Ole Miss Football Game Notes

Sept. 19, 2004

GAMEDAY INFORMATION
DATE: Saturday, September 25, 2004

TIME: 2:00 p.m. (CDT)

SITE (CAPACITY/SURFACE): War Memorial Stadium (32,580/Natural Grass); Laramie, Wyo.

TV: Pay-Per-View/ESPN GamePlan (Richard Cross, play-by-play; Walker Jones, color analyst).

RADIO: Ole Miss Radio Network (David Kellum, play-by-play; Harry Harrison, color analyst; Stan Sandroni, sideline reporter).

POLLS: Neither Ole Miss or Wyoming are ranked in this week's Associated Press or ESPN/USA Today Coaches Top 25 polls (see National Rankings on page 4).

SERIES INFO: Saturday's game will mark the first-ever meeting between Ole Miss and Wyoming.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Ole Miss is 31-5 (.861 winning pct.) versus non-SEC teams dating back to a 38-0 win over Tulane on Nov. 12, 1994 ... The Rebels are 3-1 all-time against current members of the Mountain West Conference ... Ole Miss has won four of its last five games away from Oxford dating back to last season.

OLE MISS HEAD COACH DAVID CUTCLIFFE: David Cutcliffe (Alabama, 1976) is in his sixth season as the Rebels' head coach. He is 41-24 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 five seasons. Ole Miss has been Cutcliffe's only career head coaching position. This will be Cutcliffe's first-ever meeting against Wyoming and Cowboy head coach Joe Glenn.

WYOMING HEAD COACH JOE GLENN: Joe Glenn (South Dakota, 1971) is in his second year as the head coach at Wyoming and has a record of 5-9 with the Cowboys. He has a career record of 163-68-1 in his 20th season as a collegiate head coach. Prior to coming to Wyoming, Glenn spent 18 years as the head coach at Doane College (1976-1979), Northern Colorado (1989-1999) and Montana (2000-2002). He guided Northern Colorado to the NCAA Division II national championship in 1996 and 1997 and led the Grizzlies to the NCAA Division I-AA national title in 2001. This will be Glenn's first-ever meeting against the Rebels and Ole Miss head coach David Cutcliffe.

WYOMING SCOUTING REPORT: The Cowboys opened the season with a 53-7 win over Appalachain State on Sept. 4 in Laramie before dropping a 31-0 decision at Texas A&M on Sept. 11. Wyoming is averaging 26.5 points and 359.0 yards of offense per game. Junior QB Corey Bramlet has completed 24-of-49 passes for 342 yards with two TDs and two INTs. Sophomore WR Dustin Pleasant has caught 15 passes for 190 yards with two TDs. Junior RB Joseph Harris and sophomore RB Ivan Harrison pace the Wyoming ground attack, having rushed for 79 and 65 yards, respectively. Harris has also scored two TDs on the ground.

Defensively, Wyoming is allowing an average of 19.0 points and 355.5 yards per game. Senior LB Guy Tuell has recorded a team-high 12 tackles (five solo) and is tied for the team lead with 3.0 TFLs (-8 yards). Tuell also has one of Wyoming's three interceptions. Junior NG Dusty Hoffschneider has tallied 11 hits (one solo) and leads the team with 2.0 QB sacks (-17 yards).

Junior P Adam Brooks is averaging 41.4 yards per punt on 11 attempts, with a long of 55. Junior Josh Barge is averaging 14.0 yards on five punt returns. Harrison has averaged 20.7 yards per kickoff return on three attempts and Junior Jovon Bouknight is averaging 20.2 yards on four kickoff returns. He also leads the Cowboys with an average of 112.5 all-purpose yards per game.

Junior PK Deric Yaussi has made 6-of-6 PAT attempts and 3-of-3 FG tries to lead the team with 15 points.

