Ole Miss Football Game Notes

Oct. 27, 2003

Live Game Audio (Saturday 10:30 a.m.)
Game Preview
Ole Miss Game Notes in PDF Format
Eli Manning Web Site
2003 Ole Miss Statistics
SEC Release in PDF Format

DATE: Saturday, November 1, 2003

TIME: 11:30 a.m.

SITE: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/Hollingsworth Field (60,580); Oxford, Miss.

TV: Jefferson Pilot (Dave Neal, play-by-play; Dave Rowe, color analyst; Dave Baker, sideline reporter).

RADIO: Ole Miss Radio Network (David Kellum, play-by-play; Harry Harrison, color analyst; Stan Sandroni, sideline reporter; Gary Darby, pregame host). Live audio will also be available on the official Ole Miss athletic website, www.OleMissSports.com.

POLLS: Ole Miss is ranked No. 20 in this week's Associated Press Top 25 and finished first among "Others Recieving Votes" with 129 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Top 25. South Carolina is unranked.

SERIES INFO: Saturday's game will be the 12th meeting between Ole Miss and South Carolina dating back to 1947, and the third since the Gamecocks joined the SEC in 1992. The Rebels lead the series 6-5 and have won three straight dating back to a 20-13 win at Columbia in 1981. Ole Miss won the two SEC meetings 30-28 at Oxford in 1998 and 36-10 in 1999 at Columbia. The Rebels are 2-1 versus the Gamecocks in Oxford.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Ole Miss is looking for its fifth straight win to match its longest winning streak since winning five-in-a-row back in 2001 ... Off to their first 4-0 SEC start since 1970, the Rebels are looking for their first 5-0 conference start since winning their last SEC crown in 1963 ... A win Saturday over South Carolina would give Ole Miss its first three-game sweep of the SEC East since divisional play began in 1992 ... Junior PK Jonathan Nichols (Greenwood, Miss.) needs five points to tie the Ole Miss season scoring record and eight to tie school's career scoring mark ... Senior WR Chris Collins (Gloster, Miss.) is 26 receiving yards shy of the Ole Miss career record of 2,274 set by Willie Green (1989-1992).

OLE MISS HEAD COACH David Cutcliffe: David Cutcliffe (Alabama, 1976) is in his fifth season as the Rebels' head coach. He is 36-21 at Ole Miss and is the only coach in school history to lead the Rebels to at least seven wins in each of his first four seasons. Ole Miss is Cutcliffe's first career head coaching position. Cutcliffe is 1-0 versus South Carolina and Gamecock head coach Lou Holtz.

SOUTH CAROLINA HEAD COACH LOU HOLTZ: Lou Holtz is in his fifth season at South Carolina, having compiled a 27-28 mark with the Gamecocks. He has a career mark of 243-123 in his 32nd season as a collegiate head coach, which includes stops at William & Mary (1969-71), North Carolina State (1972-75), Arkansas (1977-1983), Minnesota (1984-85) and Notre Dame (1986-1996). Holtz is 2-2 in his career against Ole Miss, including a 2-1 mark while coaching the Razorbacks. He is 0-1 versus Rebel head coach David Cutcliffe.

SOUTH CAROLINA SCOUTING REPORT: South Carolina is coming off a 35-24 win over Vanderbilt last weekend in Columbia. The Gamecocks are averaging 22.9 points and 361.4 yards of offense per game. Junior QB Dondrial Pinkins has thrown for 1,418 yards, completing 107-of-218 passes with five TDs and five interceptions. His favorite target has been sophomore WR Troy Williamson, who has caught 25 passes for 362 yards and two scores, including a long of 99. Freshman RB Demetris Summers has gained 510 yards rushing on 96 carries with three scores and sophomore Daccus Turman has added 419 yards on 92 attempts and six scores. Defensively, USC is allowing 19.5 points per game and 322.2 yards of offense per game, including 183.6 yards through the air. Senior LB Jeremiah Garrison has recorded a team-leading 73 stops (50 solo). Junior LB Marcus Lawrence and sophomore DE Moe Thompson are tied for the team lead with six TFLs, and junior DE George Gause has recorded a team-high five QB sacks.

