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The University of Mississippi Athletics
GAME NOTES: SEC West Powers Collide In Oxford
10/5/2009 | Football
SEC Home Opener: #16/20 Ole Miss (3-1, 1-1) vs. #3/3 ALABAMA (5-0, 2-0)
TIME: October 10, 2009, 2:30 p.m. CT
SITE (CAPACITY): Vaught-Hemingway Stadium/Hollingsworth Field (60,580); Oxford, Miss.
TV: CBS (Craig Bolerjack, play-by-play; Steve Beuerlein, analyst).
RADIO: Ole Miss Radio Network (David Kellum, play-by-play; Harry Harrison, analyst; Stan Sandroni, sideline reporter); Satellite Radio: XM 194, Sirius 217 ... Sports USA Radio Network (Rich Cellini, play-by-play; Gary Barnett, analyst; Rich Herrera, 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.
POLLS: The Rebels are 16th in this week's USA Today Coaches' poll, 20th in the Associated Press poll and 18th 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. Alabama is ranked third in both polls and receiving five first-place votes from the AP and one from the coaches.
SERIES INFO: This meeting will be the 57th all-time between Ole Miss and Alabama dating back to 1894. The Crimson Tide holds a 45-9-2 advantage in the series, including a 46-8-2 lead on-the-field. Ole Miss received a win by forfeit for Alabama's 19-14 victory in 1993. Alabama has won 19 of the last 22 on-the-field meetings and five straight since Ole Miss' 42-28 triumph in Oxford in 2003. The Tide has escaped each of the last three meetings by four points or less including last year's 24-20 result in Tuscaloosa. The teams have split the last four encounters at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, although the Tide enjoys a 6-2 on-the-field edge in Oxford.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: After playing on the road in three of the season's first four games, the Rebels open a three-game homestand ... Ole Miss is seeking to end a four-game skid in SEC home openers ... The Rebels face their first ranked opponent of the season ... The last four games in the Ole Miss-Alabama series have been decided in the final minute ... The Rebels are off to their best start since 2002 ... Ole Miss is averaging 39.0 points over its last eight games while holding the opposition to 11.3 points ... Jevan Snead has completed a TD pass in 13 straight games ... John Jerry is the reigning SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week.
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 5-6 against Alabama as a head coach.
ALABAMA HEAD COACH NICK SABAN: Nick Saban is in his third year as the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide. Saban has compiled a 115-50-1 (.695) record as a collegiate head coach, including an 24-8 (.750) mark at Alabama. Saban led LSU to a 13-1 record and the BCS National Championship in 2003. Overall, Saban has coached three conference championship teams (1990 Mid-American, 2001 SEC and 2003 SEC) and nine of his 12 teams have played in postseason bowl games. Saban is 6-1 against Ole Miss, although the average margin of victory has been 5.1 points with an average of 2.8 points in the final five meetings.
ALABAMA SCOUTING REPORT: The balanced Crimson Tide attack ranks top-four in the SEC in total offense, rushing offense and passing offense. Sophomore RB Mark Ingram is averaging 97.4 yards per game with six TDs, while freshman RB Trent Richardson is adding 60.8 ypg with four scores. With three additional scoring catches, Ingram is the SEC leader in total TDs. Junior QB Greg McElroy is the sixth-most efficient passer in the NCAA, completing 65.6 percent of his passes and averaging 217.2 ypg with nine TDs and one interception. Alabama tops the conference in rushing defense and is second in total defense. Junior LB Rolando McClain boasts a team-high 35 tackles and is one of four players with at least four TFLs. Senior CB Javier Arenas boasts 26 stops and 3.0 sacks, in addition to leading the SEC in punt returns at 19.0 ypr.
