Rebels Turn Back Memphis, 38-16

Sept 7, 2002

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By JASON STRAZIUSO
Associated Press Writer

OXFORD, Miss. - Eli Manning's second shaky start in a row may have had Mississippi fans worried. They probably would have been even more concerned had they known about his knee.

Manning played the whole game and threw three touchdowns in the Rebels' 38-16 win over Memphis on Saturday, but needed to ice down a swollen left knee afterward.

When Manning scrambled for an 8-yard gain on the second play of the game he opted not to slide and paid the price, getting creamed by three Tigers. But few if any of the 54,718 in attendance at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium realized he'd hurt his knee.

"It's fine," Manning said after receiving post-game treatment. "I'll be back on the practice field Monday. You have to expect getting banged up in games like this."

After starting 0-for-5 against Louisiana-Monroe last week, Manning didn't fare much better early against the Tigers. He started the game 1-for-7, finishing 14-for-30 for 174 yards and three touchdowns.

"My statistics aren't a consideration," Manning said. "What I saw was no turnovers, no mistakes and an offense that rushed for more than 200 yards - and most importantly, a win."

Robert Williams rushed for 107 yards to lead the Rebels' 214-yard ground attack.

Mississippi (2-0) has won nine of the last 11 meetings with Memphis (1-1).

"What I was pleased with the most was our physical play on both sides of the ball," Cutcliffe said. "They never really had a chance to get their running game going."

Ole Miss shut down Memphis' ground game, holding the Tigers to 18 yards on 20 carries. Dante Brown had 40 yards on 10 carries, but quarterback Danny Wimprine was credited with minus 23 yards rushing.

"We got our butts whipped," said Memphis coach Tommy West. "We couldn't run the ball, and because of that we never got into a rhythm."

Memphis pulled within 24-16 in the fourth quarter, but Ole Miss scored on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Manning to Vashon Pearson and Jason Armstead's 62-yard punt return to put the game away.

Danny Wimprine was 20-of-38 for 271 yards for Memphis. He threw two touchdowns - both 50-yarders to Antoine Harden, who finished with 119 yards receiving.

Wimprine was sacked five times.

It took some time before Ole Miss got rolling. Two straight first-half drives inside the 25 ended when Jonathan Nichols missed field goals. Manning was 6-for-18 at one point, and his first two throws into the end zone landed incomplete.

But Manning finished the half with two straight touchdown drives. A 20-yard pass to Bill Flowers put Ole Miss up 10-7 with 3:28 left in the half. One drive later Manning found Chris Collins for a 10-yard strike to go up 17-3 just before half.

Mississippi totaled 388 yards of offense to 289 for Memphis.

Wimprine hit Harden for a 50-yard TD for the second time in the game late in the third quarter, and a 30-yard field goal by Stephen Gostkowski pulled Memphis within 24-16 before Ole Miss put the game away.

After making his first field-goal attempt in the second quarter, Nichols missed his next three, from 39, 20 and 36 yards to help keep the game close.

Memphis got on the board first in the opening quarter when Wimprine found Harden for their first 50-yard TD.

Manning extended his school-record touchdown pass streak to 14 game and Armstead's 157 punt return yards broke a 55-year-old school record.

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