2003 SOUTH CAROLINA SCHEDULE/RESULTS
(5-3 OVERALL, 2-3 SEC)

AUG. 30	LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE	W, 14-7
SEPT. 6	VIRGINIA	W, 31-7
Sept. 13	at Georgia*	L, 7-31
SEPT. 20	UAB	W, 42-10
Sept. 27	at Tennessee*	L, 20-23
OCT. 11	KENTUCKY*	W, 27-21
OCT. 18	LSU*	L, 7-33
OCT. 25	VANDERBILT*	W, 35-24
*Nov. 1*	at Ole Miss*	*11:30 a.m.*
Nov. 6	at Arkansas* (Little Rock)	6:30 p.m.
NOV. 15	FLORIDA*	TBA
NOV. 22	CLEMSON	TBA

* - SEC game.
HOME GAMES IN CAPS
All Times Central

NOTING ELI
Career Highlights

Holds 45 Ole Miss single-game, season and career records ... Became Ole Miss' all-time leader in total offensive plays last Saturday against Arkansas, recording 39 plays to break the previous mark of 1,275 set by John Fourcade (1978-1981).
Is fourth on the SEC's all-time list for the lowest percentage of interceptions thrown (2.67).
Is sixth in SEC history in completions (723) and seventh in passing attempts (1,197).
74 TDs responsible for is seventh in SEC history and his 70 TD passes is also seventh on the SEC's career list.
Ranks eighth on the SEC's career list for passing yards with 8,791 and is eighth in total offense with 8,714 yards.

2003 Season

Named one of seven finalists for the 2003 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award for the nation's top senior quarterback.
Leads the SEC in passing yards per game (284.0), completions (169), TD passes (18), pass efficiency (147.4) and total offense per game (287.8).
With three 300-yard passing games this season, is one shy of his school season record of four set last year .... His three games of at least 300 yards of total offense this season ties the school season record held by Archie Manning (1969), Stewart Patridge (1997) and Eli last season.
vs. Arkansas (10/25): Completed 17-of-32 passes for 145 yards with one TD and one interception and also rushed for a career-high 21 yards on seven attempts ... Broke John Fourcade's Ole Miss career record of 1,275 offensive plays on a incomplete pass intended for Chris Collins in the first quarter ... Earned his 20th win as a starter in the 19-7 victory.
vs. Alabama (10/18): Completed 14-of-22 passes for 230 yards with three TDs to snap a string of seven consecutive 250-yard passing games dating back to last year's Independence Bowl ... Was 7-of-9 for 121 yards with TD passes of 23 and 55 yards to Taye Biddle in the first quarter as the Rebels built a 24-0 lead ... Recorded his 700th career completion on a four-yard pass to Bill Flowers in the second quarter ... Connected on a 41-yard TD pass to Kerry Johnson with 1:39 left in the first half to give the Rebels a 31-10 lead at the break en route to the 43-28 win.
vs. Arkansas State (10/11): Recorded his third 300-yard passing game of the season, completing 23-of-36 passes for 306 yards with three TDs and one interception during three quarters of action in the 55-0 win ... The 306-yard passing game was his seventh consecutive game of over 250 yards passing to break his own school record of six set during the 2001 season.
at Florida (10/4): Completed 17-of-29 passes for 262 yards with one INT to lead Ole Miss to a 20-17 upset of the No. 24 Gators at "The Swamp" ... Completed a 41-yard pass to Mike Espy on Ole Miss' first play from scrimmage to set-up a 33-yard FG and give Ole Miss a 3-0 lead ... Hit Bill Flowers on a season-long 59-yard pass in the third quarter to set-up a 23-yard field goal and pull the Rebels to within 17-13 ... Led the Rebels on an 8-play, 50-yard scoring drive that resulted in Vashon Pearson's one-yard TD run with 1:10 left to lift Ole Miss to the win ... Was 2-for-2 for 30 yards on the drive, hitting Chris Collins on an 18-yard pass to the Florida 16, and following a penalty, connected with Collins for 12 yards to the nine ... It was the sixth fourth-quarter win (either tied or trailing in the fourth) in his career.
vs. Texas Tech (9/27): Passed for a season-high 409 yards on 29-of-49 passing with three TDs and two interceptions ... The 409-yard effort was his second career 400-yard passing game and was the fourth-highest single-game total in school history ... With the 409 yards passing, passed for 1,054 yards in three games versus Memphis (9/6), Louisiana-Monroe (9/13) and the Red Raiders to break his own school record for the most passing yards in a three-game span ... Also had two yards rushing for 411 yards of total offense, the fourth-highest single-game total in school history ... The 411 yards of total offense marked his seventh career game of over 300 yards of total offense, breaking the school record of six set by his father, Archie Manning (1968-1970).
vs. Louisiana-Monroe (9/13): Completed 21-of-26 passes for 353 yards with three TDs in under three quarters of action ... Also rushed twice for five yards, including a three-yard TD run in the second quarter ... Was 7-of-7 for 115 yards and two TDs in the third quarter ... With 358 yards of total offense, surpassed the 7,000-yard mark for his career.
at Memphis (9/6): Passed for 292 yards, completing 26-of-48 attempts with four TDs and two INTs ... Became the school's all-time leader in passing attempts, TDs responsible for, and total offense ... Broke John Fourcade's (1978-1981) career mark for total offense of 6,724, on a 20-yard completion to Chris Collins in the second quarter ... The 17-yard TD pass to Taye Biddle in the second quarter was his 57th career TD responsible for to break Archie Manning's career record of 56 ... Recorded the 982nd pass attempt of his career on an 11-yard completion to Kerry Johnson in the second quarter, surpassing Kent Austin's (1981-1985) career record of 981 ... Eclipsed the 7,000-yard mark in career passing yards on a 40-yard TD pass to Bill Flowers in the third quarter ... Threw his first interception of the year in the fourth quarter, snapping a streak of 133 straight attempts without a pick, which was the fourth longest streak in Ole Miss history
at Vanderbilt (8/30): Was 22-of-33 for 275 yards and a TD in the season-opening 24-21 win ... Broke Kent Austin's Ole Miss career record for completions of 566 when he connected with Mike Espy for an eight-yard reception in the third quarter ... Led the Rebels back from a 21-14 deficit in the fourth quarter to record his fifth career fourth-quarter win (either tied or trailing in the fourth) ... Named College Sports Report SEC Performer of the Week and Offensive Player of the Week by the Quarterback Club
Named to the Southeastern Conference Good Works Team