2004 WYOMING SCHEDULE/RESULTS
(1-1 OVERALL, 0-0 MOUNTAIN WEST)

SEPT. 4	APPALACHIAN STATE	W, 53-7
Sept. 11	at Texas A&M	L, 0-31
*SEPT. 25*	*OLE MISS*	*1:00 P.M.*
OCT. 2	LOUISIANA-MONROE	1:00 P.M.
OCT. 9	SAN DIEGO STATE*	1:00 P.M.
Oct. 16	at BYU*	TBA
Oct. 22	at Colorado State*	7:30 p.m.
OCT. 30	AIR FORCE*	1:00 P.M.
Nov. 6	at UNLV*	TBA
NOV. 13	UTAH*	12:00 P.M.
Nov. 20	at New Mexico*	TBA

* -- Mountain West Conference game.
HOME GAMES IN CAPS
All times Mountain

REBEL GAME NOTES
REBEL NOTEBOOK:

With the 26-23 overtime win over Vanderbilt, Ole Miss avoided its first 0-3 start since 1983 and its first 0-2 SEC start since 1988.
The Rebels' rally from a 23-10 deficit against Vanderbilt marked their largest come-from-behind win since coming back from 17 points to defeat the Commodores 38-27 on Dec. 1, 2001 in Oxford.
The Rebels have won four of their last five games away from Oxford, including the 31-28 win over Oklahoma State in the 2004 SBC Cotton Bowl, entering Saturday's game at Wyoming ... Ole Miss is 0-1 on the road this season after losing 28-7 to Alabama on Sept. 11.
Last Saturday's win marked the first time the Rebels have come-from-behind when trailing at the half since defeating Florida 20-17 last year in Gainesville. Ole Miss trailed the Gators 17-10 at the break in that contest. Last Saturday, the Rebels trailed the Commodores 16-10 at the half.
Junior RB Vashon Pearson's (Ripley, Miss.) 54-yard TD run with 5:32 left in the first quarter against Vanderbilt, gave the Rebels' their first lead of 2004.
Ole Miss has not held the lead at halftime or at the end of the third quarter this season.
Ole Miss is 31-5 (.861 winning pct.) versus non-SEC teams dating back to a 38-0 win over Tulane on Nov. 12, 1994 ... The Rebels are 8-3 against non-conference opponents away from home during that span, including bowl games.
Ole Miss is a +3 in takeaway/giveaway ratio this season, however, opponents have outscored the Rebels 14-10 off turnovers.

SATURDAY'S GAME TO BE OFFERED ON PAY-PER-VIEW: Saturday's Ole Miss-Wyoming game will be offered to viewers in Mississippi and the Memphis area on pay-per-view. Cost of the telecast will be $29.95 in advance and $34.95 if ordered the day of the game. Individuals interested in purchasing the game should contact their local cable company or satellite provider (Dish and DirecTV). The game will also be part of the ESPN Game Plan package, but not to viewers in Mississippi and the Memphis area, who do not buy the pay-per-view telecast.

OLE MISS-WYOMING CONNECTIONS: Former Wyoming RB Walker "Sonny" Jones, who played for the Cowboys during the 1948 and 1949 seasons, is the father of former Ole Miss TB-DB Walker (Bill) Jones III, who played for the Rebels from 1967-1969. "Sonny" is also the grandfather of current Ole Miss Assistant to the AD for Internal Operations Walker Jones IV, who played WR and LB for the Rebels from 1994-1997.

USELESS INFORMATION DEPARTMENT: For those driving to Saturday's game at Wyoming, the distance from Oxford to Laramie is 1,332 miles, however, Saturday's game will not be the farthest west Ole Miss has traveled for a game. The Rebels traveled to El Paso, Texas for the 1967 Sun Bowl against UTEP, and while El Paso is 98 miles closer to Oxford than Laramie when driving, El Paso actually lies further west than Laramie.

OLE MISS VERSUS THE MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE: Saturday's game at Wyoming will mark the Rebels' fifth-ever game in school history against a current member of the Mountain West Conference. Ole Miss' last game versus a Mountain West Conference opponent came in 2000, when the Rebels edged the UNLV Rebels 43-40 in overtime in a game played in Oxford. The other three contests came against the Air Force Academy in bowl games, when the Falcons were members of the Western Athletic Conference. Ole Miss went 2-1 against Air Force in the 1983 Independence and 1989 and 1992 Liberty Bowls.

