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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Rebels, Manning Dismantle Louisiana-Monroe 59-14
9/13/2003 | Football
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Playmaker: Collins Among The Best Receivers In Ole Miss History
OXFORD, Miss. (AP) - Eli Manning was 22-of-26 for 353 yards and three touchdowns and Mississippi scored 45 straight points to beat Louisiana-Monroe 59-14 on Saturday night.
Playing less than three quarters, Manning also ran for a touchdown to help the Rebels (2-1) become the 30th school in NCAA history to reach 575 victories.
Louisiana-Monroe (0-3) lost for the second time on the road to a Southeastern Conference Western Division team. Louisiana State beat the Indians 49-7 in their season opener.
The Rebels set the tone on the game's first play as cornerback Von Hutchins intercepted a flea flicker pass by running back Kevin Payne. Seven plays later, Manning hit Chris Collins with an 18-yard touchdown pass.
Louisiana-Monroe answered with Steven Jyles connecting on a 24-yard scoring pass with Mack Vincent.
Jyles was 14-of-21 for 160 yards in the first half, but turnovers and two sacks prevented the Indians from mounting another serious scoring threat.
Ole Miss scored 45 straight points, including 17 in the second quarter, with Manning capping a 91-yard, 14-play drive with a three-yard run.
The Rebels covered 66 yards on their next touchdown drive, with Vashon Pearson scoring on a 1-yard run.
Linebacker Justin Wade set up the final points of the opening half, recovering a fumble as Charlie Anderson sacked reserve quarterback Daniel DaPrato.
The Rebels moved 64 yards in 46 seconds before Jonathan Nichols kicked a 30-yard field goal on the last play of the half.
Ole Miss finished the half with 342 yards of total offense. Manning was 15-of-19 for 238 yards in the half.
The Rebels scored on four consecutive possessions in the second half, with Manning throwing two touchdown passes.
Collins pulled in his second touchdown catch from 5 yards and finished with 10 catches for 121 yards, tying the school record in career receptions with 142.
Travis Johnson, returning to the starting lineup at cornerback after a two-game suspension for misuse of a school phone code, scored on a 45-yard interception return.
On Ole Miss' next series, Manning connected with Taye Biddle on a 49-yard touchdown pass. Manning was 7-of-7 for 115 yards in his only two series of the second half.
Reserve quarterback Michael Spurlock connected with Lorenzo Townsend on a one-yard touchdown pass with 14:56 remaining to finish the 45-point outburst by the Rebels.
The Indians broke the Ole Miss scoring streak with a 20-yard touchdown pass from DaPrato to Floyd Smith. The Rebels finished the scoring on a 1-yard run from Jamal Pittman, who accounted for the entire nine-play, 69-yard drive.
Ole Miss, with an open week before facing Texas Tech at home, finished with 612 yards of total offense, just short of the school record of 623 set against Auburn in 1951.