The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss Football Game Notes
11/14/2005 | Football
Nov. 14, 2005
Game 10: #4 LSU (8-1, 5-1) at Ole Miss (3-6, 1-5)
Ole Miss Game Notes in PDF Format | 
DATE: Saturday, November 19, 2005
TIME: 6:45 p.m. CT
SITE (CAPACITY): Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/ Hollingsworth Field (60,580); Oxford, Miss.
TV: ESPN2 (Eric Collins, play-by-play; Andre Ware, color analyst; Heather Mitts, sideline reporter)
RADIO: Ole Miss Radio Network (David Kellum, play-by-play; Harry Harrison, color analyst; Stan Sandroni, sideline reporter; Richard Cross and Pete Cordelli, pregame and postgame hosts). Sirius Satellite Radio channel 145.
POLLS: LSU is ranked No. 4 in both the USA Today Coaches Top 25 and the Associated Press Top 25. The Tigers also sit at No. 4 in the Harris Interactive Poll.
SERIES INFO: This game will be the 94th all-time between the Ole Miss Rebels and LSU Tigers dating back to 1894. LSU is Ole Miss' second-most played opponent besides Mississippi State, whom the Rebels will play for the 102nd time on November 26 in Starkville. LSU holds a 52-37-4 advantage in the series. The Tigers have won four of the last five meetings, including three straight after last year's 27-24 win in Baton Rouge. Those last three games combined have been decided by a total of seven points. LSU is 6-4-1 against Ole Miss in Oxford, and have taken the last two encounters at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: The average margin of victory in the last three games of the series has been 2.3 points ... Ole Miss will be looking for its first victory over an SEC Western Division team and first over a ranked team ... The Rebels rank top 25 in the nation in total defense, scoring defense and pass defense ... Junior LB Patrick Willis ranks second in the country in solo stops (8.86 per game) and leads the SEC in total tackles (12.9 per game) ... Senior WR Mike Espy has recorded a catch in 23 consecutive games.
OLE MISS HEAD COACH Ed Orgeron: Ed Orgeron (Northwestern State, 1984) is in his first season as the Rebels' head coach, having been hired on Dec. 16, 2004. Ole Miss is Orgeron's first career head coaching position, although he possesses 20 years of college coaching experience, most recently as an assistant head coach on USC's 2003 and 2004 national champion teams.
LSU HEAD COACH LES MILES: Les Miles is in his first season as the head coach of the LSU Tigers. He has a career mark of 36-22 (.621 winning pct.) in six seasons as a collegiate head coach. Prior to LSU, Miles served four seasons as the head coach at Oklahoma State from 2001-2004, posting a 28-21 record and guiding the Cowboys to three bowl appearances. One of those postseason berths was the 2004 Cotton Bowl, where his OSU squad lost to Ole Miss 31-28 in Miles' only confrontation with the Rebels. The 2002 Big 12 Coach of the Year, Miles served as an assistant with Michigan, Colorado and the Dallas Cowboys before taking over at OSU.
LSU SCOUTING REPORT: LSU is riding a seven-game win streak after defeating No. 3 Alabama 16-13 in overtime Saturday in Tuscaloosa. The Tigers have had five games decided by four points or less and have played three overtime games. Their lone setback was a 30-27 OT loss to Tennessee. The LSU offense is averaging 30.0 points and 387.0 yards of offense per game. The Tigers are averaging 146.6 yards rushing per contest, led by senior RB Joseph Addai, who has gained 668 yards on 137 carries with seven rushing TDs. Sophomore QB JaMarcus Russell has completed 151-of-241 passes for 1,988 yards with 12 TDs and five INTs. Junior WR Dwayne Bowe has hauled in 31 passes for 548 yards and eight TDs. Junior Craig Davis has recorded 24 receptions for 387 yards, while sophomore Early Doucet has 22 catches for 342 yards and four scores. On defense, the Tigers are allowing an average of 13.8 points and 294.4 yards per game. The Tigers rank fourth in the nation in scoring defense, and ninth in total defense. Sophomore LB Ali Highsmith leads the team with 60 tackles, 8.5 TFLs and 4.0 sacks. Junior FS LaRon Landry has recorded 51 stops, two interceptions and seven pass break-ups. Senior DT Claude Wroten has 7.5 TFLs, 4.0 sacks and 21 QB hurries. On special teams, junior Chris Jackson is 6-of-14 on FGs and is also averaging 42.4 yards on 43 punts. Freshman PK Colt David has converted 21-of-22 PAT tries. Senior Skyler Green is averaging 14.8 yards per punt return and 20.5 yards per kickoff return.
