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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Football Game Notes
10/7/2002 | Football
Oct. 7, 2002
GAMEDAY LINKS
Live Game Audio (12 p.m. Airtime) |
RELATED LINKS
Monday's Press Conference Transcript | Game Preview
OLE MISS LINKS
Ole Miss Game Notes in PDF Format |
Ole Miss Statistics | Depth Chart in PDF Format
OTHER LINKS
SEC Week 7 Release in PDF Format | Sun Belt Conference Release in PDF Format
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
DATE: Saturday, October 12, 2002TIME: 1:00 p.m.
SITE: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/Hollingsworth Field (60,580); Oxford, Miss.
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 is ranked for the first time since Oct. 8, 2000 (#25 ESPN/USA Today) as the Rebels are No. 25 in this week's Associated Press Top 25. The Rebels also received 67 votes in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll to finish second among "Others Receiving Votes." Arkansas State is unranked.
SERIES INFO: Saturday's meeting will be the 21st all-time between Arkansas State and Ole Miss, dating back to 1914. This will be the fifth straight year the two teams have met. Ole Miss holds a commanding 17-1-2 edge in the series and has an 18-game unbeaten streak versus the Indians, including a scoreless tie in Oxford in 1917 and a 10-10 tie in Oxford in 1986. The Rebels have won the last nine meetings since 1987, winning by an average of 19.2 points. The Rebels are 16-1-2 versus the Indians in Oxford, with the last meeting at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium coming in 2000, a 35-10 win. Last year's game was played at Jonesboro, Ark., for the first time in the series, and Ole Miss won 35-17. The Indians' lone win in the series came in 1915, 10-0 in Oxford.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Ole Miss is looking to extend its win streak to three games, while the Indians will bring a three-game win streak into Saturday's game ... Junior QB Eli Manning (New Orleans, La.) needs three TD passes to tie Romaro Miller's (1997-2000) Ole Miss career record of 43 ... Ole Miss has won nine of its last 11 home games, including five straight.
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 27-14 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.
ARKANSAS STATE HEAD COACH STEVE ROBERTS: Steve Roberts (Ouachita Baptist, 1987) is in his first season as the head coach of Arkansas State. He was named to the Indians' post on Dec. 21, 2001 after serving as head coach at Northwestern (La.) State during the 2000 and 2001 season. Roberts is 4-3 with the Indians and has a nine-year career record of 53-36-1. He was 14-9 in his two seasons at Northwestern State, and compiled a 35-24-1 mark as the head coach at Southern Arkansas from 1994-1999.
ARKANSAS STATE SCOUTING REPORT: The Indians will enter Saturday's game having won three straight after a 1-3 start. Arkansas State is averaging 322.6 yards of offense per game, including 174.4 yards rushing. Senior Danny Smith is averaging 86.7 yards rushing per game, having gained 607 yards on 115 carries and four TDs. Redshirt freshman QB Elliot Jacobs has completed 69-of-138 passes for 932 yards with six TDs and two interceptions. Junior WRs Mike Cox and James Hickenbotham have been Jacobs' favorite targets this season. Cox leads the Indians with 19 receptions for 350 yards and oen TD, while Hickenbotham has caught 18 passes for 359 yards and three scores. Hickenbotham is also averaging 133.0 all purpose yards per game, as he is averaging 22.6 yards on 16 kickoff returns and 10.4 yards on 18 punt returns. Last season, he was the 2001 Sun Belt Conference All-Purpose Player of the Year. Redshirt freshman PK Eric Neihouse leads ASU in scoring with 29 points, having made 5-of-13 field goals and 14-of-15 PATs. Defensively, the Indians are allowing an average of 30.3 points and 335.9 yards per game. Junior LB Les Echols leads the squad with 51 tackles (28 solo). Senior DL Corey Williams is fourth on the team with 36 stops (26 solo), and leads the Indians with 10 TFLs for -64 yards and 7.0 QB sacks for -52 yards.
2002 ARKANSAS STATE SCHEDULE/RESULTS
(4-3, 2-0 SUN BELT)
| Aug. 25 | at Virginia Tech | L, 7-63 |
| AUG. 31 | SAN JOSE STATE | L, 14-33 |
| SEPT. 7 | TULSA | W, 21-19 |
| Sept. 14 | at Illinois | L, 7-59 |
| Sept. 21 | at Louisiana-Monroe* | W, 33-21 |
| SEPT. 28 | TENNESSEE-MARTIN | W, 30-10 |
| OCT. 5 | MIDDLE TENNESSEE* | W, 13-7 |
| Oct. 12 | at Ole Miss | 1:00 p.m. |
| OCT. 19 | NORTH TEXAS* | 6:00 P.M. |
| OCT. 26 | NEW MEXICO STATE* | 2:00 P.M. |
| NOV. 2 | SOUTHERN UTAH | 2:00 P.M. |
| Nov. 9 | at Louisiana-Lafayette* | 4:00 p.m. |
| Nov. 16 | at Idaho* | 4:00 p.m. |
* - Sun Belt Conference game.