REBEL RAMBLINGS:

Ole Miss' current four-game win streak is its longest since winning five consecutive during the 2001 season.
Ole Miss is 8-2 in its last 10 games since last year's 24-12 win over Mississippi State in the regular-season finale.
With the Rebels' 19-7 win over Arkansas and LSU's 31-7 win over Auburn last Saturday, Ole Miss stands as the SEC's only unbeaten team in conference play. Ole Miss was picked to finish fifth in the preseason SEC media poll.
Ole Miss became bowl eligible for the seventh straight season as the Rebels improved to 6-2 with last Saturday's win over the Razorbacks. Ole Miss has earned a bowl berth in five of the last six seasons.
Last Saturday's win secured Ole Miss' seventh consecutive six-win season, its longest streak since posting seven consecutive seasons with at least six wins from 1965-1971.
With a win Saturday over South Carolina, the Rebels can notch their seven straight seven-win season for the first time since recording seven straight from 1965-1971.
Ole Miss' four SEC wins surpasses its conference win total of last season, when the Rebels went 3-5 in the SEC.
A win Saturday would give the Rebels five SEC wins in a season for the first time since going 5-3 in the conference in 1992 en route to a 9-3 overall record that included a Liberty Bowl win over Air Force.
Ole Miss is outscoring the opposition 97-26 in the third quarter this season.
The Rebels are 4-1 at home this season on their new AstroPlay surface. This is the second time Vaught-Hemingway Stadium has had an artificial surface. The stadium had an astroturf surface from 1970-1983 and Ole Miss compiled a 23-11 (.676 winning pct.) record at home. All-time, the Rebels are 27-12 (.692 winning pct.) in Oxford on artificial turf.

REBELS ACHIEVE FIRST 4-0 SEC START SINCE 1970: With the 19-7 victory over Arkansas last Saturday in Oxford, Ole Miss recorded its first 4-0 start in SEC play since the 1970 when current starting QB Eli Manning's father, Archie, was quarterbacking the Rebels in his senior season. The 4-0 SEC start is also the fifth for the Rebels since the conference formed in 1933. Twice, when Ole Miss has started 4-0 have the Rebels gone on to win the SEC Championship, doing so in 1962 and 1963. With a win Saturday over South Carolina, Ole Miss can join the 1957, 1962 and 1963 teams as the only ones to start off 5-0 in SEC play.

REBELS MAKE 2003 TOP 25 DEBUT AT NO. 20: Ole Miss checks in at No. 20 in this week's Associated Press Top 25, marking the first time the Rebels have been ranked this season. Ole Miss also received 129 votes in this week's ESPN/USA Today Coaches Top 25 to finish first among "Others Receiving Votes." This is the first time Ole Miss has been ranked since the Oct. 14, 2002 polls when the Rebels were ranked No. 21 in The Associated Press Top 25 and No. 22 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Top 25. The No. 20 ranking is the Rebels' highest since a No. 18 ranking in the Sept. 3, 2000 ESPN/USA Today Coaches Top 25.