OLE MISS BEGINS COACH "O" ERA IN 2005: Ole Miss officially kicked off the Ed Orgeron era with a 10-6 victory at Memphis on Sept. 5. Orgeron was hired as the 35th head coach in the history of the University of Mississippi on December 16, 2004. Prior to coming to Ole Miss, Orgeron served the previous seven seasons as the defensive line coach at the University of Southern California and played a key role in Pete Carroll's Trojans winning back-to-back national championships in 2003 and 2004. He also served as USC's recruiting coordinator from 2001-2004 and was named assistant head coach in 2003.
REBELS MISS BOWL BERTH: With the 28-17 loss to Arkansas, the Rebels dropped to 3-6 on the season with two games remaining, securing a second straight losing season for Ole Miss. The last time the Rebels finished below .500 in consecutive campaigns was in 1987 and 1988, going 3-8 and 5-6, respectively. Prior to last year's 4-7 finish, Ole Miss had recorded seven straight winning seasons, their longest such streak since notching seven straight from 1965-1971.
REBEL NOTEBOOK
The Rebels scored first Saturday for the seventh time in this season's nine games.
Ole Miss posted a season-high 14 first-half points against Arkansas.
The Rebels have scored in the second quarter in three straight games, after failing to post points in the second stanza of the first six games.
Ole Miss has exceeded 32 minutes in time of possession in three of the last four games.
The Rebels are 0-3 against the SEC Western Division this year.
Nine true freshmen and 22 players overall have seen their first action in the Red and Blue this season.
The Rebels enter the game with an all-time record of 590-441-35 (.570 winning percentage).
The University of Mississippi is in its 111th football season dating back to 1893 ... Ole Miss did not field teams in 1897 due to an epidemic of yellow fever, and also in 1943 when football was abolished at all Mississippi state-supported institutions by the Board of Trustees.
LOUISIANA REBELS: Like Rebel head coach Ed Orgeron (Galliano), 15 Ole Miss players call the state of Louisiana home. The players are freshman DB Tyson Andrus (Lafayette), junior C Ben Boyce (Gonzales), redshirt freshman DE Chris Bowers (Shreveport), freshman WR Milton Collins (New Orleans), junior RB BenJarvus Greene-Ellis (New Orleans), redshirt freshman OL Tim Henderson (Shreveport), redshirt freshman OL Paul Hurd (Monroe), sophomore QB/HB Robert Lane (Monroe), freshman LB Rogers Loche (Bastrop), sophomore RB Seth Michaelson (Baton Rouge), freshman RB Kendrick Perry (Amite), freshman DB Gary Riggs (Jennings), freshman LB Robert Russell (New Orleans), freshman WR Burnell Wallace (New Orleans) and junior OL Andrew Wicker (Zachary).
FIRST-TIME STARTERS
OFFENSE: #25 Larry Kendrick (Sr.) earned his first career start at RB ... Kendrick's other three starts were at SB (slot back) earlier this season.
OLE MISS VS. RANKED OPPONENTS
This game against No. 4 LSU will mark the fourth ranked opponent the Rebels will face this season ... Tennessee was ranked No. 9/10, Alabama was No. 6/7 and Auburn was No. 19.
The Rebels are 2-6 in their last eight games against teams ranked in the top 10 ... Ole Miss' two wins over top 10 teams during that stretch came at No. 8 LSU, 36-21 on Oct. 18, 1997, and against No. 6 Florida, 17-14 on Oct. 5, 2002 in Oxford.
Ole Miss is 20-51 all-time versus teams ranked in the top 10.
Ole Miss is 6-11 versus top-25 opponents dating back to a 45-30 win over No. 25 Mississippi State in the 2000 Egg Bowl.
Ole Miss is 43-112-2 all-time versus ranked teams.
ESPY EXTENDS STREAK: Ole Miss WR Mike Espy has hauled in at least one reception in 23 consecutive games, a career-long streak. The Madison, Miss., native has recorded a catch in 42-of-46 career games played.
OFFENSIVE NOTES
Junior QB Ethan Flatt earned his first start of the year and 10th of his career against Arkansas ... Flatt recorded his first career 300-yard passing game and became the first Rebel to do so since Eli Manning threw for 391 against South Carolina in 2003 ... Flatt finished 20-of-37 for 309 yards with 1 TD and 2 INTs.