HOME GAMES IN BOLD CAPS
All times are Central.
ELI MANNING FACT SHEET
PRESEASON HONORS* Named to the Playboy All-America team.
* Selected second team preseason All-America by Football Action.
* Named second team All-SEC by The Birmingham News, The Sporting News, The Southeastern Post, and at SEC Media Days.
* Named "Best Leader" in the SEC by The Birmingham News.
CLOSING IN ON ANOTHER SCHOOL MARK: Eli Manning (New Orleans, La.) will enter today's game with Arkansas State three TD passes shy of equaling Romaro Miller's (1997-2000) Ole Miss career mark of 43. Manning passed for three scores in the 45-38 win over Vanderbilt on Sept. 21 to reach 40 career TD passes and join Miller as the only signal-callers in Ole Miss history to throw 40 TD passes in a career. The 40 career TD passes is also currently tied for 18th place on the all-time SEC list.
TD STREAK SNAPPED AT 16: Against Florida last weekend, junior QB Eli Manning (New Orleans, La.) failed to throw a TD pass for the first time as a starter, and snapped his streak of 16 straight games with at least one TD pass dating back to the 2000 Music City Bowl against West Virginia, where he came off the bench to throw three in the fourth quarter. The streak of 16 straight games doubled the previous school record of eight set by his father, Archie Manning (1968-70), and later tied by Romaro Miller (1997-2000).
COVER BOY: Eli Manning graced the cover of the Sept. 30 issue of the The Sporting News. He had a two-page feature story inside the magazine's college football section.
NOTING ELI
* Is 11-5 (.688 winning percentage) as a starter, including helping Ole Miss to a 17-14 win over No. 6 Florida last weekend in Oxford.
* 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.
* Has thrown 102 straight passes without an interception, currently ranking as the sixth longest such streak in school history. Last season, he recorded the second longest streak without an interception in Ole Miss history at 168 passing attempts.
* Needs 20 completions to tie his father, Archie, for fifth place on the school's career list for completions at 402.
* Is two TDs responsible for from tying current New Orleans Saints' running back Deuce McAllister (1997-2000) for fourth-place on the Ole Miss career list with 42.
* Average of 199.8 yards of total offense per game for his career, is currently on the school's career list.
* Became the first quarterback 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).
* Averaged 16.1 yards per completion against the Commodores, ranking as the second best mark in school history.
* 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.
* With the strikes of 79 and 78 yards, Manning was 6-of-8 for 232 yards in third quarter against Vanderbilt.
* 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.
MANNING IN THE NCAA RANKINGS
(through games of October 5)
| CATEGORY | NO. | RANK |
| Lowest Percentage of Passes Intercepted | 1.04 | T-8th |
| Passing Attempts Per Game | 38.4 | 12th |
| Completions Per Game | 21.4 | 14th |
| Passing Yards Per Game | 256.0 | 22nd |
| Total Offense Per Game | 252.8 | 25th |
MANNING IN THE SEC RANKINGS
| CATEGORY | NO. | RANK |
| Lowest Percentage of Passes Intercepted | 1.04 | T-8th |
| Passing Attempts Per Game | 38.4 | 1st |
| Completions Per Game | 21.4 | 2nd |
| TD:Int Ratio | 4.5:1 | 2nd |
| Total Offensive Plays | 201 | 3rd |
| Passing Yards Per Game | 256.0 | 3rd |
| Touchdown Passes | 9 | 3rd |
| Total Offense Per Game | 252.8 | 4th |
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
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: 10
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 |
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 Arkansas State, Manning has a career pass efficiency rating in the fourth quarter of 149.1, nearly 12 points higher than in any other 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 | 18-42-1 | 170 | 0 | 72.1 |
| TOTAL | 77-128-1 | 808 | 3 | 119.4 |
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 | 38-59-1 | 377 | 4 | 137.1 |
| TOTAL | 109-171-5 | 1148 | 12 | 137.4 |
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 | 27-49-0 | 476 | 2 | 150.2 |
| TOTAL | 92-160-1 | 1143 | 5 | 126.6 |
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 | 24-42-0 | 257 | 3 | 132.1 |
| TOTAL | 106-180-6 | 1369 | 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 Arkansas State, junior QB Eli Manning has broken 10 school records in his career that were either held or were at one time held by his father, Archie Manning, who played at Ole Miss from 1968-1970. 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 - through the fourth game of their junior seasons in college.
