace to be one of the highest scoring in school history. The Rebels' average of 31.14 points per game, ranks third all-time in school history after seven games. Three of the teams in the top five have come during head coach David Cutcliffe's time at Ole Miss, including last year's unit that set a school single-season record with 391 points, in addition to setting 10 other school season records. The following chart shows the top five scoring offenses in school history after seven games, and what they averaged for the season.
TOP FIVE REBEL SCORING OFFENSES AFTER SEVEN GAMES
| After 7 games | Season Total | |||
| Year | Points | Avg/G | Points | Avg/G |
| 2001* | 254 | 36.29 | 391 | 35.5 |
| 1935 | 233 | 33.29 | 292 | 26.5 |
| 2002* | 218 | 31.14 | ?? | ?? |
| 1920 (7-gm schedule) | 217 | 31.0 | 217 | 31.0 |
| 2000* | 208 | 29.71 | 296 | 26.91 |
* - under head coach David Cutcliffe.
"REBEL RUNNING BACK COMMITTEE" LOOKS TO GET BACK ON TRACK: Ole Miss has used a running back-by-committee approach this season, as no Rebel back has topped 19 carries in a game this season. Despite not having a "feature" back like other schools, Ole Miss has been getting some decent production from its by-committee approach with senior Robert Williams (Gadsden, Ala.), junior Ronald McClendon (Ponchatoula, La.), redshirt freshman Vashon Pearson (Ripley, Miss.) and junior Tremaine Turner (Springfield, Tenn.). The four have combined for 823 yards on 199 carries - an average of 4.1 yards per carry - and has scored 13 TDs. The "Rebel Running Back Committee" will seek to get back on track this weekend at Arkansas after they were held to 36 yards on 20 carries. The following chart shows how the "Rebel Running Back Committee" has performed this season and what they did last weekend at Alabama:
| Season | vs. Alabama | |||
| Running Back | Att-Yds-TD | Avg. | Att-Yds-TD | Avg. |
| Robert Williams | 61-307-4 | 5.0 | 8-23-1 | 2.9 |
| Ronald McClendon | 50-217-3 | 4.3 | 3-(-3)-0 | -1.0 |
| Vashon Pearson | 67-215-5 | 3.2 | 5-8-0 | 1.6 |
| Tremaine Turner | 21-84-1 | 4.0 | 4-8-0 | 2.0 |
| Totals | 199-823-13 | 4.1 | 20-36-1 | 1.8 |
INSIDE THE NUMBERS: While junior QB Eli Manning (New Orleans, La.) gets much of the credit for the Rebels' offensive success, it's the Ole Miss ground game that seems to be the key ingredient for a Rebel win. In the Rebels' five wins this season, Ole Miss is averaging 391.6 yards of total offense, including 145.2 yards rushing. In losses to Texas Tech and Alabama, the Rebels totaled 80 yards rushing on 58 carries. The chart on the following page shows the Rebels' running game in Ole Miss five wins compared to its performance in the two losses this season:
-IN FIVE WINS-
| Opponent | Att. | Yds. | TD | Avg. | Total Offense | Pct. Yds Rushing |
| UL-Monroe | 35 | 180 | 3 | 5.1 | 378 | 47.6 |
| Memphis | 42 | 214 | 1 | 5.1 | 388 | 55.2 |
| Vanderbilt | 31 | 107 | 3 | 3.5 | 386 | 27.7 |
| Florida | 33 | 37 | 1 | 1.1 | 191 | 19.3 |
| Arkansas State | 42 | 188 | 4 | 4.5 | 508 | 37.0 |
| Totals | 183 | 787 | 12 | 4.0 | 1,958 | 40.2 |
-IN TWO LOSSES-
| Opponent | Att. | Yds. | TD | Avg. | Total Offense | Pct. Yds Rushing |
| Texas Tech | 30 | 76 | 1 | 2.5 | 450 | 16.8 |
| Alabama | 28 | 4 | 1 | 0.14 | 223 | 1.8 |
| Totals | 58 | 80 | 2 | 1.4 | 673 | 11.9 |