Senior Larry Kendrick scored his first two career TDs vs. the Razorbacks, hauling in an 8-yard scoring strike from Flatt in the first quarter and rushing in from a yard out in the second ... Kendrick also turned in career highs in receptions (6), receiving yards (61), rushes (23) and rushing yards (48) ... He finished with 109 all-purpose yards against the Razorbacks.
Redshirt freshman RB Mico McSwain registered his fifth play of 40 or more yards with his 45-yard reception from Flatt in the first quarter Saturday ... For the first time this season, McSwain did not lead the Rebels in rushing against Arkansas ... McSwain ranks eighth in the SEC in rushing yards at 68.0 per game.
Sophomore Robert Lane notched career-highs of four catches for 116 yards against Arkansas, marking his first career 100-yard receiving game ... His 60-yard catch in the fourth quarter was the Rebels' longest pass play of the year.
The 10 net yards on the ground against Arkansas was Ole Miss' least since rushing for four yards against Alabama in 2002 ... The Rebels have totaled 33 total rushing yards in the last two games and have been held under 70 yards rushing five times this season.
Ole Miss surrendered its third defensive TD of the year Saturday on Razorback Randy Kelly's 42-yard interception return of Flatt to the end the first quarter.
Senior WR Mario Hill ranks fourth in the SEC in receiving yards per game (70.7) and fifth in receptions per game (4.57).
With his start at right tackle against Auburn, senior OL Tre' Stallings extended his stretch of consecutive starts to 46, which is the third-longest active streak in the SEC and tied for the fifth-longest in the nation ... If he starts the two remaining regular-season games, Stallings would tie the school record for consecutive starts of 48, held by Marcus Johnson (2001-04).
WILLIS NAMED BEDNARIK SEMIFINALIST: Ole Miss junior LB Patrick Willis has been named one of 12 semifinalists for the 11th Chuck Bednarik Award for the Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year, it was announced Nov. 9 by Maxwell Football Club President Ron Jaworski. The announcement of the winner will be made during the Home Depot College Football Awards Show that will be broadcast on ESPN on Thursday, December 8, 2005. Three finalists for each award will be in attendance for the ESPN broadcast. Willis also recently garnered recognition from College Football News.com, who named the SEC tackles leader a Midseason All-America Second Team honoree, the 26th best player in the nation and 8th best in the SEC.
REBEL "D" TIGHTENS UP: Over the last five games, the Rebels have been particularly stingy, holding the opposition to 263.6 total yards per game and 155.2 yards in the air. Kentucky mustered only 107 passing yards, while The Citadel was handcuffed to only 21 yards. The high-powered Arkansas rushing attack was contained to a season-low 89 yards on the ground. In three of the last five contests, Ole Miss limited the opposition to only one TD. Below charts how the Rebel defense has risen among the nation's best (NCAA rank):
Pass Defense (19): 185.0
Scoring Defense (21): 18.9
Total Defense (24): 318.9
DEFENSIVE NOTES
The Rebels held the SEC's top rushing offense in Arkansas to 89 yards, the Razorbacks' lowest total of the season and 163 yards below their season average.
Ole Miss limited conference rushing leader Darren McFadden to 22 yards, his second-lowest tally and 87 yards below his average.
The Ole Miss defense has forced and recovered at least two fumbles in four straight games.
Junior LB Patrick Willis led the Rebels against Arkansas with nine tackles and a fumble recovery.
Senior NT Michael Bozeman posted seven tackles (three solo) against the Razorbacks ... Bozeman leads all SEC nose guards/nose tackles in tackles and is tied for sixth among all linemen at 4.6 per game.
Making only his second career start, sophomore DB Nate Banks matched his career high for tackles with six against the Razorbacks.
Senior DB Travis Johnson is tied for the SEC-lead in forced fumbles with three ... Johnson is also the SEC's active career leader in interceptions with 10.
Ole Miss held Alabama to a then season low in points (13) and a tie for its least rushing yards (121) ... The Tide was averaging 29.6 points per game.
The Rebels limited The Citadel to 81 yards of total offense on the game, the least allowed by the Rebels since holding Vanderbilt to 51 total yards in 1993.
ESPY APPROACHES RECORD: Senior Mike Espy is two returns shy of tying Ta'Boris Fisher's school record for career punt returns of 96. A senior from Madison, Miss., Espy ranks fourth on the Ole Miss career PR yardage list with 715.