| GP | Comp-Att-Int | Yards | Pct. | Avg/G | TD | Effic. | |
| Archie Manning, 1968-1970 | 22 | 315-575-26 | 3,629 | .548 | 165.0 | 20 | 109.2 |
| Peyton Manning, 1994-96 | 22 | 351-548-11 | 4,393 | .641 | 199.7 | 34 | 146.0 |
| Eli Manning, 2000-present | 22 | 382-633-12 | 4,398 | .603 | 199.9 | 40 | 135.8 |
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 | 633 |
COMPLETIONS
| Player, Years | No. | |
| 1. | Kent Austin, 1981-1985 | 566 |
| . | ||
| . | ||
| . | ||
| 5. | Archie Manning, 1968-1970 | 402 |
| 6. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 382 |
PASSING YARDS
| Player, Years | No. | |
| 1. | Romaro Miller, 1997-2000 | 6,311 |
| . | ||
| . | ||
| . | ||
| 5. | Archie Manning, 1968-70 | 4,753 |
| 6. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 4,398 |
PASSING TDs
| Player, Years | No. | |
| 1. | Romaro Miller, 1997-2000 | 43 |
| 2. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 40 |
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 | 60.3 |
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 | 135.8 |
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. | Romaro Miller, 1997-2000 | 7.0 |
| Stewart Patridge, 1994, 1996-97 | 7.0 | |
| 9. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 6.9 |
200-YARD PASSING GAMES
| Player, Years | No. | |
| 1. | Romaro Miller, 1997-2000 | 19 |
| 2. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 13 |
250-YARD PASSING GAMES
| Player, Years | No. | |
| 1. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 10 |
| 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. | Deuce McAllister, 1997-2000 | 42 |
| 5. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 40 |
TOTAL OFFENSE PER GAME
(minimum 14 career games)
| Player, Years | Avg. | |
| 1. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 199.8 |
| 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. | Doug Elmore, 1959-1961 | 6.64 |
| 2. | Glynn Griffing, 1960-1962 | 6.62 |
| Eli Manning, 2000-present | 6.43 | |
| 4. | Rocky Byrd, 1949-1951 | 6.37 |
TOTAL OFFENSE
| Player, Years | Yards | |
| 1. | John Fourcade, 1978-1981 | 6,713 |
| . | ||
| . | ||
| . | ||
| 5. | Mark Young, 1985-1988 | 5,031 |
| 6. | Eli Manning, 2000-present | 4,395 |
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' .650 winning percentage and 26 wins since 1999 ranks as the best in the SEC Western Division.
* Last Saturday game's with Florida, televised by CBS, marked Ole Miss' 26th TV appearance since Cutcliffe's first full season in 1999.
* The 2001 team set 12 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: | 14-12 | .538 |
| vs. SEC West: | 7-8 | .467 |
| vs. SEC East: | 7-4 | .636 |
| Non-Conference opponents: | 13-2 | .867 |
| Bowl Games: | 2-1 | .667 |
| Home: | 16-7 | .696 |
| Away: | 9-6 | .600 |
| Neutral: | 2-1 | .667 |
| Day Games: | 15-7 | .681 |
| Night Games (6 pm start or later): | 12-7 | .632 |
| vs. Top 25 teams | 3-5 | .375 |
| When leading at halftime: | 23-6 | .793 |
| Overtime games: | 2-1 | .667 |
REBEL GAME NOTES
GRIER KEYS REBEL WIN: Senior SS Matt Grier's (Smithville, Miss.) two third-quarter interceptions proved to be the key plays in Ole Miss' 17-14 win over the No. 6 Florida Gators. Trailing 14-2, Grier intercepted a Rex Grossman pass at the Florida 28 on th Gators' first possession of the third quarter and returned it 10 yards to the Florida 18. Three plays later, freshman RB Vashon Pearson (Ripley, Miss.) scored from four yards out and the Rebels added a two-point conversion to pull within 14-10. A series later, Grier intercepted Grossman at the Florida 24 and vaulted into the end zone for what would prove to be the game-winning touchdown. He is also the first Rebel since Ken Lucas (1997-2000) against UNLV in 2000 to intercept two passes in a game, and is the first Ole Miss player since Syniker Taylor (1998-2001) against Georgia in 2000 to return an interception for a touchdown.
GRIER EARNS SEC AND NATIONAL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS: Senior SS Matt Grier (Smithville, Miss.) earned the SEC and the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week honors Monday, for his performance in last Saturday's 17-14 upset win over No. 6 Florida. In addition to his two picks against the Gators, 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. Grier 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.
The Football Writers Association of American (FWAA) and Charlotte Touchdown Club pick a National Defensive Player of the Week each Monday. Grier will now be added to the Watch List for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, presented to the nation's top all-around defensive player.
