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The University of Mississippi Athletics
GAME NOTES: Rebels Ride Momentum Into Egg Bowl
11/23/2009 | Football
EGG BOWL: #20 Ole Miss (8-3, 4-3) vs. Mississippi State (4-7, 2-5)
TIME: November 28, 2009, 11:21 a.m. CT
SITE (CAPACITY): Davis Wade Stadium/ Scott Field (55,082); Starkville, Miss.
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 214; In-Stadium Frequency: 102.3 FM.
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 ranked No. 20 in this week's AP top-25 and No. 25 in the BCS, USA Today Coaches and Harris Interactive polls. 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. Mississippi State has not been ranked this season.
SERIES INFO: This game will be the 106th meeting of one of the nation's most-played rivalries. Ole Miss holds a 60-39-6 advantage in the series dating back to 1901. The Ole Miss-Mississippi State series is tied with the North Carolina-Wake Forest series for the 16th longest in NCAA Division I-A history. The rivalry is also listed as the 10th longest uninterrupted series, as the NCAA considers Saturday's game the 94th consecutive year that the two schools have faced each other. Neither team, however, fielded a squad in 1943 due to World War II. Saturday's game will be the 82nd "Battle of the Golden Egg," as the two schools started playing for the trophy in 1927. Ole Miss holds a 54-22-5 advantage in the "Egg Bowl." The home team has won nine of the last 10 games. Ole Miss has taken five of the last seven in the series, including last year's 45-0 blanking at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. The series is tied at 9-9 edge in the 18 meetings since the series returned to campus sites in 1991, after being played yearly in Jackson from 1973-1990. The Rebels hold a 20-11-3 advantage in games played in Starkville.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Ole Miss has won five of its last six and riding a season-long three-game winning streak ... The Rebels are aiming for a second-place finish in the SEC Western Division for the second straight year ... Ole Miss has equaled its best start since 1990 ... Dexter McCluster needs 97 rushing yards to reach 1,000 for the season ... Shay Hodge is the SEC leader in receiving yards and needs just 22 yards to tie the Ole Miss single-season record.
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 10-1 against Mississippi State as a head coach.
MISSISSIPPI STATE HEAD COACH DAN MULLEN: Dan Mullen is in his first season as the head coach at Mississippi State. Mullen served as Urban Meyers' quarterbacks coach at Bowling Green (2001-02) and Utah (2003-04) before working as offensive coordinator/QBs coach on Meyer's Florida staff (2005-08). Mullen's coaching career also includes graduate assistantships at Syracuse and Notre Dame. He has been a part of staffs on eight bowl teams, including a pair of national title winners with the Gators in 2006 and 2008.
MISSISSIPPI STATE SCOUTING REPORT: The Bulldogs are on a two-game skid since a 31-24 road win at Kentucky. The MSU offense ranks fourth in the SEC in rushing, led by senior RB Anthony Dixon. State's career leader in all rushing categories is averaging 125.8 yards per game this year, which ranks second in the conference, and scored 11 TDs. Senior QB Tyson Lee has passed for 1,392 yards with four TDs and 13 interceptions. Senior LB Jamar Chaney leads the Bulldog defense with 88 tackles, while junior DL Pernell McPhee boasts 12.0 TFLs and 5.0 sacks.
THE START OF THE GOLDEN EGG: The Golden Egg was first proposed by members of Sigma Iota, an Ole Miss honorary society in 1927. Sigma Iota proposed that a trophy be awarded in a dignified ceremony designed to calm excited fans, after Ole Miss fans stormed the field at Starkville's Scott Field following the Rebels' 7-6 win in the 1926 contest.
The 1926 win snapped a 13-game losing streak to then Mississippi A&M, and was just Ole Miss' fifth win in 23 tries. Following the game, Ole Miss fans made a dash for the goal posts, while Aggie fans took after them with cane bottom chairs and fights broke out. The mayhem continued until most of the chairs were splintered.
After Sigma Iota made its proposal, Mississippi A&M approved the suggestion, and Ole Miss, two weeks before the game, officially added its approval. The trophy, to be called "The Golden Egg," would be a regulation-size gold-plated football mounted on a pedestal. Cost approximately $250 would be shared by both schools.
On Thanksgiving Day, 1927, the first "Battle of the Golden Egg" was waged before a crowd of 14,000 in Oxford. The Rebels won 20-12 and the symbol of supremacy in the series was born.