OFFENSIVE NOTES

Ole Miss has scored on its opening possession in six straight games and in 6-of-8 games this season. Against Arkansas last Saturday, the Rebels moved 50 yards in six plays and scored on a one-yard TD pass from Eli Manning (New Orleans, La.) to junior FB Rick Razzano (Milford, Ohio).
Senior WR Chris Collins (Gloster, Miss.) will carry a streak of 30 straight games with at least one reception into Saturday's game with South Carolina. The 30-game streak is the second-longest known streak in school history behind the 37-game streak set by Willie Green (1986-1989).
Collins' 45 receptions is tied for 10th on the Ole Miss single season list and 11 shy of the record of 56 set by LeMay Thomas (1992-1995) in 1995.
Collins is the third player in school history to have three straight seasons with at least 40 receptions. The others were Ta'Boris Fisher from 1994-1996 and Cory Peterson (1997-1999).
Ole Miss has scored 49.5-percent (52-of-105) of its offensive possessions this season. The Rebels entered last week ranked first in the SEC in drive efficiency, having scored on 51.1-percent (47-of-92) of its offensive series.
Ole Miss has scored on 50.5-percent (53-of-105) of its offensive series this season, ranking first in the SEC.
The Rebels have scored 40 or more points in four games this season to tie the school record for 40 points game set by the 1959, 1961 and 1971 teams.
With the next points scored, the 2003 squad will become the eighth team in school history to score over 300 points in a season. It would also mark the first time in school history that the Rebels have topped the 300-point mark in four consecutive years.
Ole Miss has scored on 17 of its last 18 trips (8 TDs, 9 FGs) inside the red zone during the last four games.
Despite recording a season-low 275 yards of total offense last Saturday against Arkansas, Ole Miss is still averaging nearly 500 yards (496.3) yards of offense per game in the last six games.
The 275 yards of total offense against the Razorbacks snapped a string of six straight games that Ole Miss had recorded over 400 yards of total offense since being held to 370 in the season opener versus Vanderbilt.

RUSHING ATTACK ALREADY SURPASSES LAST SEASON'S OUTPUT: Ole Miss' total of 1,366 yards rushing through eight games this season eclipses last year's total output of 1,226 yards in 13 games. The Rebels passed last year's mark with their 216-yard performance against Alabama on Oct. 25. The 216 yards versus the Crimson Tide was Ole Miss' third 200-yard rushing game of the year after having not posting a 200-yard effort since the 2001 season versus Kentucky. Senior RB Tremaine Turner's (Springfield, Tenn.) 395 yards rushing is 17 better than the total of 378 by last year's leading rusher, current senior Ronald McClendon (Ponchatoula, La.).

REBELS LEAD SEC IN PASSING, SCORING AND TOTAL OFFENSE: Ole Miss ranks first in the SEC in passing (298.8 ypg), scoring (37.4 ppg) and total offense (469.5 ypg) per game entering Saturday's game with South Carolina.

COLLINS LOOKS TO BECOME OLE MISS CAREER LEADER IN RECEIVING YARDS: Senior WR Chris Collins (Gloster, Miss.) will enter Saturday's game with South Carolina needing 27 receiving yards to break the Ole Miss career record of 2,274 set by Willie Green (1986-1989). Collins currently ranks second on the Ole Miss career list with 2,248 yards. Collins is the fourth player in school history to record 2,000 yards receiving in a career. In addition to Collins and Green, Grant Heard (1996-2000) with 2,029 and J.R. Ambrose (1984-1987) with 2,012 also gained 2,000 yards receiving in a career for the Rebels.

DEFENSIVE NOTES

The defense has not allowed the opposition to score on its opening possession in 7-of-8 games this season, after forcing Arkansas to a three-and-out last weekend. Memphis is the only team to score on its first offensive series against the Rebel defense when the Tigers took advantage of a recovered fumble to go 26 yards in three plays for a touchdown.
Ole Miss recorded two sacks against Arkansas to extend its streak to 23 straight game with at least one sack. The Rebels have also registered at least one sack in 40 of the last 41 contests.
Sophomore DB Travis Johnson (Shannon, Miss.) intercepted a pass in last Saturday's game to give Ole Miss an interception in six straight games and in 7-of-8 games this season. The only game the Rebels did not record an interception was in the Sept. 6 game at Memphis.
Ole Miss limited Arkansas to 82 yards rushing, 143 yards below the Razorback's SEC-leading average of 225.0 yards entering last Saturday's contest.

