Ole Miss vs. Kentucky Postgame Notes

Oct. 22, 2005

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OLE MISS NOTES

GAME #7 * VS. KENTUCKY * OCTOBER 22, 2005 * 1 P.M. CT

SERIES INFORMATION

Today's meeting marked the 39th all-time between the Rebels and Wildcats and first since the 2001 season.

Ole Miss holds a 26-12-1 edge in the series and has won six of the last seven encounters.

The Rebels have won four straight over the Cats in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

FIRST-TIME STARTERS
OFFENSE: #15 Robert Lane (So.) earned his first career start at FB ... Lane's only other start was at QB against Wyoming earlier this season.

REBEL NOTEBOOK

Ole Miss earned its first SEC victory of the season (1-3).

The Rebels scored first for the sixth time in this season's seven games.

The Rebels scored their first second quarter points of the season (7-36) with the TD pass from Micheal Spurlock to Mike Espy.

Ole Miss improved to 3-0 when leading after the third quarter this season.

The Rebels were penalized a season-low three times for 25 yards.

OFFENSIVE NOTES

Redshirt freshman RB Mico McSwain established a new Ole Miss freshman rushing record with 565 yards on the season, surpassing Joe Gunn's 1998 total of 547 ... McSwain also posted his third 100-yard performance of the year with 104 and his fourth run of 40-plus yards with a 40-yard scamper in the fourth quarter.

Sophomore FB/QB Robert Lane notched his first career reception on the game's first play from scrimmage ... Lane finished with three catches for 38 yards.

Senior QB Micheal Spurlock has tossed a TD pass in five of the last six games with three of the scores going to senior WR Mike Espy.

Espy's third TD grab of the year matches his most in a season, having hauled in three TD passes in 2002 and again in 2003.

Nine different Rebel receivers caught a pass today.

DEFENSIVE NOTES

Ole Miss shut out Kentucky through the first three quarters, giving the Rebel defense 11 scoreless quarters on the year.

The Rebel defense registered its third scoreless half of the season with the first half shutout ... It was the fifth half of the season in which Ole Miss held the opposition without a TD.

Junior LB Patrick Willis registered 14 tackles on the afternoon ... Willis has recorded at least 14 tackles in each of his five complete games of play ... Willis also posted two QB hurries, a pass break-up and a half sack.

Ole Miss forced and recovered three fumbles for the first time since the 2003 Texas Tech game ... It marks the second straight game the Rebels have forced and recovered at least two fumbles.

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES

Sophomore Alan Abrams registered the first blocked punt of his career in the first quarter ... It marked the Rebels' third blocked kick of the season, with the other two coming on field goal attempts.

Ole Miss surrendered its fourth and fifth blocked kicks of the season ... Freshman Robert Bass' 39-yard FG attempt in the first quarter was turned away, as was sophomore Matt Hinkle's 44-yarder in the third stanza.

Hinkle saw his first action since the season opener at Memphis.

The Rebels' two kickers (Bass and Hinkle) were a combined 2-for-6 in FG attempts on the day.

KENTUCKY NOTES

The Cats held an opponent scoreless in the first quarter for the first time since the 2004 Vanderbilt game.

UK's offense produced 209 yards and 14 first downs in the second half.

PLAYER NOTES

Curtis Pulley became the first UK record on record (kept since 1997) to block two field goals in a game. It was Pulley's first two career blocked kicks, and UK's fourth and fifth of the year (2 punts, 1 PAT and 2 FGs). The last time UK blocked a field goal attempt was against Tennessee in 2004.

Arliss Beach scored his fifth rushing TD of the year. He finished 73 yards on 11 carries, his second-straight game with 73 yards.

Tommy Cook returned to action for the first time since injuring his kneecap in the second game of the season against Idaho State. Cook caught two passes for 23 yards.

Rafael Little finished with a team-high 77 yards rushing. He has rushed for at least 70 yards in every game this season.

Scott Mitchell has caught a pass in all 17 games as a Wildcat.

Wesley Woodyard tied his career high with 10 tackles. It was the third time this season he has reached double-figures in stops.

Roger Williams recorded a career-best nine tackles.

Antoine Huffman recorded his 23rd career pass breakup. He is two shy of the school record of 25, held by Leonard Burress, Eric Kelly and Van Hiles.

With 114 career points, Taylor Begley now needs seven points to tie for third on the UK career scoring list.

The University of Mississippi Athletics

OLE MISS NOTES

KENTUCKY NOTES

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