ORIGINS OF THE NAME: The term "Egg Bowl" can be traced back to 1978, when Executive Sports Editor of the Clarion-Ledger Tom Patterson decided to spice up the 1978 meeting. A year earlier, the Clarion-Ledger headline on game day had been "Egg Bowl Is Up For Scramble," and the following day it was "Egg Bowl '77: State 18, Ole Miss 14." With the Rebels 4-6 and the Bulldogs 6-4 and apparently out of the bowl picture heading into the 1978 game, Patterson instructed his staff to follow the "Egg Bowl" theme throughout the week. The result was an award winning special section on Sunday, which recounted in great detail the Rebels' stunning 27-7 victory over the heavily-favored Bulldogs. While the game is still officially the "Battle of the Golden Egg," most members of the of the media now refer to the annual game simply as the "Egg Bowl."
"EGG BOWL" FACT: From 1998 through 2003, the game was played on Thanksgiving Night and was televised nationally by ESPN. The two teams split those six meetings on Thanksgiving, with the Rebels winning the last two, 24-12 in 2002 in Oxford and 31-0 in 2003 in Starkville.
HOMEGROWN TALENT: The Ole Miss roster features 32 players from the Magnolia state. Those Mississippi natives in the Red and Blue include TE Justin Bigham (Southaven), OL Zack Brent (Oxford), DB Johnny Brown (Charleston), WR William Cole (Oxford), RB Derrick Davis (Meridian), RB Cordera Eason (Meridian), DT Nick Eley (Olive Branch), WR Terrell Grant (Cleveland), OL Brandon Green (Southaven), FB H.R. Greer (Olive Branch), DB Derrick Herman (Cleveland), LS Jacob Hickman (Carriere), TE Reggie Hicks (Madison), WR Shay Hodge (Morton), WR Jordan Holder (Bay Springs), OL John Jerry (Batesville), TE Layton Jones (Greenville), WR Jacarious Lucas (Cleveland), DB Demareo Marr (Southaven), OL Emmanuel McCray (Jackson), QB Clayton Moore (Louisville), OL Reid Neely (Jackson), WR Pat Patterson (Macon), LS Chad Phillips (Madison), LS Wesley Phillips (Madison), DT Jerrell Powe (Waynesboro), K Andrew Ritter (Jackson), OL Bradley Sowell (Hernando), DE Rodney Steen (Coffeeville), WR Markeith Summers (Olive Branch), DL Marcus Tillman (McCall Creek) and LB Allen Walker (Olive Branch).
SENIOR FINALE: This game will mark the final regular-season game for 27 members of this year's team. The members of this year's senior class making their regular-season finale are: Lamar Brumfield (LB), William Cole (WR), Cordera Eason (RB), Daverin Geralds (C), Brandon Green (OL), Marshay Green (CB), Greg Hardy (DE), Gerald Harris (TE), Andy Hartmann (FB), Shay Hodge (WR), Mark Jean-Louis (OL), John Jerry (OL), Colby Landers (FB), J.D. Lawhorn (WR), Kendrick Lewis (S), Jacarious Lucas (WR), Dexter McCluster (WR), Reid Neely (OL), Preston Powers (LS), Garrett Ryan (DE), Joshua Shene (K), Justin Sparks (K-P), Emmanuel Stephens (DE), Billy Tapp (QB), Marcus Tillman (DE), Patrick Trahan (LB) and Cassius Vaughn CB). Senior DT LaMark Armour is seeking an additional year of eligibility.
REBEL NOTEBOOK
• A win would secure Ole Miss a second-place finish in the SEC Western Division for the second straight year ... The Rebels would also finish among the top three in the league overall for the first time since 2003.
• Ole Miss has earned bowl eligibility for the second straight year ... The Rebels previously made consecutive bowl games in 2002 and 2003 ... Ole Miss ranks 17th all-time in bowl appearances (32) and 12th in wins (20).
• Ole Miss is off to its first 8-3 start since 2003 and equaled its best start since a 9-2 regular season in 1990 ... The Rebels were 7-4 at this point a year ago.
• Ole Miss has opened SEC play 4-3 for the second straight year.
• The Rebels are the second-least penalized team in the SEC, having committed only 57 penalties for an average of 41.5 yards per game.
• With the win over Tennessee, Rebel head coach Houston Nutt earned his 50th career coaching victory in SEC play (51-46) ... Nutt is just the 14th conference coach all-time to reach that mark and only the third current coach, joining South Carolina's Steve Spurrier (105) and Georgia's Mark Richt (52) ... With a 92-55 overall mark as an SEC coach, Nutt ranks 18th all-time in the league in coaching victories and behind only Spurrier (156-55-1) among active coaches.