HANDS OFF!: Since the start of the 1999 season, Ole Miss has allowed the fewest sacks in the SEC with 40, 21 less than the next team, Georgia with 61. The Rebels have led the SEC the last two seasons, and are once again leading the SEC in 2002, having allowed seven. Ole Miss had a streak of six straight without allowing a sack snapped during the Oct. 5 game with Florida. The following charts shows the top five teams for the fewest sacks allowed in the SEC since 1999 and the top five teams in the SEC in 2002:
FEWEST SACKS ALLOWED SINCE 1999
| Team | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | Total | |
| 1. | Ole Miss | 16 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 40 |
| 2. | Georgia | 21 | 12 | 15 | 13 | 61 |
| 3. | LSU | 25 | 12 | 19 | 8 | 64 |
| 4. | Arkansas | 14 | 17 | 19 | 15 | 65 |
| 5. | Florida | 18 | 26 | 13 | 15 | 72 |
FEWEST SACKS ALLOWED IN 2002
Team No.1. Ole Miss 72. LSU 83. Auburn 10 Vanderbilt 105. South Carolina 12
FLOWERS IN ELITE COMPANY AMONG REBEL RECEIVERS: After seven games in his sophomore season, WR Bill Flowers (Pelham, Ala.) is among some elite company. Flowers ranks second among Ole Miss receivers for receptions through their sophomore seasons with 57, and needs more catchers to tie current junior Chris Collins (Gloster, Miss.) for the school record for most receptions after their sophomore season with 66. Flowers' seven TD receptions is tied with Collins for third among Rebel receivers through their sophomore campaigns, one shy of the record of eight by J.R. Ambrose (1984-1987) and Barney Poole (1942; 1946-1947). His 656 receiving yards currently ranks fifth on that list. The following charts show the top five Rebel receivers - following their sophomore seasons - for receptions, receiving yards and TD receptions, and where Flowers currently stands entering Saturday's game at Arkansas:
RECEPTIONS
Player, Years Rec.Chris Collins, 2000-present 66Bill Flowers, 2001-present 57Grant Heard, 1996-2000* 56Ta'Boris Fisher, 1993-1996 54James Harbour, 1981-1984 53Rufus French, 1996-1998 49
RECEIVING YARDS
Player, Years YardsChris Collins, 2000-present 860Willie Green, 1986-1989* 810Grant Heard, 1996-2000 804James Harbour, 1981-1984 759Bill Flowers, 2001-present 656
TOUCHDOWNS
Player, Years No.J.R. Ambrose, 1984-87 8Barney Poole, 1942; 1946-1947 8Chris Collins, 2000-present 7Bill Flowers, 2001-present 7Willie Green, 1986-1989 5
STREAKING REBELS: Ole Miss has three players - junior Chris Collins (Gloster, Miss.), sophomore Bill Flowers (Pelham, Ala.) and senior Jason Armstead (Moss Point, Miss.) - with streaks of at least 10 games with at least one reception:
Receiver Streak vs. AlabamaChris Collins 16 3 rec., 61 ydsBill Flowers 13 1 rec., 11 ydsJason Armstead 11 3 rec., 37 yds
OFFENSIVE PLAYER THUMBNAILS
WR JASON ARMSTEAD (SR., MOSS POINT, MISS.)
* Has a reception in 11 consecutive games.
* Leads team with 562 all purpose yards (-5 rush., 187 rec., 260 PR, 120 KR), averaging 80.3 yards per game.
* Had a career-best 191 all purpose yards against Memphis (9/7) ... Set a school single-game record with 157 punt return yards on eight attempts, tying another Ole Miss record ... Returned his final punt 62 yards for a score and was named the SEC's Special Teams Player of the Week.
* Totaled 124 all purpose yards (51 rec., 73 ret.) versus Arkansas State ... Three receptions for 51 yards were both season highs ... Also had a season-long 28-yard reception against the Indians.
* Tied season high for receptions with three for 37 yards last weekend at Alabama.
WR CHRIS COLLINS (JR, GLOSTER, MISS.)