OLE MISS NAMED TEAM OF THE WEEK: With its 17-14 upset of No. 6 Florida last Saturday, Ole Miss was named the Team of the Week by the FWAA.
OLE MISS-ALABAMA GAME TO BE TELEVISED BY CBS: CBS announced that it will air the Oct. 19 game between Ole Miss and Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Kickoff will be 2:30 p.m., CDT.
REBEL RAMBLINGS:
* With last Saturday's win over No. 6 Florida, Ole Miss is off to its fifth consecutive 4-1 start since 1998 ... A win this weekend over Arkansas State would give the Rebels their third 5-1 start in the last four years ... Ole Miss was 5-1 after six games last season.
* Ole Miss is 2-0 in the SEC for the first time since 1970, Archie Manning's senior year as quarterback for Ole Miss.
* The 45-38 win over Vanderbilt on Sept. 21 snapped a string of nine straight SEC-opening losses since defeating Auburn 45-21 in Oxford to open the 1992 conference schedule ... The win was also only the sixth time dating back to 1970 that the Rebels opened their SEC slate with a win.
* Ole Miss has not scored a point in the first quarter in 4-of-5 games this season, and has been outscored 27-10 in the first 15 minutes of a game this season ... The Rebels did not score their first points of the first quarter until the fourth game of the year against Vanderbilt on Sept. 21, when sophomore PK Jonathan Nichols (Greenwood, Miss.) made a 40-yard field goal.
* The Rebels are outscoring the opposition 149-86 after the first quarter.
* Ole Miss has won nine of its last 11 home games dating back to the 45-30 win over Mississippi State on Nov. 23, 2000, including five straight.
* Last Saturday's win improved Ole Miss to 5-2 following a bye week under head coach David Cutcliffe.
* Ole Miss is 22-3 under head coach David Cutcliffe when leading after three quarters.
OLE MISS CRACKS NATIONAL RANKINGS: With the 17-14 win over No. 6 Florida last weekend, Ole Miss cracked the national polls with a No. 25 ranking in this week's Associated Press Top 25, despite not receiving a vote in last week's AP or ESPN/USA Today Coaches Top 25 polls. The Rebels received 67 votes in this week's coaches poll to finish second among "Others Receiving Votes." The national ranking is the first for Ole Miss since Oct. 8, 2000 when the Rebels were No. 25 in ESPN/USA Today Coaches poll. This is the 13th time since head coach David Cutcliffe's first full season in 1999 that Ole Miss has ventured into the national polls. The Rebels were ranked for eight straight weeks from Oct. 3-Nov. 21, 1999, and spent four weeks in one of the two major polls during the 2000 season. The chart on the following page shows Ole Miss' week-by-week tally in the two major college football polls during the 2002 season:
| Date | AP | ESPN/USA |
| Pre-season | RV | RV (41) |
| August 26 | RV (10) | RV (23) |
| September 2 | RV (12) | RV (25) |
| September 9 | RV (15) | RV (25) |
| September 16 | - | - |
| September 23 | RV (1) | - |
| September 30 | - | - |
| October 6 | 25 | RV (67) |
STAFF CHANGES: Ole Miss welcomes two new full-time assistants to the coaching staff in 2002. Chuck Driesbach was named the Rebels' new defensive coordinator and linebacker coach this past February, after serving as the defensive coordinator/inside linebacker coach at TCU in 2001. Former Rebel center Matt Luke was hired as the new tight ends coach last spring, replacing Richard Bisaccia, who joined Jon Gruden's coaching staff with the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Luke will also assist with the offensive line. Fourth-year assistant Ron Middleton, who coached the tight ends his first three years in Oxford, will now coach the running backs and special teams.
THE DRIESBACH FILE
* While serving as the defensive coordinator at TCU, the Horned Frogs ranked 10th nationally against the run and 24th in the NCAA against the pass.
* Defensive coordinator at Western Michigan from 1997-2000 ... Also coached outside linebackers and safeties ... The Broncos finished fourth in the nation in scoring defense and ninth in total defense in 2000.
* Defensive coordinator at Cornell from 1990-1992 and at Pittsburgh from 1993-1996.
* Coached running backs and the secondary at Ole Miss in 1989 .. Coached the late Chucky Mullins.
* Served as running backs coach at East Carolina during the 1987 and 1988 seasons.
* From 1984-1986 at Wake Forest, coached the defensive line, receivers and tight ends.
* Served as an assistant at Kansas State from 1976-1983, where he coached the tight ends, tackles, receivers and the secondary during his tenure in Manhattan, Kan.
THE LUKE FILE
* Spent the 2000 and 2001 seasons coaching with former Ole Miss assistant Joe Pannunzio at Murray State.