• 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.
AMAZING McCLUSTER
• Senior Dexter McCluster is averaging 184.8 rushing yards and 238.3 all-purpose yards with seven TDs responsible for (four rushing, one receiving, one passing) over the last four SEC games ... He has topped 120 rushing yards in each outing.
• With 903 yards this year, McCluster needs 97 yards to become just the fourth Rebel all-time to rush for 1,000 yards in a season ... It would be the sixth 1,000-yard rushing season in school history.
• McCluster is sixth in the SEC in rushing at 82.1 ypg ... He also stands seventh in the league in all-purpose yards at 122.1 ypg ... McCluster is second on the team in receiving (34 rec, 412 yds) ... 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.
• He tops the Rebels in TDs responsible for with nine and rushing TDs with six.
• McCluster has risen to No. 2 on the Ole Miss career all-purpose yardage list with 3,715, behind only Deuce McAllister's 4,889 (1997-2000).
• McCluster posted school records of 282 rushing yards and 324 all-purpose yards against Tennessee ... The previous Ole Miss rushing record was 242 by Dou Innocent against Mississippi State in 1995, and the old all-purpose record had been 317 by Deuce McAllister vs. Arkansas in 1999 ... It also marked the most rushing yards ever surrendered by Tennessee ... McCluster's four rushing TDs against the Vols tie four others for the second-most in school history, most recently Randy Baldwin against Arkansas State in 1990.
• Against Arkansas, 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 team highs of 123 rushing yards and a career-high 137 receiving yards off a career high-tying seven grabs ... He finished with 260 all-purpose yards, which had been the most by a Rebel since McCluster's own career-best 268-yard performance in his Ole Miss debut against Memphis in 2006.
• McCluster's 79-yard TD run at Auburn marked the longest rush of his career and the longest by an Ole Miss player since Deuce McAllister galloped 80 yards for a score against Oklahoma in the 1999 Independence Bowl. Against the Razorbacks ... He finished with 186 rushing yards on the Plains.
• McCluster notched his first career completion and passing TD on a 27-yarder to Shay Hodge against LSU ... He finished with 148 rushing yards on 24 carries against the Tigers.
OFFENSIVE PRODUCTION
• Ole Miss is averaging 465.2 yards over the last six games.
• The Rebel offense has reached 500 yards of total offense three times this season and finished just eight yards shy of the mark with 492 against Tennessee ... The 553 yards against Arkansas marked the most by a Rebel offense since posting 567 against Wyoming in 2004.
• Ole Miss is averaging 34.5 points per outing over its last 15 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.
UNDERRATED LINE: Despite the loss of three starters including two-time All-American tackle Michael Oher, the Rebel offensive line has quietly enjoyed a productive season. Using four different starting lineups, the Rebel line has allowed fewer sacks than a year ago (13 to 20) and helped Ole Miss rush for more yards (191.3 ypg to 186.5 ypg) and maintain total offense (407.5 ypg to 407.6 ypg). Ole Miss has not allowed a sack in five of the last seven games, including Alabama and LSU. Three Rebels have been named SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week this year, including LG Reid Neely following the LSU game.
STINGY DEFENSE
• Ole Miss has held the opposition under 300 yards of total offense six times this year, including five SEC games, and 10 times under head coach Houston Nutt ... The Rebels limited LSU to 290 yards (40 rushing), Tennessee to 275 (99 rushing), Arkansas to 299 (45 rushing), Vanderbilt to 240 (69 passing), South Carolina to 285 (65 rushing).
• Ole Miss ranks 14th in the nation and fourth in the SEC in scoring defense, allowing just 16.5 ppg this year.
• Dating back to last season, the Rebels are holding opponents to just 15.2 points over the last 15 games ... The Rebel defense has posted two shutouts in this span.
• Ole Miss is No. 2 in the SEC and No. 4 in the nation in third down defense, holding the opposition to just a 27.7-percent success rate ... Southeastern Louisiana was limited to 0-for-14 on third down, while Alabama was just 4-of-20.
BEHIND THE LINE: Ole Miss has risen to first in the SEC in both TFLs (7.6) and in sacks (2.9). Nationally, the Rebels rank 13th and 14th, respectively, in those areas. Ole Miss, who tied for the nation's lead in TFLs in 2008 averaging 8.62 pg, posted 11 tackles for loss against LSU and 10 against both Memphis and Northern Arizona. The Rebels posted six sacks against both LSU, four against Vanderbilt and three each vs. Arkansas and Auburn. Junior NT Jerrell Powe is tied for 10th in the SEC with 10.0 TFLs, while senior DE Marcus Tillman is eighth in sacks with 5.5 sacks. Also among the league leaders is senior DE Kentrell Lockett with 5.0 sacks.