HOUSTON & GOLIATH: Knocking off the nation's best is nothing new for Rebel head coach Houston Nutt. Last year's victory over No. 4 Florida was his fifth career win over a top-five opponent as a head coach. Nutt is 5-8 all-time against top-five teams, including a 50-48 triple OT victory at No. 1 LSU in 2007. In all five wins, Nutt's team entered the game unranked, and four of the wins came on the road. In addition, three of the losses were by four points or less, including last year's bout at second-ranked Alabama. Below charts the top-five meetings:
10/18/08 at #2 Alabama L, 20-24
9/27/08 at #4 Florida W, 31-30
11/24/07 at #1 LSU W, 50-48 (3OT)
12/2/06 vs. #4 Florida* L, 28-38
10/7/06 at #2 Auburn W, 27-10
11/25/05 at #3 LSU L, 17-19
10/22/05 at #4 Georgia L, 20-23
9/17/05 at #1 Southern Cal L, 17-70
10/16/04 at #4 Auburn L, 20-38
11/28/03 at #3 LSU L, 24-55
9/13/03 at #5 Texas W, 38-28
12/7/02 vs. #4 Georgia* L, 3-30
11/13/99 #3 Tennessee W, 28-24
* SEC Championship Game (Atlanta)
OLE MISS VS. RANKED OPPONENTS
• In No. 3 Alabama, Ole Miss encounters its first ranked opponent of the year.
• Last year, Ole Miss faced five top-25 foes, all away from from Oxford ... The Rebels posted a 3-2 mark, defeating No. 4 Florida 31-30, No. 18 LSU 31-13 and No. 8 Texas Tech 47-34 (Cotton Bowl) and falling at No. 20 Wake Forest 30-28 and No. 2 Alabama 24-20.
• Prior to last year's Florida win, Ole Miss had dropped 15 straight games against ranked opposition ... The last victory over a top-25 foe had been a 31-28 road win at No. 25 South Carolina in 2004
• With the 2008 win at No. 4 Florida, Ole Miss earned its first victory over a top-five foe since a 20-13 triumph over No. 3 Notre Dame in 1977 in Jackson ... The Rebels' previous road win over a top-five team had been a 15-7 triumph over LSU on Nov. 3, 1962, when Ole Miss was ranked No. 6 and LSU was No. 4.
• Ole Miss is 56-128-2 all-time versus ranked teams.
ALABAMA REBELS: The Ole Miss roster features six players from the neighboring state of Alabama, including redshirt freshman LB Josh Lancaster (Mobile), redshirt freshman S Griffin Littlefield (Pike Road), sophomore WR Vincent Moss (Munford), freshman RB Tim Simon (Cordova), freshman LB D.T. Shackelford (Decatur) and redshirt freshman OL Joshua Tatum (Marbury).
MISSISSIPPI TIDE: Eight members of Alabama's squad hail from Mississippi, including Oxford native Justin Woodall. The senior DB starred in both football and baseball at Lafayette County High School. On the gridiron, Woodall tied the Mississippi state record with 17 interceptions as a junior and was named the "Dandy Dozen" Defensive MVP as a senior. On the diamond, he hit .421 and turned down a contract from the New York Mets to play football.
REBEL NOTEBOOK
• The last time the Rebels started the year 3-1 was 2002, when Ole Miss opened with a 5-1 mark.
• The Rebels have split their first two SEC games for the second straight year ... A win against Alabama would give Ole Miss its best start to SEC play since opening the league schedule 6-0 in 2003.
• Ole Miss is 40-33-1 (.563 winning pct.) in its SEC home openers (including games played in Memphis and Jackson) ... The Rebels' last SEC home opening win was a 26-23 OT triumph over Vanderbilt in 2004.
• For the first time this year, Ole Miss led in time of possession at Vanderbilt, 35:49 to 24:11.
• 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
• Over its last eight games, Ole Miss is averaging 39.0 points per outing, while holding the opposition to just 11.3 points ... 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.
REB ZONE: Ole Miss has been practically perfect in the red zone thus far this season. In their 14 trips inside the 20 yard line, the Rebels have totaled 12 touchdowns and two field goals. Of the 12 TDs, five were rushing and seven passing. Ole Miss is tied for the SEC lead in red zone production.