OVERTIME REBELS: Ole Miss' 26-23 overtime win over Vanderbilt this past Saturday marked the Rebels' first overtime contest since losing 58-56 to Arkansas in the seven-overtime classic in Oxford on Nov. 3, 2001. Last Saturday's game was the ninth overtime game in school history, tying Cincinnati, Missouri and North Carolina State for the most in NCAA Division I-A since the overtime rule was adopted in 1996. The Rebels are now 6-3 in overtime games, tying the Tigers for the most overtime wins in NCAA Division I-A. The following charts show the most overtime wins and overtime games played by NCAA Division I-A schools:

--Overtime Wins--

School	W-L	Pct.
*Ole Miss*	*6-3*	*.667*
Missouri	6-3	.667
Arkansas	5-1	.833
Oklahoma State	5-3	.625
Cincinnati	5-4	.556
North Carolina State	5-4	.556

--Most Overtime Games Played--

School	No.	W-L
Cincinnati	9	5-4
Missouri	9	6-3
North Carolina State	9	5-4
*Ole Miss*	9	*6-3*
Oklahoma State	8	5-3
Southern California	8	3-5
Washington State	8	2-6

REBELS ON POSTSEASON AWARDS WATCH LISTS: Ole Miss has four players on preseason watch lists for postseason awards in 2004. Junior WR Mike Espy (Madison, Miss.) is on the Maxwell Award Watch List for the college player of the year, senior PK Jonathan Nichols (Greenwood, Miss.) is on the Lou Groza Award Watch List for the nation's top placekicker and junior C Chris Spencer (Madison, Miss.) is on watch lists for the Lombardi Award, presented to the nation's top lineman/linebacker, and the Rimington Award for the nation's top center. Nichols won the Groza Award last season. Senior P Cody Ridgeway (Jackson, Tenn.) was named as one of 36 punters to the Ray Guy Award watch list, for the nation's top punter, on September 10.

CUTCLIFFE AMONG REBEL COACHING ELITE: Entering Saturday's game at Wyoming, Ole Miss head coach David Cutcliffe trails only the legendary John Vaught (1947-1970; 1973) for the best winning percentage among Ole Miss coaches through 65 games. Vaught was 43-18-4 after 65 games for a .692 winning percentage. Cutcliffe is 41-24 for a .631 winning percentage, including his win in the 1998 Independence Bowl over Texas Tech during his Ole Miss coaching debut. Cutcliffe is also the only coach in school history to win at least seven games in each of his first five seasons with the Rebels, and joins Vaught as the only coaches to ever record five straight seven-win campaigns at any time during their tenure at the school. The following chart shows the win total of the five Ole Miss coaches who have led the Rebels in at least 65 games:

Coach, Years	W-L-T	Pct.
John Vaught, 1947-1970; 1973	43-18-4	.692
*David Cutcliffe, 1998-present*	*41-24*	*.631*
Harry J. Mehre, 1938-1945	39-25-1	.608
Ed Walker, 1930-1937	30-30-5	.500
Billy Brewer, 1983-1993	29-33-3	.469

REBELS IN SEPTEMBER

Ole Miss is 136-62-7 (.680 winning pct.) all-time during the month of September.
Ole Miss is 86-22-3 (.788 winning pct.) in September home games (including home contests played in Memphis and Jackson), including a 61-9-2 (.861 winning percentage) mark in September games played in Oxford.
The Rebels have an all-time mark of 50-40-4 (.553 winning pct.) in road games during September.
Ole Miss is 93-31-6 (.738 winning pct.) all-time versus non-conference opponents during the month ... The Rebels are 20-5 (.800 winning pct.) against non-SEC teams in September since 1990.
The Rebels are 43-31-1 (.580 winning pct.) in September SEC games.
Ole Miss is 12-9 (.571 winning pct.) in September under head coach David Cutcliffe.
A win Saturday at Wyoming would give the Rebels at least a .500 record in the month of September for the 15th time in the last 16 seasons ... Last year, Ole Miss went 1-2 in the month to snap a streak of 14 consecutive seasons with at least a .500 record in September.

