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The University of Mississippi Athletics
GAME NOTES: Rebels To Spend Halloween On Plains
10/26/2009 | Football
#22/24 Ole Miss (5-2, 2-2 SEC) vs. Auburn (5-3, 2-3 SEC)
TIME: October 31, 2009, 11:21 a.m. CT
SITE (CAPACITY): Jordan-Hare Stadium (87,451); Auburn, Ala.
TV: SEC Network (Dave Neal, play-by-play; Andre Ware analyst; Cara Capuano, sideline reporter). The game will also be available on ESPN GamePlan.
RADIO: Ole Miss Radio Network (David Kellum, play-by-play; Harry Harrison, analyst; Stan Sandroni, sideline reporter); Satellite Radio: XM 199, Sirius 215 (Auburn broadcast). ESPN RADIO: (Bill Rosinski, play-by-play; Dennis Franchione, analyst; Joe Schad, sideline reporter).
WEB: OleMissSports.com will provide live stats and live audio on RebelVision. The official Rebel athletics website will also provide a full game recap and photo gallery at the game's conclusion. The game will also be streamed online at ESPN360.com.
POLLS: The Rebels are 22nd in the latest USA Today Coaches ranking, 24th by the Associated Press and 23rd in the Harris Interactive poll. Ole Miss rose to No. 4 in the rankings on Sept. 20 for the first time since sitting fourth in the rankings on October 12, 1970. The last time the Rebels were ranked higher than fourth was September 1964, when the team was the nation's No. 1. The Rebels' No. 4 ranking marked the highest ever by a Houston Nutt coached team. Auburn is receiving votes in the USA Today Coaches poll.
SERIES INFO: This meeting will be the 34th all-time between the Rebels and Tigers dating back to 1928, and Auburn holds a 24-9 advantage in the series. Last season, Ole Miss prevailed 17-7 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. The Tigers own an 11-2 advantage over the Rebels in games played in Auburn, including a 17-3 victory two years ago. Overall, Auburn has won 13 of the last 16 meetings dating back to 1993 and 22 of 26 dating back to Auburn's 35-28 win in the 1971 Gator Bowl.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: The Rebels are 6-6-1 in Halloween games and playing their first since 1998 ... Ole Miss is off to its best start since 2003 ... The Rebels are averaging 527.0 total yards over the last two games ... The Rebel defense ranks third in the nation in pass defense efficiency and ninth in scoring defense ... Dexter McCluster is the reigning SEC Offensive Player of the Week ... Jevan Snead is averaging 286.0 passing yards over the last two games ... Joshua Shene is the lone SEC kicker to remain perfect in field goals, converting all eight.
OLE MISS HEAD COACH HOUSTON NUTT: Houston Nutt (Oklahoma State, 1981) is in his second season at the Ole Miss helm, after being named the University's 36th head football coach on Nov. 28, 2007. His first season in Oxford saw him lead the Rebels to a Cotton Bowl victory and earn SEC Coach of the Year billing for the third time in his career and Region top coaching honors for the fifth time. During his 10 years as the head coach at Arkansas, Nutt guided the Razorbacks to eight bowl berths, three SEC Western Division titles, two SEC Championship game appearances and an average of more than seven wins per season. He also served head coaching stints at Boise State and Murray State, where he captured two OVC Championships. Nutt is 6-5 against Auburn as a head coach.
AUBURN HEAD COACH GENE CHIZIK: Gene Chizik (Florida, 1985) is in his first season as Auburn's head coach. It marks Chizik's second stint on the Plains, as he previously served as defensive coordinator from 2002-04, helping lead the Tigers to a perfect 13-0 record in 2004 while earning the Frank Broyles Awards as the nation's top assistant coach. Chizik went on to serve as assistant head coach and co-defensive coordinator for Texas. After two seasons in Austin, he was named head coach at Iowa State, where he spent two more years and posted a 5-19 record prior to returning to Auburn. Chizik has never faced Ole Miss as a head coach.
AUBURN SCOUTING REPORT: After opening the year 5-0 and rising as high as No. 17 in the national polls, the Tigers have dropped three straight, including a 31-10 loss at LSU Saturday. Senior RB Ben Tate has been their top offensive weapon and ranks second in the SEC, averaging 115.4 rushing yards per game with five TDs. Senior QB Chris Todd is passing for 186.2 yards per game with 12 TDs and three interceptions. Auburn ranks 11th in the SEC in both total defense and run defense. Junior linebackers Craig Stevens and Josh Bynes are the team's top tacklers with 69 and 67, respectively.