* After his playing career at Ole Miss, served as a student assistant coach with the Rebels in 1999, working with the centers and guards.
REBELS SCORE FIRST WIN OVER TOP 10 TEAM SINCE 1997:
* The 17-14 win over No. 6 Florida last Saturday in Oxford, was the Rebels' first over a top 10 team since defeating No. 8 LSU, 36-21 in Baton Rouge, La., on Oct. 18, 1997.
* It was also the Rebels' first win over a ranked opponent since a 45-30 victory over No. 23 Mississippi State on Nov. 23, 2000 in Oxford.
* Ole Miss was 3-9 against ranked teams since the win at LSU in 1997, entering last weekend's contest with the Gators.
* It is also believed to be the highest-ranked team Ole Miss has defeated since the 20-13 win over No. 3 Notre Dame on Sept. 17, 1977 in Jackson.
* The win over Florida marked the Rebels' first win over a top 10 team in Oxford since Oct. 9, 1976, when Ole Miss defeated No. 4 Georgia, 21-17.
* Last Saturday's win also marked the highest-ranked opponent the Rebels have defeated in Oxford since that 1976 match-up with Georgia.
REBELS REVERSE TURNOVER TREND FROM 2001: Through five games in the 2002 season, Ole Miss ranks second in the SEC and 11th in the nation in turnover margin, with a takeaway/giveaway ratio of +8. That margin is +10 better than after five games in 2001, when the Rebels' takeaway/giveaway ration was -2. Ole Miss has scored 42 points off turnovers this season, including 15 in last week's 17-14 win over Florida. The following chart compares Ole Miss' takeaway/giveaway ratio and points off turnovers after five games this season, compared to after five games in 2001:
| Year | Takeaways | Turnovers | Ratio | Points off Turnovers |
| 2001 | 7 | 9 | -2 | UM 7, Opp. 27 |
| 2002 | 12 | 4 | +8 | UM 42, Opp. 15 |
STANDING ROOM ONLY: Last Saturday's contest with Florida drew a standing-room only crowd of 61,140 to break the previous Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/ Hollingsworth Field record of 58,151 set in this season's opener versus Louisiana-Monroe on Aug. 31. It is also the largest crowd ever to watch a game in an on-campus facility in the state of Mississippi.
OLE MISS TO CELEBRATE 75TH HOMECOMING GAME AGAINST ARKANSAS STATE: Saturday's contest with Arkansas State will mark the 75th Homecoming football game at Ole Miss since 1924. The Rebels are 59-13-2 (.811 winning percentage) at Homecoming, having won their last five Homecoming contests, and 17 of their last 20. LSU was the last team to defeat Ole Miss on its Homecoming, downing the Rebels 39-7 on Nov. 16, 1996. Last year at Homecoming, Ole Miss defeated Middle Tennessee 45-17.
2002 HOMECOMING COURT: Junior Summer Clements, from Montgomery, Ala., was elected Homecoming Queen, junior Ford Williams, from Germantown, Tenn., was voted Colonel Reb, and senior Staci Henson, from Jackson, Miss., was named Miss Ole Miss.
THE GROVE EARNS NATIONAL RECOGNITION: In this week's issue of Sports Illustrated, Ole Miss was named as the best tailgating school in the country. SI's Glenn Kaplan wrote about The Grove:
On football Saturdays as many as 25,000 (Ole Miss) supporters gather for pregame food and drink in The Grove, 10 acres of lawn, shaded by stately oaks, in the heart of the university's campus in Oxford. There is no more beautiful spot to tailgate, nor one richer in tradition; The Grove has been the site of pregame picnicking for more than half a century. The fans start arriving by car at 4 a.m., many dressed formally, as if they were heading to a wedding. They greet old friends and classmates amid barbecue grills, silver candelabras and plenty of bourbon. Two hours before kickoff they cheer wildly as Rebel players march by on their way to the stadium. After the game, win or lose, many in the crowd return to The Grove to party until midnight. They have one thing in common: They can't wait until the next football Saturday.
M*A*S*H UNIT
* 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.
* Senior RB Robert Williams (Gadsden, Ala.) did not play in last Saturday's win over Florida after suffering a high-ankle sprain in the first half of the Sept. 21 contest with Vanderbilt.
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).
REBELS IN OCTOBER
* The Rebels are 205-137-14 (.595 winning percentage) all-time in the month of October.
* Ole Miss is 142-54-5 (.719 winning percentage) in October home games (including home games played in Jackson and Memphis) ... In October home games played in Oxford, the Rebels are 107-26-3 (.798 winning percentage).
* Ole Miss is 10-2 (.833 winning percentage) under head coach David Cutcliffe during the month of October, including 5-0 versus non-conference opponents.