SCHEDULE NOTES

Ole Miss' 2004 opponents have a combined record of 19-12 (.613 winning pct.) following this past weekend's action.
Three 2004 opponents are ranked in this week's ESPN/USA Today Coaches and Associated Press Top 25 polls: Tennessee (8/9), Auburn (10/9), and LSU (13/13). Four other Ole Miss opponents also received votes in this week's polls: Memphis, Alabama, Arkansas and South Carolina.
Tennessee appears on Ole Miss' schedule for the first time since 1997, when the Volunteers defeated the Rebels 31-17 in Knoxville ... It will also be Tennessee's first visit to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium since recording a 20-12 win over the Rebels in 1988.
The Volunteers replace Florida on this year's schedule after the Rebels and Gators met in 2002 and 2003.
The Rebels will face five teams that advanced to bowl games last season: Memphis, Tennessee, Auburn, Arkansas and LSU.

FIRST-TIME STARTERS: The Rebels had five players draw their first career start in last Saturday's game versus Vanderbilt. On offense, junior RG Tony Bonds (Russellville, Ala.), sophomore QB Ethan Flatt (Nashville, Tenn.), junior RB Brandon Jacobs (Long Beach, Miss.), and sophomore TE Lawrence Lilly (Montevallo, Ala.) all made their first career starts. On defense, sophomore Andrew Wicker (Zachary, La.) drew his first career starting assignment at defensive tackle.

OFFENSIVE NOTES

Senior Marcus Johnson (Coffeeville, Miss.) made his 40th consecutive start last Saturday versus Vanderbilt, drawing the start at right tackle. Johnson had made 39 straight starts at right guard before injuries on the offensive line forced him to move over to right tackle against the Commodores.
With 10 receptions for 75 yards against Vanderbilt, senior WR Bill Flowers (Pelham, Ala.) moved into fifth-place on the Ole Miss career receptions list with 133 and into ninth-place in career receiving yards with 1,553.
Ole Miss recorded 365 yards of total offense against Vanderbilt, 67 shy of the Rebels' total output of 432 yards in the season's first two games against Memphis (240) and Alabama (192).
The Rebels recorded 13 plays of 10 or more yards against the Commodores, equaling their total in the season's first two games against Memphis and Alabama ... Ole Miss had four rushes longer than 10 yards against Vanderbilt after having just two in the first two games.
Sophomore QB Ethan Flatt (Nashville, Tenn.) and junior QB Micheal Spurlock (Indianola, Miss.) have thrown a combined 93 passes this season without an interception.
Ole Miss scored its first points in the first quarter this season when senior PK Jonathan Nichols (Greenwood, Miss.) made a 40-yard FG with 7:26 left in the quarter against Vanderbilt last Saturday.
The Rebels held the advantage in TOP for the first time this season against Vanderbilt, controlling the football for 31:48. Last year, Ole Miss held the edge in TOP in 11-of-13 contests.

FLATT DRAWS FIRST CAREER START AGAINST THE COMMODORES: Sophomore QB Ethan Flatt (Nashville, Tenn.) made his starting debut at quarterback against Vanderbilt last Saturday. Flatt connected on 21-of-32 passes for 187 yards. He was 8-of-10 passing for 64 yards engineering two, fourth-quarter scoring drives to rally the Rebels from a 23-13 deficit.

PEARSON RECORDS FIRST CAREER 100-YARD RUSHING EFFORT: Junior RB Vashon Pearson (Ripley, Miss.) recorded his first career 100-yard rushing game with a 111-yard performance on 17 carries against Vanderbilt last Saturday. He also had a 54-yard TD run in the first quarter, which is the Rebels' longest play from scrimmage this season. Pearson's 111-yard effort was the Rebels' first 100-yard rushing game since Tremaine Turner gained 133 yards on 20 carries in the 31-28 win over Oklahoma State in the 2004 SBC Cotton Bowl Classic.

FLOWERS SEC'S ACTIVE CAREER LEADER IN RECEPTIONS: Entering Saturday's game at Wyoming, senior WR Bill Flowers (Pelham, Ala.) led all active SEC players in receptions with 133, seven more than Georgia senior Fred Gibson at 126.