STINGY DEFENSE
• Ole Miss ranks second in the SEC in scoring defense, allowing just 10.8 points per game this year.
• Dating back to last season, the Rebels are holding opponents to just 11.3 points over the last eight games ... The Rebel defense has posted two shutouts in this span.
• The Rebels are rated fourth in the SEC in total defense (274.0 ypg), fourth in rushing defense (114.2 ypg) and fifth in passing defense (159.8 ypg).
• Ole Miss has held the opposition under 300 yards of total offense three times this year, including the both SEC games, and eight times under head coach Houston Nutt ... The Rebels limited Vanderbilt to 240 yards (69 passing) and South Carolina to 285 (65 rushing).
PASS DEFENSE IMPROVEMENT: After ranking 10th in pass defense efficiency a year ago, Ole Miss stands second in the SEC in that category after four games, limiting the opposition to an 87.9 efficiency rating. The Rebel defense has surrendered just two passing TDs, while recording five interceptions. Ole Miss held Vanderbilt without a pass completion in the first half and limited the Commodores to just 69 passing yards.
PICK SIX: Dating back to last year, Ole Miss has posted an interception return for a TD in three of the last five games and notched multiple interceptions in seven of the last nine. Against Southeastern Louisiana, Cassius Vaughn and D.T. Shackelford collected picks, and Shackelford returned his first career INT 58 yards for his first career TD. In the opener at Memphis, Fon Ingram and Johnny Brown each intercepted passes, and Ingram returned his 38 yards for the score. In the 2009 Cotton Bowl, Marshay Green notched a 65-yard interception return for a TD en route to earning Defensive MVP honors. Ole Miss totaled 16 picks in 2008, led by Kendrick Lewis' four and Vaughn's three.
SONIC YOUTH: The Rebels' 2009 signing class is already making its mark on the Ole Miss program. Offensively, WR Pat Patterson ranks third on the team in receiving with seven catches for 104 yards, 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. On special teams, K Andrew Ritter is averaging 65.3 yards per kickoff with five touchbacks in 24 attempts, while P Tyler Campbell has taken over punting duties the last two games, averaging 44.6 yards in eight attempts with three inside the 20 yard line.
DEBUTS: A total of 31 Rebels 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: Seven Rebels have made their first career start this season. 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). In addition, senior Dexter McCluster made his first career start at running back at Vanderbilt, while senior TE Gerald Harris made his first start of the year in Nashville.
OFFENSIVE NOTES
• Junior QB Jevan Snead has completed at least one TD pass in 13 consecutive games, which is three short of Eli Manning's school record ... Snead has passed for multiple TD passes in eight of the last nine games, including three against Vanderbilt Saturday ... Snead has topped 200 yards passing eight times in his two seasons as a Rebel, including at Vanderbilt with 237 ... Snead's 34 pass attempts at Vanderbilt marked a career high, while he rushed for a career-high 28 yards, including a career-long run of 24 yards.
• Senior WR Shay Hodge notched his second career 100-yard receiving game and first of the year at Vanderbilt with a career-high eight receptions for season-high 122 yards and two TDs, which tied his career high ... Hodge's team-high three scoring grabs this year move him alone into second on the Ole Miss all-time TD receptions list with 17 ... Hodge is sixth in the SEC in both receptions (4.2 rpg) and receiving yards (67.2 ypg).
• Senior Dexter McCluster led the team in rushing against South Carolina for the first time this year with season highs of 15 carries for 85 yards ... He failed to collect a reception for the first time in five games ... In the season opener at Memphis, McCluster posted 115 all-purpose yards (nine rushes for 50, six passes for 65) and two TDs (one rushing, one receiving, both in the fourth quarter).
• Sophomore RB Brandon Bolden has led the team in rushing in three of the four games this year, including at Vanderbilt with 89 yards on a career-high 16 carries ... He tied his career high for receptions with three, going for 22 yards and his second career receiving TD. ... Bolden ranks seventh in the SEC in rushing at 74.2 ypg ... He topped the 100-yard mark for the second time in his career with 105 yards on 13 carries against Southeastern Louisiana.