HALLOWEEN RESULTS
• This game will be the 14th time for Ole Miss to play on Halloween ... The Rebels are 6-6-1 in these encounters.
• Ole Miss' last six Halloween games were against LSU, including the Rebels' most recent Halloween matchup in 1998, when the Rebels prevailed 37-31 in overtime in Oxford ... The Tigers enjoy a 3-2-1 edge in these games.
• The 1959 Halloween meeting between the Rebels and Tigers is one of college football's most memorable games, as LSU's Billy Cannon returned a fourth-quarter punt 89 yards for a TD in a 7-3 Tiger win ... Ole Miss would later have revenge with a 21-0 Sugar Bowl victory over the Tigers to earn its first national title with a 10-1 record.
• Ole Miss is 4-3-1 in Halloween day games and 2-3 at night.
TIGER TIES: Ole Miss and Auburn swapped defensive line coaches in the offseason. Tracy Rocker joined the Tigers' staff after a year with the Rebels, while Terry Price left the Plains for Oxford after served on the Auburn staff from 1999-2008. Under Price's watch, Auburn's defensive line topped the SEC in sacks in 2005. Auburn ranked sixth nationally in scoring defense in 2005, was seventh in 2006 and sixth in 2007 in the same category. Price's defensive ends were a part of a Tiger defense that led the nation in scoring defense and was fifth in total defense in 2004.
In addition, Ole Miss linebacker Patrick Trahan faces his old team, as the senior spent two years at Auburn, redshirting in 2005 before playing in 12 games in 2006, collecting 11 tackles including one tackle for loss.
REBEL NOTEBOOK
• Ole Miss is off to its best start since 2003, when the team opened at 5-2 overall and eventually 8-2 ... The Rebels were 3-4 at this point a year ago.
• Ole Miss has opened SEC play 2-2 for the first time since 2004 ... The Rebels started 1-3 in league action last year.
• The South Carolina loss snapped an eight-game win streak, which was the Rebels' longest streak since reeling off 10 consecutive triumphs during the 1971-72 seasons ... It was the second-longest win streak in the nation ... Ole Miss' previous loss was the 24-20 setback at No. 2 Alabama last year.
OFFENSIVE PRODUCTION
• The Rebel offense has reached 500 yards of total offense three times this season, including the last two games with 501 vs. UAB and 553 vs. Arkansas (527.0 ypg over last two) ... The 553 yards against Arkansas marked the most by a Rebel offense since posting 567 against Wyoming in 2004.
• Ole Miss is averaging 35.7 points per outing, while holding the opposition to just 12.6 points over its last 11 games ... Included in this span of games is a 59-0 blanking of Louisiana-Monroe, which was Ole Miss' largest margin of victory since 1969.
• The South Carolina game snapped a school-record streak of four straight games with 45 or more points.
PASS DEFENSE IMPROVEMENT: After ranking 10th in in the SEC in pass defense efficiency a year ago, Ole Miss stands third in both the league and the NCAA in that category after seven games, limiting the opposition to an 90.9 efficiency rating. The Rebels also rank fifth in the SEC and 14th in the nation in pass defense, allowing only 166.9 yards per game. The Rebel defense has surrendered just three passing TDs, while recording six interceptions. Ole Miss held Vanderbilt without a pass completion in the first half and limited the Commodores to just 69 passing yards. Alabama QB Greg McElroy entered the game against the Rebels as the nation's sixth-most efficient passer with a 165.48 rating and was held to 15-of-34 passing and an 80.44 efficiency rating.
STINGY DEFENSE
• Ole Miss ranks third in the SEC and ninth in the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 13.6 points per game this year.
• Dating back to last season, the Rebels are holding opponents to just 12.6 points over the last 11 games ... The Rebel defense has posted two shutouts in this span.
• Ole Miss has held the opposition under 300 yards of total offense four times this year, including three SEC games, and eight times under head coach Houston Nutt ... The Rebels limited Arkansas to 299 yards (45 rushing), Vanderbilt to 240 yards (69 passing) and South Carolina to 285 (65 rushing) ... Ole Miss ranks fifth in the conference in total defense by holding the competition to 300.0 ypg.
• The Rebels have allowed only three points in the first quarter this year and those came against Alabama.