DEFENSIVE NOTES

After failing to record a sack in the season's first two games, Ole Miss registered six in the 26-23 win over Vanderbilt ... The six sacks was the most by a Rebel defense since tallying seven in the 45-30 win against Mississippi State in 2000.
Senior LB Rob Robertson (Centreville, Miss.) and sophomore LB Patrick Willis (Bruceton, Tenn.) both recorded their first career sacks against Vanderbilt.
The Rebels are tied with Kentucky and Alabama for second in the SEC in sacks with six.
Ole Miss recorded eight TFLs against the Commodores after registering 14 in the first two games against Memphis and Alabama.
Junior DT McKinley Boykin (Bessemer, Ala.) is tied for third in the SEC in TFLs, averaging 1.33 per game.

McBRIDE TIED FOR SEC LEAD IN INTERCEPTIONS: Sophomore CB Trumaine McBride (Clark-sdale, Miss.) is tied for first in the SEC in interceptions, averaging 0.67 per game. McBride picked off his second pass of the season against Vanderbilt last Saturday. McBride is also second in the SEC in passes defensed, averaging 2.0 per game.

OLIVER WEARS CHUCKY MULLINS' NO. 38 IN 2004: Senior FS Eric Oliver (Jasper, Ala.) is this year's recipient of the Chucky Mullins Courage Award and as a result is wearing the late Mullins' No. 38. Prior to the honor, Oliver wore No. 26. Oliver has led the Rebels in tackles in each of the past two season, recording 129 (80 solo) in 2002 and 104 (73 solo) last season.

OLIVER, JOHNSON AMONG SEC ACTIVE CAREER DEFENSIVE LEADERS: Entering this Sat-urday's game at Wyoming, senior FS Eric Oliver (Jasper, Ala.) and junior CB Travis Johnson (Shannon, Miss.) both ranked among the SEC's active career defensive leaders. Oliver leads all active SEC players in career tackles with 278, 33 more than Georgia senior DE David Pollack with 245. Johnson was third among active SEC players in passes defensed with 22.

SPECIALTY NOTES

Senior P Cody Ridgeway (Jackson, Tenn.) hit a 51-yard punt against Vanderbilt and will enter Saturday's game at Wyoming having recorded at least one punt of 50 yards in 11 of the last 12 games dating back to last season.
Ridgeway has hit six punts of at least 50 yards in 21 attempts this season, and has placed six inside the opponents' 20-yard line.
Ridgeway ranks second in the SEC in punting, averaging 43.6 yards per punt.
Junior Mike Espy (Madison, Miss.) ranks third in the SEC in punt returns, averaging 8.3 yards per return.
The Rebels rank second in the SEC and 11th in the nation in kickoff returns, averaging 29.1 yards per return.

NICHOLS LEADS SEC IN FIELD GOALS: Senior PK Jonathan Nichols (Greenwood, Miss.) made 4-of-6 field goal attempts against Vanderbilt last Saturday and is tied with Georgia's Andy Bailey for the SEC lead in field goals made per game, averaging 2.0 per contest. Bailey and Nichols also are tied for eighth nationally in field goals made per game.

Last year, Nichols ranked second in the SEC in field goals per game, averaging 1.92 per game, connecting on 25-of-29 attempts.

NICHOLS SEC'S ACTIVE CAREER SCORING LEADER: Senior PK Jonathan Nichols (Green-wood, Miss.) will enter Saturday's game at Wyoming as the SEC's active career scoring leader with 287 points, 71 points more than Auburn senior RB Carnell Williams with 216.