• Junior WR Markeith Summers topped the team in receiving at South Carolina with two grabs for 60 yards and a TD ... He is second on the team in TD receptions with a pair.
• Sophomore RB Enrique Davis leads the team in rushing TDs with two … Davis boasts five career touchdowns.
DEFENSIVE NOTES
• Ole Miss is averaging 6.75 tackles for loss per game and notched a season-high 10.0 at Memphis ... The Rebels tied for the nation's lead in TFLs in 2008 averaging 8.62 pg.
• The Ole Miss defense did not allow a pass completion to Vanderbilt in the first half ... The Commodores finished with just 69 passing yards.
• Five different Rebels have posted interceptions this year ... At Vanderbilt, sophomore CB Marcus Temple became the latest with his first career pick.
•Three of the Rebels' top four tacklers at Vanderbilt were linebackers ... Senior LB Patrick Trahan led the team in stops with a career-high 11, including two TFLs, while junior LB Jonathan Cornell equaled his career-best of eight tackles. Junior LB Allen Walker added five stops.
• Junior DE Kentrell Lockett has been credited with at least one TFL in each game and leads the team with 4.5 ... Lockett also boasts team highs of 3.0 sacks and five QB pressures.
• Senior CB Cassius Vaughn is the SEC leader in passes defended at 1.50 per game ... Vaughn has recorded five pass break-ups and his third career interception ... Vaughn has registered two picks in the last five games, dating back to last season.
• Junior S Johnny Brown tops the team and ranks 11th in the SEC in tackles at 7.2 per game ... He is also tied for fourth in the conference in passes defended at 1.25 per game (4 PB, 1 INT) ... In the season opener against Memphis, Brown made his first start since his freshman year and recorded his second career interception ... Brown also topped the team with a career-high 15 tackles.
•Junior DT Jerrell Powe registered a career-high six stops at Vanderbilt ... Powe, who moved into the starting lineup in the second game of the year, ranks second on the team with 4.0 TFLs ... He posted a career-high 2.0 in the season opener against Memphis.
• Senior DE Greg Hardy continues to fill the stat line for the Rebels, totaling 3.0 TFLs, 2.0 sacks, two pressures, two pass break-ups and a fumble recovery this year.
SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
• Senior K Joshua Shene's 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 marked Shene's only missed kick of the year (3-for-3 FGs, 14-for-15 PATs) ... Shene converted his lone FG attempt against the Commodores from 20 yards.
• Ole Miss ranks third in the SEC in kickoff coverage with a net of 45.3-yard average per kick ... Freshman K Andrew Ritter is averaging 65.3 yards per kickoff with five touchbacks in 24 attempts.
• Senior Marshay Green ranks third in the SEC in PR average at 9.5 ypr ... Green had a season-long 36-yard punt return at South Carolina.
• Freshman P Tyler Campbell has taken over punting duties the last two games, averaging 44.6 yards in eight attempts with three inside the 20 yard line ... On Saturday, Campbell booted a 57-yarder to the Vanderbilt 4 yard line ... It was just one yard shy of the Rebels' long punt of 2008.
• Four different Rebels have returned kickoffs this year ... Brandon Bolden, who totaled seven returns last year, has six returns this season for a 21.3-yard average ... Cordera Eason has notched his first three career kickoff returns (20.0 ypr), Derrick Herman had the first of his career (23 yards against Southeastern Louisiana) and Reggie Hicks his second (14 yards against South Carolina).
OLE MISS ON TV
• All four of the Rebels' games this season have been televised ... Two games have been on ESPN, one on ESPNU and one on CSS.
• This game will mark the Rebels' 20th appearance all-time on CBS ... Ole Miss is 7-12 on the network and ended a five- game skid on CBS last time with the 31-13 win at LSU last November.
• A total of 88 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' 173rd TV appearance since Ole Miss made its network TV debut in the 1953 Sugar Bowl versus Georgia Tech ... Ole Miss is 78-92-2 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.