* The Rebels have won six straight October games, going 4-0 last season ... The last time Ole Miss lost an October game was at Alabama on Oct. 14, 2000, 45-7 in Tuscaloosa.
* Versus non-conference opponents in October, Ole Miss is 156-104-12 (.596 winning percentage) all-time.
* Ole Miss is 75-8-2 (.894 winning percentage) all-time versus non-conference teams in Oxford during the month.
CUTCLIFFE AMONG REBEL COACHING LEADERS: David Cutcliffe's 27-14 record at Ole Miss ranks him tied for second with the legendary John Vaught for the most wins by an Ole Miss coach after 41 games. Only Harry J. Mehre (1938-45) won more games, 32, with the Rebels in 41 games. The following chart shows the top five records for Ole Miss coaches after 41 games at the school:
| School (Years) | W-L-T | Pct. |
| Harry J. Mehre (1938-1941) | 32-8-1 | .793 |
| John Vaught (1947-1950) | 27-13-1 | .670 |
| David Cutcliffe (1998-present)* | 27-14-0 | .659 |
| Tommy Tuberville (1995-1998) | 24-17-0 | .585 |
| Homer Hazel (1925-1929) | 21-19-1 | .524 |
BEST IN THE WEST: Since David Cutcliffe's first full season in 1999, Ole Miss' 26 wins and .650 winning percentage ranks as the best in the SEC Western Division. 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 | 26-14 | .650 |
| Auburn | 25-16 | .610 |
| LSU | 25-16 | .610 |
| Arkansas | 23-17 | .575 |
| Alabama | 24-18 | .571 |
| Mississippi State | 22-18 | .550 |
REBELS VERSUS THE SUN BELT CONFERENCE: Ole Miss is 25-1-2 (.929 winning percentage) all-time against teams that currently compete in the Sun Belt Conference, including a 17-1-2 versus Arkansas State. The Indians' lone win in the series came in 1915, 10-0 in Oxford, 86 years before the Sun Belt Conference first began sponsoring football in 2001. Since that loss in 1915, the Rebels have a 26-game unbeaten streak versus teams currently in the Sun Belt Conference, including two ties against Arkansas State in 1917 and 1986. Ole Miss has played three games against Sun Belt teams since the league started football, defeating the Indians 35-17 last year in Jonesboro, Ark., Middle Tennessee, 45-17 last year in Oxford, and Louisiana-Monroe, 31-3 to open the 2002 campaign on Aug. 31. The following chart shows Ole Miss' all-time record against teams currently in the Sun Belt Conference:
| School | W-L-T | Pct. |
| Arkansas State | 17-1-2 | .875 |
| Middle Tennessee | 1-0-0 | 1.000 |
| North Texas | 4-0-0 | 1.000 |
| UL-Lafayette | 2-0-0 | 1.000 |
| UL-Monroe | 1-0-0 | 1.000 |
REBELS LOOK TO START NEW STREAK: With a 42-28 loss at Texas Tech on Sept. 14, Ole Miss had a 24-game regular-season win streak versus non-conference opponents snapped. Prior to the Texas Tech contest, the last time the Rebels had lost a regular-season non-conference game was on Nov. 5, 1994 against Memphis in Oxford, 17-16. The loss to the Red Raiders, was also head coach David Cutcliffe's first regular-season loss to a non-SEC opponent in 12 games. Including bowl games, Ole Miss has won 27 of its last 29 games versus non-conference opponents.
FWAA ALL-AMERICA WATCH LIST: In addition to junior QB Eli Manning (New Orleans, La.) four other Rebels have been named to the Football Writers' Association of America's All-America watch list: senior center Ben Claxton (Dublin, Ga.), junior WR Chris Collins (Gloster, Miss.), senior LB Eddie Strong (Batesville, Miss.) and senior TE Doug Zeigler (Wilmington, Ohio).
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 last weekend. 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
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
CLAXTON NOMINATED FOR POSTGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP: Ole Miss has nominated senior center Ben Claxton (Dublin, Ga.) for one of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame National Scholar-Athlete Postgraduate Scholarship Awards. Each year the Awards Committee selects 15 scholar-athletes from across the country for graduate fellowships, granting each $18,000 towards their postgraduate studies. The recipients will be selected from Division I-A, I-AA, II, III, and the NAIA. The college football Scholar-Athlete of the Year will be awarded the HealthSouth Draddy Trophy, a $25,000 fellowship dedicated in memory of the Foundation's former chairman.
OFFENSIVE NOTES
* The 17 points scored against Florida was the first time in seven games since a 35-15 loss to Georgia on Nov. 17, 2001 that Ole Miss scored less than 20 points, and was the second time in the last 18 games dating back to Nov. 18, 2000.