PASS DEFENSE IMPROVEMENT: After ranking 10th in in the SEC in pass defense efficiency a year ago, Ole Miss stands fourth in the league and 14th in the NCAA in that category this season, limiting the opposition to an 103.49 efficiency rating. 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.
REB ZONE: Ole Miss ranks top-three in the SEC and top-six in the NCAA in both red zone offense and defense. In their 35 offensive trips inside the 20 yard line, the Rebels have scored 33 times, totaling 25 touchdowns (13 rushing, 12 passing) and eight field goals. In 34 red zone opportunities for the opposition, the Rebels have surrendered just 11 TDs, held the foe to a field goal 14 times and forced four turnovers.
RED HOT HODGE: Senior WR Shay Hodge is averaging 117.0 yards and 6.5 receptions over the last four games with three 100-yard receiving games and three TDs in that span. Hodge is currently the SEC leader in receiving yards and ranks second in receptions (5.0 rpg). Against Northern Arizona, Hodge posted a career-high 169 yards on seven catches with two TDs, which ties his single-game career best. It is one of five games this season with at least seven receptions. Hodge is the conference active leader in receiving yards with 2,438.
RECORD-SETTING HODGE: With 927 receiving yards, Shay Hodge needs just 22 yards to tie the Ole Miss single-season record established by Chris Collins in 2003. Hodge's four 100-yard receiving games this year ties three other seasons (two players) for the school single-season record, most recently Mike Wallace last year. With six scoring grabs this year, Hodge has pulled within three TD catches of the Ole Miss all-time record of 24 held by Chris Collins (2000-03). Hodge also sits in second on the Rebel career lists for receptions (160) and receiving yards (2,438). The record holder is Collins with 198 catches and 2,621 yards.
SNEAD FOR 2000: With passing 2,189 yards, junior QB Jevan Snead is just the second Rebel signal-caller to reach 2,000 yards in consecutive seasons. Eli Manning reached the 2,000-yard plateau in each of his three years as the starter (2001-03). There are now 11 seasons of 2,000-plus passing yards by a Rebel, including Snead's 2,762 in 2008, which is the fourth-highest single-season total at Ole Miss behind only Eli Manning's three starting campaigns. Against LSU, Snead notched his sixth 200-yard passing game of the year and 13th of his career. He also recorded his fifth interception-free game of the year. Against Arkansas, Snead notched the first 300-yard passing game of his career, completing 22-of-33 for 332 yards with two passing TDs, one rushing TD and two interceptions. Snead has passed for multiple TD passes in 12 of the last 17 games. 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).
GRAND GRANDY: It took freshman Jesse Grandy just a month to carve his name in the Ole Miss record book. In only his fourth game handling returns, Grandy notched his second kickoff return for a TD with an 82-yarder against Auburn. He is only the third Rebel to return two kickoffs for TDs in the same season and the first since John Avery in 1996. The other is Vernon Studdard in 1970. Grandy's current 27.4-yard average ranks third in the SEC and 19th in the nation. The Ole Miss single-season record is 24.6 ypr established last year by Mike Wallace. Grandy returned the opening kickoff of the UAB game 88 yards for a touchdown. The team's previous opening kickoff return for a TD was by Deuce McAllister against Arkansas in Oxford in 1999.
SONIC YOUTH: The Rebels' 2009 signing class is already making its mark on the Ole Miss program, particularly on special teams. In addition to Jesse Grandy's exploits (see previous note), P Tyler Campbell is the No. 2 punter in the SEC and No. 13 in the NCAA with a 43.8-yard average. In addition, K Andrew Ritter is averaging 65.3 yards per kickoff with 11 touchbacks. Offensively, WR Pat Patterson is fifth on the team in receiving yards with 163 on 11 catches, and he was among three true freshmen that scored touchdowns against Southeastern Louisiana, including 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.