SACK MASTERS: After a slow start, the Rebels have been terrorizing quarterbacks of late. Ole Miss is third in the SEC in sacks with 20 and a 2.9 per game average. The Rebels are averaging 3.2 per game over the last five games and posted four against Vanderbilt and three vs. Arkansas. Ole Miss notched a pair against Alabama and was also credited with seven QB pressures. Junior DE Kentrell Lockett and senior LB Patrick Trahan are tied for fifth in the SEC with 4.0 each.
THIRD DOWN MAGIC: Ole Miss is second in the SEC in both third down offense and defense. Offensively, the Rebels are converting 41.3 percent of third down plays, including a 9-of-15 showing against Arkansas. The Ole Miss defense is holding the opposition to just a 23.4-percent success rate. Southeastern Louisiana was limited to 0-for-14 on third down, while Alabama was just 4-of-20.
REB ZONE: Ole Miss has been near perfect in the red zone thus far this season, ranking second in the SEC in red zone offense and third in red zone defense. In their 23 offensive trips inside the 20 yard line, the Rebels have scored 22 times, totaling 17 touchdowns and five field goals. Of the 17 TDs, 10 were passing and seven rushing. In 25 red zone opportunities for the opposition, the Rebels have surrendered just six TDs, held the foe to a field goal 12 times and forced four turnovers.
SONIC YOUTH: The Rebels' 2009 signing class is already making its mark on the Ole Miss program. Offensively, WR Pat Patterson is tied for fourth on the team in receiving yards with 121 on nine catches, and he was among three true freshmen that scored touchdowns against Southeastern Louisiana, including WR Jesse Grandy on a 46-yard run and LB D.T. Shackelford on a 58-yard interception return. A pair of freshmen provided the offensive spark against UAB as Grandy returned the opening kickoff 88 yards for a TD, while RB Rodney Scott rushed for a team-high 57 yards and two TDs, the most rushing scores by a Rebel since 2007. On special teams, Grandy has emerged as the leading kickoff returner with an average of 30.1 ypr over the last three games, while P Tyler Campbell has taken over punting duties with a 43.9-yard average over the past five games. In addition, K Andrew Ritter is averaging 65.2 yards per kickoff with nine touchbacks in 40 attempts.
DEBUTS: A total of 31 Rebels, including 11 true freshman have made their debut in the Red and Blue this season: Ferbia Allen (RFr., TE), Tyler Campbell (Fr., P), Craig Drummond (Fr., DL), E.J. Epperson (RFr., TE), Jesse Grandy (Fr., WR), H.R. Greer (RFr., FB), Melvin Harris (RFr., WR), A.J. Hawkins (Fr., OL), Lekenwic Haynes (RFr., LB), Dan Hoffman (So., FB), Jason Jones (RFr., LB), Layton Jones (Jr., TE), Joel Kight (Fr., LB), Josh Lancaster (RFr., LB), Colby Landers (Sr., FB), J.D. Lawson (Sr., WR), Bobby Massie (Fr., OL), Jared Mitchell (RFr., S), Pat Patterson (Fr., WR), Andrew Ritter (Fr., K), Gerald Rivers (RFr., DE), Bryson Rose (RFr., K), Brandon Sanders (RFr., LB), Rodney Scott (Fr., RB), D.T. Shackelford (Fr., LB), Tim Simon (Fr., RB), Nathan Stanley (RFr., QB), Rodney Steen (Jr., DE), Trey Tripp (So., LB), Julian Whitehead (RFr., CB), Rudy Wilson (RFr., DB).
STARTERS: Eight Rebels have made their first career start this season. ALABAMA: Pat Patterson (Fr., WR); VANDERBILT: Mark Jean-Louis (Sr., FB); SOUTH CAROLINA: Derrick Davis (Jr., FB); SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA: Rishaw Johnson (So., RG), Jerrell Powe (Jr., NT), Jeremy McGee (Jr., RCB); MEMPHIS: Brandon Bolden (So., RB), Bradley Sowell (So., LT), Ferbia Allen (RFr., TE).