* Ole Miss has topped 30 points in 3-of-5 games this season and in 10 of the 16 games that junior Eli Manning (New Orleans, La.) has started at quarterback.
* The 37 yards rushing by Ole Miss was its lowest output since gaining 28 yards on 20 carries last year against Georgia.
* The 191 yards of offense netted by the Rebels marked the first time Ole Miss had been held to under 200 yards since Sept. 12, 1998 against Auburn when the Rebels gained only 136 in a 17-0 loss.
* The last time Ole Miss had under 200 yards of offense and still won a game prior to last Saturday against Florida, was on Sept. 22, 1990, when the Rebels managed only 111 yards and still beat Arkansas 21-17 at Little Rock.
* The Rebels were 3-of-16 on third down conversions versus the Gators, including 1-of-8 in the second half.
* The lost fumble after QB Eli Manning (New Orleans, La.) was sacked in the first quarter marked the Rebels' first turnover since a Manning interception in the first half at Texas Tech (9/14) ... It was also the first fumble lost for Ole Miss since the season opener against Louisiana-Monroe.
WR CHRIS COLLINS (JR, GLOSTER, MISS.)
* Caught two passes against Florida to extend his streak to 14 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.
WR BILL FLOWERS (SO., PELHAM, ALA.)
* Leads Ole Miss in receptions (26) and receiving yards (293).
* Ranks second in the SEC and tied for 37th in the nation in receptions per game (5.20).
* Is fifth in the SEC in receiving yards per game (58.6).
* Had three receptions against Florida to extend his streak to 11 consecutive games with a reception.
RB VASHON PEARSON (RsFR., RIPLEY, MISS.)
* Is tied for ninth in the SEC in touchdowns scored with four.
* Recorded his first career start at running back against Florida.
* Rushed for a career-high 47 yards on a career-high 19 attempts, and scored on a four-yard TD run with 12:41 left in the third quarter to pull Ole Miss to within 14-10.
* Has rushed for at least one TD in back-to-back games against Vanderbilt (9/21) and Florida, and has scored a TD in the last three games that he's played ... Pearson scored his first career TD on a 15-yard reception against Memphis, before missing the Texas Tech game.
RB ROBERT WILLIAMS (SR., GADSEN, ALA.)
* Rebels' leading rusher with 284 yards on 53 carries, for a 5.4 average per carry, and three scores.
* Ranks seventh in the SEC in rushing, averaging 71.0 yards per game.
* Is 10th in the SEC in all purpose yards per game at 106.5 yards per game.
* Opened the season with back-to-back 100-yard rushing games versus Lousiana-Monroe (18-100-2) and Memphis (17-107-0) ... The 107 yards versus the Tigers was a career-high.
* Did not play last weekend versus Florida due to a high ankle sprain suffered in the Vanderbilt contest (9/21).
HANDS OFF!: Since the start of the 1999 season, Ole Miss has allowed the fewest sacks in the SEC with 36, 21 less than the next team, Georgia with 57 during that span. The Rebels have led the SEC in the fewest sacks allowed the last two seasons, yielding seven in 2000 and 10 in 2001. Ole Miss allowed three sacks versus Florida last Saturday, marking the first time Ole Miss had allowed a sack in seven games dating back to last year on Nov. 17 against Georgia. The following chart shows the top five teams for the fewest sacks allowed in the SEC since 1999.
| Team | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | Total | ||
| 1. | Ole Miss | 16 | 7 | 10 | 3 | 36 |
| 2. | Georgia | 21 | 12 | 15 | 9 | 57 |
| 3. | Arkansas | 14 | 17 | 19 | 11 | 61 |
| 4. | LSU | 25 | 12 | 19 | 6 | 62 |
| 5. | Florida | 18 | 26 | 13 | 12 | 69 |
DEFENSIVE NOTES
* The 17-14 win over No. 6 Florida improved the Rebels to 16-0 under head coach David Cutcliffe when allowing less than 20 points.
* Senior SS Matt Grier (Smithville, Miss.) leads the SEC and ranks 11th in the nation in interceptions (3), averaging 0.6 per game.
* Ole Miss' four interceptions against Florida QB Rex Grossman was the most by the Rebels since intercepting Vanderbilt's David Wallace four times during a 30-6 win over the Commodores in Nashville on Sept. 19, 1998.
* Cornerbacks Travis Blanchard (Aberdeen, Miss.) and Travis Johnson (Shannon, Miss.) made their first career starts against the Gators, and also recorded their first career interceptions ... Johnson's pick halted a Florida scoring drive in the first quarter at the Rebel 39, and Blanchard's interception came with 2:58 remaining in the game to seal the 17-14 win.
* Florida crossed midfield just once in its nine second-half possessions against the Rebel defense.
