Manning Leads Rebels Past Bama, 43-28

Oct 18, 2003

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By RALPH D. RUSSO
AP Sports Writer

OXFORD, Miss. - Eli Manning threw for 230 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score as Mississippi scored the first 24 points of the game and went on to beat Alabama 43-28 on Saturday.

Ole Miss (5-2) is 3-0 in the Southeastern Conference for the first time since 1970, when Manning's father, Archie, was leading the Rebels.

Brodie Croyle threw two touchdown passes in the final five minutes for Alabama, but the Crimson Tide (3-5, 1-3) still lost for the fourth time in the last five games.

Victories over Alabama have been the rarest of commodities for Ole Miss, but they usually come when a Manning is at quarterback.

The Rebels have beaten the Crimson Tide just eight times in 51 meetings - half of those with either Archie or Eli leading the way.

The Manning family is 7-3 against the Crimson Tide. Big brother Peyton, who was watching the game from the sidelines, went 3-1 against Alabama at Tennessee.

Archie, who attends all of Eli's games, was 2-1.

Eli Manning got lots of help from the rest of the Rebels in this one.

Ole Miss ran for 216 yards with Tremaine Turner getting 81 on 17 carries and Ronald McClendon adding 79 on 12. The Rebels' defense forced three turnovers, held the Crimson Tide to 116 yards rushing and finished the scoring with a safety.

Croyle returned to the lineup for Alabama after sitting out last week with a separated nonthrowing shoulder. He was 21-for-29 for 248 yards with two interceptions, including one on his first pass of the game that setup the Rebels' first touchdown. He played the entire game, despite a 25-point deficit in the fourth quarter and took several hard shots.

Running back Brandon Jacobs, right, pulls free from Alabama free safety Charles Jones (20) for a 10-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.

Ole Miss had lost 10 straight to Alabama before Manning led a come-from-behind victory against the Crimson Tide two years ago.

This time the Rebels jumped out fast and never let the Crimson Tide get close.

Manning came out firing and Ole Miss went up 24-0 when Brandon Jacobs scored on an 10-yard run with 11 seconds left in the first quarter.

Manning was 7-for-9 for 121 yards in the first quarter, going up top for TD passes of 23 and 55 yards to Taye Biddle.

For the Crimson Tide, it was reminiscent of the Georgia game, when they fell behind 30-3 in the first half.

After Alabama cut the lead to 24-10 in the second quarter, Manning made his play of the game.

The senior eluded pressure up the middle, rolled to his right and on the move launched a deep pass that land right in Kerry Johnson's stomach for a 41-yard score to make it 31-10 just before halftime.

Manning flashed a little more mobility later, scrambling through defenders and diving into the end zone for a 3-yard touchdown to cap a long scoring drive and make it 38-10 with 8:55 left in the third.

Manning, who came in as the SEC's highest rated passer, finished 14-for-22 with no interceptions.

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