* Currently has a streak of 16 consecutive games with at least one reception.
* Became the 19th player in school history to record 1,000 career receiving yards against Vanderbilt (9/21).
* Is tied for fourth on the school's career list for career TD receptions with 11, five shy of the record held by Grant Heard (1996-2000) with 16.
* Is currently tied with Floyd Franks (1968-1970) for the Ole Miss career record for 100-yard receiving games with four.
* Set a season high with 61 yards receiving on three catches, with a long of 34, last Saturday at Alabama.
* Is 10 receptions and 108 receiving yards shy of cracking the Ole Miss career top 10 lists for both categories.
WR BILL FLOWERS (SO., PELHAM, ALA.)
* Leads Ole Miss in receptions (29) and receiving yards (341) ... 29 receptions surpasses his total of 25 last season and his 341 yards surpasses his total of 315 last season.
* Tied for fourth in the SEC in receptions per game (4.14) and is 10th in the SEC in receiving yards per game (48.7).
* Has caught a pass in 13 consecutive games.
* Set a career-high with eight receptions for 91 yards at Texas Tech (9/14).
* Recorded a career-long 35-yard reception versus Arkansas State (10/12).
RB VASHON PEARSON (RsFR., RIPLEY, MISS.)
* Had a string of three consecutive games with at least one rushing TD and four straight games with at least one TD scored snapped last Saturday versus Alabama.
* Tied his career high with 47 yards rushing on 14 carries against Arkansas State (10/12), and also tied his career high with two rushing TDs.
* Rushed for a career-high 47 yards on a career-high 19 attempts against Florida (10/5), and scored on a four-yard TD run with 12:41 left in the third quarter to pull Ole Miss to within 14-10.
RB TREMAINE TURNER (JR., SPRINGFIELD, TENN.)
* Rushed for a career-high 57 yards on a career-best 10 attempts versus Arkansas State (10/12) ... Also scored his first career TD on a 13-yard run with 5:32 left in the third quarter to extend the Rebels' lead to 38-10.
RB ROBERT WILLIAMS (SR., GADSEN, ALA.)
* Rebels' leading rusher with 307 yards on 61 carries, for a 5.0 average per carry, and four TDs.
* Started this past Saturday versus Alabama after missing the two previous games against Florida (10/5) and Arkansas State (10/2) due to a high ankle sprain suffered against Vanderbilt (9/21).
* Opened the season with back-to-back 100-yard rushing games versus Louisiana-Monroe (18-100-2)and Memphis (17-107-0) ... The 107 yards versus the Tigers was a career-high.
DEFENSIVE NOTES
* With 19 sacks this season, Ole Miss has already surpassed its total of 16 in 11 games last season.
* Ole Miss has registered at least one QB sack in 27 of its last 28 games.
* Ole Miss is 17-0 under head coach David Cutcliffe when allowing less than 20 points.
* Alabama scored 42 points and totaled 456 yards of offense against Ole Miss, after the Rebel defense held Florida (10/5) and Arkansas State (10/12) to a combined 31 points and 464 yards in the prior two games.
* Ole Miss' 10 interceptions this season is two shy of last year's total of 12 in 11 games.
AFTER SEVEN GAMES LAST YEAR - DEFENSE: Through seven games in 2002, the Rebel defense, under first-year defensive coordinator Chuck Driesbach, has shown marked improvement in several statistical categories compared to seven games in 2001. Despite the 234 yards rushing by Alabama this past weekend, Ole Miss is still allowing an average of 72.3 yards less rushing than after seven games a year. Also, Ole Miss' 19 sacks is already more than last year's entire total of 16. The following chart compares the Rebel defense's performance after seven games this season to seven games in 2001:
| Category | 2001 | 2002 | Difference |
| Points Per Game | 22.0 | 24.6 | +2.6 |
| First Downs | 120 | 119 | -1 |
| Rushing Yards PG | 200.0 | 127.7 | -72.3 |
| Rushing Yards Per Att. | 5.1 | 3.6 | -1.5 |
| Rushing TDs | 12 | 11 | -1 |
| Passing Yards PG | 138.7 | 202.3 | +63.6 |
| Passing TDs | 6 | 9 | +3 |
| Interceptions | 7 | 10 | +3 |
| Total Offense PG | 338.7 | 330.0 | -8.7 |
| Avg. Yards Per Play | 5.3 | 5.1 | -0.2 |
| Takeaways | 12 | 16 | +4 |
| 3rd Down Conv. Pct. | 29.6 | 36.0 | +6.4% |
| Sacks | 12 | 19 | +7 |
DEFENSIVE PLAYER THUMBNAILS
SS MATT GRIER (SR., SMITHVILLE, MISS.)