* Senior LB Eddie Strong (Batesville, Miss.) started his first game of the season against Florida and recorded his ninth career sack in the fourth quarter on a 4th-and-13 play at the Rebel 31 to give possession back to Ole Miss with 6:04 left and leading 17-14.
* Ole Missh has recorded at least one QB sack in 25 of the last 26 games.
* Ole Miss recorded its first safety since Oct. 28, 2000 when it blocked a punt out of the end zone against UNLV, when junior DE Josh Cooper (Marietta, Ga.) hurried Gator QB Rex Grossman into intentionally grounding the ball in the end zone during the second quarter.
* The Rebel defense limited Grossman, who ranked sixth nationally in passing yards entering the contest, to 8-of-20 passing for 55 yards and intercepted him three times in the second half.
* Ole Miss limited Florida to 1-of-8 on third down conversions in the second half.
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.
SPECIALTY NOTES
* Senior Jason Armstead (Moss Point, Miss.) ranks third in theSEC and 24th in the nation in punt returns, averaging 14.1 yards per return.
* As a unit, Ole Miss is third in the SEC and 23rd in the nation in punt returns, averaging 13.8 yards per return.
* Senior Robert Williams (Gadsden, Ala.) is third in the SEC in kickoff returns, averaging 28.2 yards per return.
* Senior Yahrek Johnson (Atlanta, Ga.) was credited with the deflection of Matt Leach's 35-yard field goal attempt in the first quarter last weekend against Florida.
* The Rebels have not had a punt blocked in 36 straight games since the Sept. 25, 1999 game at Auburn.
* 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.
PK JONATHAN NICHOLS (GREENWOOD, MISS.)
* Tied for first in the SEC in PAT percentage, having converted all 18 attempts.
* Is tied for third among SEC kickers in scoring, averaging 6.6 points per game ... Ranks ninth overall in scoring in the SEC.
* Is tied for third in the conference in field goals, averaging 1.0 field goal made per game.
* Five field goals this season surpasses his total of three from last season ... Nichols is 3-of-3 on field goals of 40 yards or longer this season, including hitting a career-long 47-yarder in the season opener versus Louisiana-Monroe.
P CODY RIDGEWAY (JACKSON, TENN.)
* Is fifth in the nation in punting, averaging 45.2 yard per attempt.
* 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.
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.
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.
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 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 last weekend when a standing-room only crowd of 61,140 watched the Rebels defeat No. 6 Florida, 17-14.
STADIUM TIMELINE
* Ole Miss has won 78.1 percent of its home games at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/Hollingsworth Field, compiling an all-time mark of 210-56-8.
1915: The stadium, known as Hemingway Stadium for much of its existence, began its historic life when students helped in construction of the first football grandstand at the site of the present field ... The construction of the stadium and its permanent foundation was a three-year, federally-sponsored project and had an original capacity listed at 24,000 ... The facility was named after the late Judge William Hemingway (1869-1937), professor of law and longtime chairman of the University's Committee on Athletics.
1950: One of the nation's longest press boxes, measuring 80 yards, was added.
1970: Astroturf was installed on the playing surface in 1970.
1971: Blue fiber glass seating was added to the West side stands in 1971 and later to the East stands in 1973.
1980: Permanent aluminum bleachers were installed in both end zones in 1980, enlarging capacity to 41,000.
OCT. 16, 1982: John Howard Vaught saw his name added to the stadium. The legendary Rebel coach compiled an impressive 190-61-12 record as head football coach at Ole Miss and brought the Rebels national championships in 1959, 1960 and 1962.
SUMMER, 1984: The astroturf was removed and replaced with prescription athletic turf.
SUMMER, 1988: The stadium received a major facelift, including a new press box, new aluminum sideline seating, restrooms and concessions stands, plus a club level section for 700 people.
1990: Lights were added.
1997: A new Sony JumboTron scoreboard/message center was installed.
1998: The Guy C. Billups Rebel Club was completed prior to the season, which included a special seating section with an enclosed concession and lounge area. The addition pushed capacity to over 50,000.
SEPT 5, 1998: The field was named in honor of Dr. Jerry Hollingsworth for his continuing generous support to the entire athletic department.
NOVEMBER 2000: Construction began on bowling in the south end zone following Ole Miss' 45-30 win over Mississippi State in the regular-season finale.
AUG. 31, 2001: In the first game since the bowling in of the south end zone, a stadium record 58,151 watched Ole Miss down Louisiana-Monroe 31-3.
OCT. 5, 2002: Ole Miss defeated No. 6 Florida 17-14 in front of a standing-room only crowd of 61,140 to break the stadium single-game record of 58,151 set in the season opener versus UL-Monroe.
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)
--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)