MOSELEY NO. 1 IN SEC IN KICKOFFS: When it comes to kickoffs, junior K Will Moseley is tops among SEC kickers, recording touchbacks on 21 of his 33 kickoffs for a league-best 62.3 percentage. The Bailey, Miss., native is also tied, along with teammate Matt Hinkle, for fifth in the conference in field goals over 40 yards for a .500 percentage, knocking down 2-of-4 from that distance, including a 50-yarder against Tennessee.
SPECIALTY NOTES
Three different kickers have been used by the Rebels this season. Below charts how redshirt freshman Robert Bass, sophomore Matt Hinkle and junior Will Moseley have performed:
Bass: 7-7 PAT, 2-4 FG
Hinkle: 3-3 PAT, 5-10 FG
Moseley: 3-4 PAT, 3-6 FG
Sophomore K Matt Hinkle has connected on a FG of 40-plus yards in two of the last three games, hitting from 45 yards out against Kentucky and from 43 yards at Auburn.
Senior Mike Espy ran back a punt 51 yards for a his first career return for a TD at Vanderbilt ... It marked the first punt return for a score by a Rebel since Jason Armstead scampered 62 yards against Memphis in 2002.
OLE MISS ON TV
This game against LSU, to be carried by ESPN2, is the Rebels' sixth TV game of the year ... The Memphis game was televised by ESPN, the Vanderbilt, Tennessee and Auburn games were carried by JP and the Alabama matchup was on CBS.
Over the last four seasons, 31 of the Rebels' 46 games have been televised.
Last year, the Rebels appeared on TV five times.
All-time, this game will be the Rebels' 150th TV appearance since Ole Miss made its TV debut in the 1953 Sugar Bowl versus Georgia Tech ... Ole Miss is 68-79-2 all-time in TV games.
The Rebels are 5-13 all-time on ESPN2.
This game marks the 26th time on either ESPN or ESPN2 for Ole Miss since 1999.
The Rebels have won 12 of their last 21 TV games dating back to the 24-12 win over Mississippi State in the 2002 "Egg Bowl."
REBELS IN NOVEMBER
Ole Miss has an all-time record of 191-158-13 (.546 winning percentage) during the month of November.
The Rebels are 113-66-5 (.628 winning percentage) in home games during November, including home contests played in Jackson and Memphis ... In home games played in Oxford during November, the Rebels are 66-27-4 (.701 winning percentage).
Ole Miss is 78-92-8 (.461 winning percentage) in road games during November.
In SEC games played in November, Ole Miss has an overall record of 81-85-7 (.488 winning pct.).
In SEC home games during November, the Rebels are 50-44-2 (.531 winning pct.), including home games played in Jackson and Memphis ... In SEC home games played in Oxford during November, Ole Miss is 19-21-1 (.476 winning pct.).
In SEC road games during November, Ole Miss is 31-41-5 (.435 winning percentage).
McSWAIN SETS FRESHMAN RECORD: With his 104 rushing yards against Kentucky, redshirt freshman RB Mico McSwain surpassed Joe Gunn (547 in 1998) to establish an Ole Miss freshman rushing record, now at 612 yards on the season. Prior to the Arkansas game, McSwain led Ole Miss in rushing in the first eight games of the year and registered three 100-yard performances, which is also a Rebel freshman record.
ROBINSON NAMED TO SEC GOOD WORKS TEAM: Senior LB Kelvin Robinson was featured as the SEC Good Works Team Player of the Week for the week of the Ole Miss-Tennessee contest. A criminal justice major from Jackson, Miss., Robinson has been active in the Oxford Pantry Canned Food Drive, the Oxford Highway Clean-up, Reading with the Rebels and Toys for Tots. He has visited patients at the North Mississippi Regional Medical Center and with the elderly at the Azalea Gardens Retirement Center and Heritage Gardens Retirement Center. He also visited area elementary schools, speaking to children at Costa Rica Elementary School during a study abroad program and during National Student-Athlete Day at Oxford Elementary School. Also, he has been part of the Ole Miss Team Mentoring Program.
GRADUATED REBELS: The Rebels have four players on this year's team who have completed their undergraduate degrees -- DT McKinley Boykin (Bessemer, Ala.), LB Kelvin Robinson (Jackson, Miss.), QB Micheal Spurlock (Indianola, Miss.) and OL Tre' Stallings (Magnolia, Miss.).