* Tied for third in the SEC with three interceptions ... Is 10th among active SEC players in career picks with five.
* Leads team with seven TFLs.
* Tied for second on the team with three pass deflections.
* Made a season-high nine stops (five solo), including 2.0 TFLs (-5 yards) versus Florida ... Intercepted two passes, returning the second 24 yards for what provded to be the game-winning TD in the third quarter ... Also had one pass deflection ... Was named the SEC and Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week.
WS VON HUTCHINS (JR., NATCHEZ, MISS.)
* Tied for third in the SEC with three interceptions.
* Ranks second on the team with 43 tackles (23 solo).
* Had a season-high eight tackles (five solo) at Texas Tech (9/14).
* Recorded his first career two-interception game against Arkansas State (10/12).
CB TRAVIS JOHNSON (RsFR., SHANNON, MISS.)
* Started the last three contests at right cornerback, drawing his first career start against Florida (10/5).
* Has 13 solo stops and two pass deflections in the last three games.
* Intercepted his first career pass in the first quarter against Florida.
FS ERIC OLIVER (SO., JASPER, ALA.)
* Leads Ole Miss with 63 tackles (40 solo) and is tied for second on the team with three pass deflections.
* Averaging 10 tackles per game in the last five games.
* Credited with a career-high 14 stops (11 solo), including 2.5 TFLs (-7 yards) in the upset of No. 6 Florida.
* Led Ole Miss with 13 hits (10 solo) and had one pass break-up against Arkansas State.
LB EDDIE STRONG (SR., BATESVILLE, MISS.)
* Started the last three games after being hampered by an ankle injury suffered during the preseason ... Only appearance of the season prior to the Florida contest came in limited action at Texas Tech (9/14).
* Had a season-high seven hits (five solo), with 2.5 TFLs (-16 yards) and one QB sack (-13 yards) versus Florida ... The sack came on a 4th-and-13 play at the Rebel 31 to stop a potential Florida scoring drive with 6:04 left in the game and the Rebels leading 17-14.
* The fumble recovery against Alabama in the second quarter was his first of the season and the fifth of his career.
GOETHIE WEARS CHUCKY MULLINS' NO. 38: Senior LB Lanier Goethie (Baxley, GA) was named this year's winner of the Chucky Mullins Courage Award in April, and as a result is wearing the late Mullins' No. 38 this season. He was No. 2 last season. Goethie is doubtful for the remainder of the season after suffering a broken bone in his left foot during the Sept. 21 game with Vanderbilt. In four games this season, he had recorded 22 tackles (14 solo) with two TFLs for -4 yards, and was credited with one pass deflection, one quarterback pressure and one forced fumble.
GRIER EARNS SEC AND NATIONAL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS VERSUS FLORIDA: Senior SS Matt Grier (Smithville, Miss.) earned the SEC and the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week honors after his performance in the Rebels' 17-14 upset of No. 6 Florida on Oct. 5. Grier intercepted two passes in the third quarter, returning the second 24 yards for what proved to be the game-winning touchdown. His first interception set-up a Vashon Pearson (Ripley, Miss.) four-yard TD run that cut the Gator lead to 14-10. In addition to his two picks, Grier also recorded nine tackles (five solo), two TFLs and one pass deflection.