NICHOLS EXTENDS PAT STREAK: Senior PK Jonathan Nichols (Greenwood, Miss.) converted both PAT attempts against Vanderbilt to extend his school-record streak to 102 consecutive PATs made. The streak is also the longest active streak in the country. The following chart shows the top active streaks in the nation for PATs made:

Kicker, School	No.
*1. Jonathan Nichols, Ole Miss*	*102*
95
3. Robert Menchinger, W. Michigan	75
4. Stephen Gostkowski, Memphis	67
5. Taylor Begley, Kentucky	63
6. Matt Leach, Florida	59
7. Mike Nugent, Ohio State	57
8. Xavier Beitia, Florida State	52

STAFF CHANGES: Ole Miss has two new assistant coaches on head coach David Cutcliffe's staff in 2004. Jay Hopson is serving as the secondary coach and recruiting coordinator after spending the last three years as an assistant at Southern Miss. Hopson replaces Jim Knowles who resigned to become the head coach at Cornell University. Third-year defensive coordinator Chuck Driesbach has returned to coaching the linebackers after coaching the defensive backs last season.

Arlington Nunn also joins Cutcliffe's coaching staff in 2004 and is serving as the running backs coach. Nunn replaced Ron Middleton, who accepted a position with the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers in February. Prior to coming to Ole Miss, Nunn spent the three seasons coaching the wide receivers at Troy State.

2004 CAPTAINS: Senior OL Doug Buckles (Madison, Miss.), senior WR Kerry Johnson (Oxford, Miss.), senior OL Marcus Johnson (Coffeeville, Miss.), senior DB Eric Oliver (Jasper, Ala.) and senior LB Rob Robertson (Centreville, Miss.) are serving as team captains for the 2004 season.

NICHOLS NAMED TO THE SEC GOOD WORKS TEAM: Senior PK Jonathan Nichols (Greenwood, Miss.) has been named to the 2004 SEC Good Works Team and was featured during Jefferson-Piliot Sports telecast of the Vanderbilt-Ole Miss contest. Nichols participates in "Reading with the Rebels" program in elementary and pre-schools and visits patients at North Mississippi Regional Center. He has also visited senior citizens at Azalea Gardens, has been a mentor at Scott Center and is active in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) and Campus Crusade for Christ. Nichols has also been nominated for the National Football Foundation Postgraduate Scholarship.

--2004 SEASON GAME-BY-GAME NOTES--
GAME #1 - MEMPHIS 20, OLE MISS 13

Ole Miss dropped its season opener for the first time since 1995 as Memphis downed the Rebels 20-13 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/Hollingsworth Field ... The loss also snapped the Rebels' streak of 16 consecutive wins in home openers.
The crowd of 61,112 was the third largest in school history.
Junior QB Micheal Spurlock (Indianola, Miss.) made his first career start.

GAME #2 - ALABAMA 28, OLE MISS 7

Ole Miss dropped to 0-2 for the first time since 1987 following a 28-7 loss at Alabama.
QB Brodie Croyle completed 14-of-22 passes for 169 yards and two TDs and RB Ray Hudson rushed for 116 yards and a score to lead the Alabama offense.
Sophomore QB Ethan Flatt (Nashville, Tenn.) directed Ole Miss' only scoring drive, marching the Rebels 66 yards in 10 plays capped by his six-yard TD pass to senior TE Eric Rice (Starkville, Miss.).

GAME #3 - OLE MISS 26, VANDERBILT 23 (OT)

Senior PK Jonathan Nichols' (Greenwood, Miss.) 35-yard FG in overtime lifted Ole Miss to its first win of 2004 with a 26-23 victory over Vanderbilt in front of 55,824 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/Hollingsworth Field ... Nichols made 4-of-6 field goal tries on the afternoon, also making kicks of 40, 26 and 34 yards.
The Rebels trailed 23-10 after Matthew Tant scored from three yards out with 7:20 left in the third quarter ... The 13-point deficit marked Ole Miss' largest come-from-behind win since rallying from 17 points down to defeat the Commodores 38-27 in Oxford on Dec. 1, 2001.
Sophomore QB Ethan Flatt (Nashville, Tenn.) made his starting debut and connected on 21-of-32 passes for 187 yards ... He was 8-of-10 passing for 64 yards in engineering two fourth-quarter scoring drives to force overtime.
Junior RB Vashon Pearson (Ripley, Miss.) recorded his first career 100-yard rushing game, netting 111 yards on 17 carries, including a 54-yard TD run to give the Rebels a 10-3 lead in the first quarter.

The University of Mississippi Athletics

Related News

Related Videos