McCLUSTER HONORED: After a record-setting performance against Arkansas, senior Dexter McCluster was named SEC Offensive Player of the Week. McCluster became the first Rebel in the modern era (records dating back to 1965) to top the 100-yard mark in both rushing and receiving. McCluster posted the first 100-yard rushing game of his career with career highs of 123 yards and 22 carries. His 123 yards on the ground marked the most by a Rebel since BenJarvus Green-Ellis ran for 131 yards against Alabama in 2007. McCluster led the team in rushing for the second time this year, and he topped the team in receiving for the first time this year with a career-high 137 receiving yards and a career high-tying seven grabs. He finished with 260 all-purpose yards, which is the most by a Rebel since McCluster's own career-best 268-yard performance in his Ole Miss debut against Memphis in 2006. McCluster ranks second on the team in both rushing (41.0 ypg) and receiving (23 rec, 335 yds) this season. Last year, McCluster joined Florida's Percy Harvin as the only players to rank top 10 in the SEC in rushing yards, receiving yards, receptions and all-purpose yards.
SNEAD HEATS UP: Over the last two games, junior QB Jevan Snead has totaled 572 passing yards (286.0 ypg) and five TD tosses, which pull him within one scoring strike of the SEC lead with 14 this year. He is coming off the first 300-yard passing game of his career, completing 22-for 33 for 332 yards with two passing TDs, one rushing TD and two interceptions against Arkansas. He connected with eight different receivers in the game. The previous Saturday, Snead passed for 240 yards against UAB on 15-for-22 passing with three TDs, which equaled his season high. His 65-yard TD toss to Markeith Summers was a season-long. Snead has passed for multiple TD passes in 11 of the last 13 games and has topped 200 yards passing 11 times in his two seasons as a Rebel. Last year, Snead finished second in the SEC in TD passes (26) and third in passing average (212.5 ypg). He ranked third in the SEC (21st in the nation) in pass efficiency (145.5) and fourth in the league in total offense (217.1 ypg). He established Ole Miss season records for average yards per completion (15.0) and average yards per pass attempt (8.4) and ranks behind only Eli Manning on the Rebel single-season passing charts for efficiency (second), TDs (third) and yards (fourth).
HODGE AMONG SEC LEADERS: Senior WR Shay Hodge is third in the SEC in receiving yards (65.6 ypg) and fifth in receptions (4.4 rpg). Hodge finished a yard short of the century mark against UAB, collecting seven catches for 99 yards and followed up with five grabs for 70 yards and a TD against Arkansas. He notched his second career 100-yard receiving game and first of the year at Vanderbilt with a career-high eight receptions for a season-high 122 yards and two TDs, which tied his career high. Hodge's team-high four scoring grabs this year lead the team and move him into second on the Ole Miss all-time TD receptions list with 18, six behind Chris Collins' Ole Miss record. He stands second in the SEC among active players in receptions, receiving yards and TD receptions.
BALANCED BOLDEN: Sophomore RB Brandon Bolden continues to find different ways to contribute for the Rebels. The Baton Rouge native posted 127 all-purpose yards against Alabama, notching career bests of four receptions and 76 receiving yards. Bolden totaled 80 all-purpose yards against Arkansas with 62 rushing yards on 14 attempts and two catches for 18 yards. As a rusher, Bolden has led the team in rushing in three games this year and tops the squad with an average of 60.9 ypg, which stands ninth in the SEC. He has topped 60 yards on the ground four times this year. He reached the 100-yard mark for the second time in his career with 105 yards on 13 carries against Southeastern Louisiana. At Vanderbilt, he ran for 89 yards on a career-high 16 carries. As a receiver, Bolden is third on the team with 11 catches and 138 yards. Bolden has also contributed in the return game with an average of 23.1 ypr in his seven kickoff returns.
MORE OFFENSIVE NOTES
• A total of 15 Rebels have scored TDs this season, led by Shay Hodge with four scoring catches.
• Junior WR Markeith Summers ranks second on the team in TD catches with three ... He hauled in a career-long 65-yard reception against UAB ... He collected two grabs for 48 yards against Arkansas.
• Three different Rebels scored their first career TD against UAB (Rodney Scott twice by rush, Lionel Breaux by catch, Andrew Harris by catch) ... Three TDs were accounted for by true freshmen (Scott twice by rush, Jesse Grandy by kick return).
• Freshman RB Rodney Scott's two rushing TDs against UAB were the most by a Rebel since BenJarvus Green-Ellis ran for three scores in the 2007 Northwestern State game ... Scott topped the team in rushing for the first time in his career, finishing with 57 yards on nine carries.
LOCKETT RISING: Heralded as one of the best in the nation over the last two seasons, the Ole Miss defensive line has produced its fair share of award winners. Kentrell Lockett may have missed out on the accolades, but the junior DE has emerged this year as a leader on the defensive front. A native of Hahnville, La., Lockett has been credited with at least a half TFL in all but one game and leads the team with 5.5. He boasts a team high eight QB pressures and is tied for the team lead with 4.0 sacks, which is fifth in the SEC.