Grier is the third Rebel to earn SEC Player of the Week honors this season. Senior Jason Armstead (Moss Point, Miss.) and sophomore PK Jonathan Nichols (Greenwood, Miss.) both earned SEC Special Teams Player of the Week honors earlier this season. He is the first Ole Miss player to receive SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors since junior LB L.P. Spence (Corinth, Miss.) won the honor last year after the LSU contest.
As a result of earning the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week honors, Grier has been added to the Watch List for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, presented to the nation's top all-around defensive player.
AFTER 7 GAMES LAST YEAR - SPECIAL TEAMS: In addition to the improved defensive play, the Ole Miss special teams unit has also seen an improvement in nearly every statistical category this season. Fourth-year assistant Ron Middleton is in his first season of directing the Rebel special teams. The following chart shows the performance of the Rebel special teams through seven games this season compared to through seven games a year ago:
| Category | 2001 | 2002 | Difference |
| Avg. Kickoff Return | 25.8 | 19.7 | -6.1 |
| Kickoff Coverage | 22.3 | 21.2 | -1.1 |
| Avg. Punt Return | 7.4 | 11.0 | +3.6 |
| Average Per Punt | 37.5 | 43.0 | +5.5 |
| FG-FGA | 1-2 | 6-9 | +5 FG |
| PAT Pct. Made | .972 | 1.000 | +0.280 |
SPECIALTY NOTES
* The Rebels have not had a punt blocked in 38 straight games since the Sept. 25, 1999 game at Auburn.
* Junior Ronald McClendon (Ponchatoula, La.) tied an Ole Miss single-game record with six kickoff returns versus Alabama. He shares the record with Rick Kimbrough (1974 vs. Alabama), Tyrone Ashley (1989 vs. Alabama), Vincent Brownlee (1991 vs. Georgia), Deuce McAllister (1999 vs. Alabama and 2000 vs. Georgia).
* Ole Miss has returned at least one kick (kickoff or punt) for a score in each of the last four seasons. Deuce McAllister (1997-2000) returned a kickoff 100 yards for a score against Arkansas in 1999, and returned a punt 87 yards for a TD versus Auburn in 2000, senior Robert Williams (Gadsden, Ala.) returned a kickoff 97 yards for a score against the Razorbacks in 2000, and senior Jason Armstead (Moss Point, Miss.) returned a kickoff 93 yards for a score last season versus Murray State and had a 62-yard punt return for a TD this season versus Memphis on Sept. 7.
REBELS RECORD RARE FEAT VERSUS ARKANSAS STATE: For only the third time in school history, Ole Miss did not attempt a punt in the 52-17 win over Arkansas State on Oct. 12. The previous two occasions came in a 45-0 win over North Texas in 1956 and during a 35-9 win over Mississippi State in 1960.
NICHOLS REACHES CENTURY MARK: With his extra point last Saturday at Alabama, sophomore PK Jonathan Nichols (Greenwood, Miss.) reached the 100-point mark for his career. He is the ninth kicker in Ole Miss history to record 100 career points.
PK JONATHAN NICHOLS (GREENWOOD, MISS.)
* Made a career-long 50-yard field goal to score the Rebels' first points in the 52-17 win over Arkansas State (10/12). His previous long was 47 yards against UL-Monore (8/31) in the season opener.
* Tied for first in the SEC in PAT percentage, having converted all 26 attempts this season.
* Has made 35 consecutive extra points, the fifth longest streak in school history.
* Six field goals this season surpasses his total of three from last season ... Is 4-of-4 on field goals 40 yards or longer this season.
P CODY RIDGEWAY (JACKSON, TENN.)
* Ranks 12th nationally in punting, averaging 43.2 yards per punt.
* Set a school single-game record with 503 punting yards against Florida, breaking the previous mark of 493 set by Greg Breland (1973-1974) versus Georgia in 1973.
* His career-high 11 punt attempts against the Gators was one shy of the Ole Miss single-game record of 12.
* Placed 4-of-11 punts against Florida inside the Gator 20-yard line.