REBELS' AIR DEFENSE TIGHTENS: Ole Miss' improved pass defense has helped play a role in the Rebels' current four-game win streak. Since Texas Tech passed for 661 yards against Ole Miss on Sept. 27, Ole Miss has allowed an average of 204.5 yards passing per game, including allowing a season-low 155 yards in last Saturday's 19-7 win over Arkansas. Seven of the Rebels' 11 interceptions in 2003 have also come during the last four games.

SPECIALTY NOTES

Junior P Cody Ridgeway (Jackson, Tenn.) recorded a season-long 65-yard punt in the second quarter last Saturday against Arkansas, bettering his previous season-long of 64 yards set against Memphis (9/6) and Alabama (10/18).
Junior PK Jonathan Nichols (Greenwood, Miss.) became the first kicker in school history to make at least three field goals of over 50 yards in the same season when he hit on a 51-yard attempt in the first quarter against Alabama. He is 3-of-4 from over 50 yards this season, and is 4-of-5 on his career as he is also the only kicker in Ole Miss history to have made four kicks of at least 50 yards.

NICHOLS CONTINUES TO LEAD SEC IN SCORING: Junior PK Jonathan Nichols (Greenwood, Miss.) continues to lead the SEC in scoring with an average of 12.1 points per game. Georgia's Billy Bennett is second in the SEC in scoring at 9.6 points per game. Nichols is also the nation's second-leading scorer. For the season, he has scored 97 points, making 22-of-23 field goal attempts and all 31 PAT tries.

NICHOLS ALSO LEADS SEC, NATION IN FIELD GOALS: Junior PK Jonathan Nichols (Greenwood, Miss.) also leads the SEC in field goals made per game, averaging 2.75. The average of 2.75 field goals made per game also ranks first nationally.

NICHOLS EARNS MIDSEASON ALL-AMERICA HONORS FROM THE SPORTING NEWS; HONORABLE MENTION FROM SI.COM: Junior PK Jonathan Nichols (Greenwood, Miss.) was selected as a Midseason All-American by The Sporting News and was an honorable mention Midseason All-America selection by SI.com.

NICHOLS BREAKS OWN SCORING RECORD FOR A KICKER; LOOKS TO BREAK OVERALL SEASON SCORING MARK: With 13 points scored in last Saturday's 19-7 win over Arkansas, junior PK Jonathan Nichols (Greenwood, Miss.) broke his own school season record for points by a kicker. Nichols has scored 97 points this season to better his mark of 85 set last year. The 97 points is also five points shy of the Ole Miss overall season scoring record of 102 set by former RB Deuce McAllister (1997-2000) in 2000. With three points, Nichols will become just the second player in Ole Miss history to score 100 points in a season.

NICHOLS AIMS TO BECOME OLE MISS CAREER SCORING LEADER: Junior PK Jonathan Nichols (Greenwood, Miss.) will enter Saturday's game versus South Carolina eight points shy of Ole Miss' career record for points scored, currently held by Deuce McAllister (1997-2000) with 246. Nichols, the Ole Miss career leader for points by a kicker, is currently second on the school's career scoring list with 238 points.

NICHOLS LOOKS TO ADD CAREER FIELD GOAL MARK; ALREADY HAS SET SEASON RECORD FOR FIELD GOALS: With four field goals against Arkansas last Saturday, junior PK Jonathan Nichols (Greenwood, Miss.) moved to within one field goal of the Ole Miss career record of 41 held by Brian Lee (1989-1992). Nichols is 22-of-23 on field goals this season to break the Ole Miss season record of 15 set by Lee in 1992 and later tied by Nichols last season. Nichols broke the season field goal record when he made his 16th of the year on a 31-yard kick late in the second quarter of the 55-0 win over Arkansas State on Oct. 11.

NICHOLS NEARS SEC SEASON MARK FOR FIELD GOALS: With the four field goals against Arkansas, junior PK Jonathan Nichols (Greenwood, Miss.) moved into a tie for seventh place on the SEC's season list for field goals made with 22, tying him with Alabama's Philip Doyle (22x25; 1989) Auburn's Scott Etheridge (22x28; 1992) and the Crimson Tide's Michael Proctor (22x29; 1995). Tennessee's Fuad Reveiz set the SEC single-season mark for field goals when he made 27-of-31 attempts in 1982.

PAT STREAK STILL GOING: Junior PK Jonathan Nichols (Greenwood, Miss.) made his only PAT attempt against Arkansas to extend his school-record streak to 80 consecutive PATs made. Nichols broke the previous mark of 59, held by Steve Lavinghouze (1973-1975), in the Sept. 13 game versus UL-Monroe.

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