MORE DEFENSIVE NOTES
• Ole Miss is averaging 6.43 tackles for loss per game and notched a season-high 10 at Memphis ... The Rebels totaled eight TFLs against UAB and seven against Arkansas ... Ole Miss tied for the nation's lead in TFLs in 2008 averaging 8.62 pg.
• Six different Rebels have posted interceptions this year.
• Senior LB Patrick Trahan topped the team in tackles for the second time this season with seven total stops against Arkansas, including his fourth sack of the year, which tied him for the team lead and fifth in the SEC ... Trahan was also the Rebels' tackle leader against Alabama with a career-high 11, including a pair of sacks.
• Junior S Johnny Brown tops the team and ranks 20th in the SEC in tackles at 6.6 per game ... Brown has posted a pair of double-digit tackle performances, including 10 against Alabama ... In the season opener against Memphis, Brown made his first start since his freshman year, topped the team with a career-high 15 tackles and recorded his second career interception.
• Of senior DE Greg Hardy's 12 credited tackles this year, 4.5 are TFLs and 3.0 sacks ... Hardy boasts 37.0 career TFLs and 24.5 sacks, including an SEC-best 10.0 in 2007 ... Last year, Hardy missed four full games and large portions of others but still posted a team-high 8.5 sacks, which ranked third in the SEC; His 0.94 sacks per game would have ranked seventh in the NCAA if he had played in 75 percent of the games.
• Senior CB Cassius Vaughn is seventh in the SEC in passes defended at 1.0 per game ... Vaughn has recorded a team-high six pass break-ups and his third career interception.
PERFECT-SHENE: Senior K Joshua Shene is the lone SEC kicker that remains perfect in field goals, converting all eight of his attempts this year including a pair from 40 or more yards. Shene tied his career high with three field goals against Arkansas. His streak of 88 straight PATs which stands as the second-longest in school history, came to an end at Vanderbilt as his third extra point attempt of the game was blocked. It marks Shene's only missed kick of the year. He is the SEC active career leader in field goals. Last year, Shene led the SEC in FG pct. (17-of-21, 81.0 pct.) and PATs (52-of-52, 1.000 pct.).
MORE SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
• In three games as a kick returner, freshman Jesse Grandy is averaging 30.1 yards in 11 returns ... Grandy returned the opening kickoff of the UAB game 88 yards for a touchdown ... The team's last opening kickoff return for a TD was by Deuce McAllister against Arkansas in Oxford in 1999 ... It marked Ole Miss' first kickoff return for a TD and the longest kick return since Mike Wallace's 98-yarder for a score against Vanderbilt last year.
• Freshman P Tyler Campbell has notched three punts of 50-plus yards, including a 71-yarder against Alabama, which is the longest by a Rebel since Cody Ridgeway's 75-yarder in the 2001 Georgia game ... Since taking over punting duties the last five games, Campbell is averaging 43.9 yards per attempt, which would rank second in the SEC if he played in enough games to qualify.
• Freshman K Andrew Ritter is averaging 65.2 yards per kickoff with nine touchbacks in 40 attempts ... Ole Miss is fifth in the SEC in kickoff coverage with a net of 44.0-yard average per kick.
OLE MISS ON TV
• All seven of the Rebels' games this season have been televised ... Two games have been on ESPN and one each on CBS, ESPNU, FSN, CSS and the SEC Network.
• A total of 91 Ole Miss games have been on TV over the past 13 seasons ... Last year, the Rebels appeared on TV seven times, posting a 5-2 mark.
• All-time, this game will be the Rebels' 176th TV appearance since Ole Miss made its network TV debut in the 1953 Sugar Bowl versus Georgia Tech ... Ole Miss is 80-93-2 all-time in TV games.
SOLD OUT: Eleven days before the season even started, Ole Miss officials announced that football season tickets were sold out. It is believed to be the first time the Rebels have sold out of season tickets. The approximately 51,019 season tickets sold easily smashed the previous high mark of 48,180 in 2004.
GRADUATING REBELS: Four student-athletes on the Ole Miss football team have already received their undergraduate degrees. DT LaMark Armour, WR J.D. Lawhorn and K-P Justin Sparks are currently working on a second degree, while QB Billy Tapp is enrolled in graduate school.