ARMSTEAD EARNS SEC SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS: Senior Jason Armstead (Moss Point, Miss.) was named the SEC Special Teams Player of the Week for the weekend of Sept. 7 after turning in a school-record breaking performance in a 38-16 win over Memphis. Armstead returned eight punts for 157 yards and one TD against the Tigers to break Will Glover's 55-year old school single-game record record of 151 punt return yards, set on Nov. 15, 1947 versus Chattanooga. The 157 punt return yards was also tied for the sixth-highest single-game total in SEC history. In addition, Armstead's eight punt returns tied the school single-game record, which was set previously by Doug Cunningham against Southern Miss on Oct. 16, 1966, and tied him for fifth on the SEC's single-game list.
Armstead returned his final punt against the Tigers 62 yards for a score with 2:47 left in the game to seal the Rebels' 38-16 win. He is the first Rebel since Deuce McAllister against Auburn in 2000 to return a punt for a score.
NICHOLS EARNS SEC HONOR AS WELL: Sophomore PK Jonathan Nichols (Greenwood, Miss.) became the second Rebel this season to be named the SEC Special Teams Player of the Week, as he was garnered the honor following his 13-point performance against Vanderbilt on Sept. 21. Nichols converted all four PAT attempts and all three of his field goals attempts on the afternoon. He made field goals of 40, 42 and 28 yards. The 13 points is tied for the fourth-highest single-game total by a kicker in school history.
JOHNSON AND JOHNSON COMPANY: Ole Miss has six players with the last name of Johnson on its roster, though, only two are related: offensive linemen Belton and Marcus from Coffeeville, Miss. The other four Johnsons are: Desmon, a senior cornerback from Okmulgee, Okla.; Kerry, a sophomore WR from Oxford, Miss.; Travis, a redshirt freshman defensive back from Shannon, Miss.; and Yahrek, a senior defensive lineman from Atlanta, Ga. Belton and Marcus have started 15 straight games right next to each other on the offensive line, with Belton, a senior, at right tackle, and Marcus, a sophomore, at right guard.
2002 CAPTAINS: Seniors center Ben Claxton (Dublin, Ga.), linebacker Lanier Goethie (Baxley, Ga.), linebacker Eddie Strong (Batesville, Miss.), and tight end Doug Zeigler (Wilmington, Ohio) have been selected as the four permanent team captains for the 2002 season.
2002 SEASON HONORS
--AFCA GOOD WORKS TEAM--
Eli Manning (Jr., QB)
--QUARTERBACK CLUB PLAYERS OF THE WEEK--
vs. Louisiana-Monroe (8/31)
Offense: Robert Williams (Sr., RB)
Defense: Matt Grier (Sr., DB)
Special Teams: Jonathan Nichols (So., PK)
vs. Memphis (9/7)
Offense: Rick Razzano (Soph., FB)
Defense: Charlie Anderson (Jr., DE)
Special Teams: Jason Armstead (Sr., KR/PR)
vs. Texas Tech (9/14)
Offense: Eli Manning (Jr., QB)
Defense: Jesse Mitchell (Jr., NT)
Special Teams: Wesley Bryan (So., P)
vs. Vanderbilt (9/21)
Offense: Eli Manning (Jr., QB)
Defense: L.P. Spence (Jr., LB)
Special Teams: Jonathan Nichols (Soph., PK)
vs. Florida (10/5
Offense: Vashon Pearson (Fr.,RB)
Defense: Matt Grier (Sr., SS)
Special Teams: Cody Ridgeway (Soph., P)
vs. Arkansas State (10/12)
Offense: Eli Manning (Jr., QB)
Defense: Von Hutchins (Jr., WS)
Special Teams: Jonathan Nichols (Soph., PK)
--SEC GOOD WORKS TEAM--
Lanier Goethie (Sr., LB)
--SEC PLAYER OF THE WEEK--
Special Teams
Jason Armstead (9/7 vs. Memphis)
Jonathan Nichols (9/21 vs. Vanderbilt)
Defense
Matt Grier (10/5 vs. Florida)
--BRONKO NAGURSKI NATIONAL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK--
Matt Grier (10/5 vs. Florida)
--FWAA TEAM OF THE WEEK--
Ole Miss (10/5 vs. Florida)