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, and against Northern Arizona, he racked up a team-high 85 rushing yards, including a 45-yard TD run, and a pair of catches for four yards. Bolden totaled 80 all-purpose yards against Arkansas with 62 rushing yards on 14 attempts and two catches for 18 yards, and at Auburn, he matched his career best of four receptions for 46 yards, including a career-long 43-yarder. As a rusher, Bolden has led the team in rushing in four games this year and is second on the team with an average of 56.9 ypg. He has topped 60 yards on the ground five 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. He notched a career-high two rushing TDs against Tennessee. As a receiver, Bolden is third on the team with 17 catches and 188 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 the nine TDs accounted for by Dexter McCluster.
• Junior WR Markeith Summers is first on the team in yards per catch with a 24.5 average and is tied for second in TD catches with three ... Summers posted a career-high 90 receiving yards on three catches against LSU ... He hauled in a career-long 65-yard reception against UAB ... He collected two grabs for 60 yards at South Carolina.
• Of his seven receptions this season, senior FB Andy Hartmann has three TD catches, which is tied for second on the team.
• 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.
MORE DEFENSIVE NOTES
• Senior S Kendrick Lewis leads the team in tackles (71) and forced fumbles (2) and is tied for the team lead in pass break-ups (9) ... Prior to the LSU game, Lewis had notched his first two career double-digit tackle performances and added a field goal block in consecutive games ... At Auburn, Lewis finished with seven total tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and one pass break-up.
• Senior DE Kentrell Lockett boasts a team-high 10 QB pressures, is second on the team in TFLs with 9.0 and sacks with 5.0, which ranks ninth in the SEC ... Lockett totaled five tackles with a sack and two QB hurries against LSU.
• In his first year as a starter, junior NT Jerrell Powe has risen to first on the team and 10th in the SEC in TFLs with 10.0 ... Powe has notched at least one TFL in three of the last four games.
• Senior DE Marcus Tillman notched a career-high 3.0 sacks against LSU, along with five tackles, two QB pressures and a pass break-up ... Tillman has taken over the team lead in sacks with 5.5, which ranks eighth in the SEC.
• Since Greg Hardy's season-ending surgery, senior DE Emmanuel Stephens has risen to the occasion with a career-high 2.0 TFLs in each of the last two games ... Stephens notched a career-high 2.0 sacks against LSU and has risen to second on the team in sacks with 4.5.
• Senior LB Patrick Trahan posted a career-high 3.0 TFLs against LSU and boasts 9.0 for the year, which is tied for second on the team ... Trahan has topped the team in tackles twice this season, against Alabama with a career-high 11 including a pair of sacks.
• Senior CB Cassius Vaughn recorded his team-high second interception of the year against LSU and fourth of his career ... He was also credited with five tackles with a TFL ... Vaughn is sixth in the SEC in passes defended at 1.0 per game ... He is tied for the team lead with nine pass break-ups.
• Junior S Johnny Brown has posted three double-digit tackle performances, including 10 against both Auburn and 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.
MORE SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
• Against LSU, senior K Joshua Shene posted career highs for points, FG makes and FG attempts ... He connected on 4-of-5 and was good from 45, 33, 25 and 23 yards, while his other 45-yard try was blocked ... With a pair of PATs, Shene finished with 14 points ... Shene is 13-of-16 in FGs this year and 10-of-11 inside 40 yards ... Snead's blocked extra point at Vanderbilt snapped a streak of 88 straight PATs which stands as the second-longest in school history ... Last year, Shene led the SEC in FG pct. (17-of-21, 81.0 pct.) and PATs (52-of-52, 1.000 pct.).
• Freshman P Tyler Campbell is the No. 2 punter in the SEC and No. 13 in the NCAA with a 43.8-yard average ... Campbell has notched eight 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.
• Freshman K Andrew Ritter is averaging 65.3 yards per kickoff with 11 touchbacks ... Ole Miss is fourth in the SEC in kickoff coverage with a net of 43.3-yard average per kick.
• The Rebels have blocked three field goal in the last three games, including two by Kendrick Lewis ... Ole Miss blocked two field goal attempts against Northern Arizona with one each by Lewis and Kentrell Lockett, who collected the second kick block of his career.
OLE MISS ON TV
• All 11 of the Rebels' games this season have been televised ... Three games have been on CBS, two each on ESPN, the SEC Network and CSS and one each on ESPNU, FSN and CSS.
• A total of 95 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' 180th TV appearance since Ole Miss made its network TV debut in the 1953 Sugar Bowl versus Georgia Tech ... Ole Miss is 83-94-2 all-time in TV games.
DEBUTS: A total of 30 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), 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: Eleven Rebels have made their first career start this season. NORTHERN ARIZONA: Bobby Massie (Fr., RT), Alex Washington (So., LG); 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).
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.
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.
