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The University of Mississippi Athletics
FRIDAY FLASHBACK: Ole Miss - Vanderbilt 1983
9/17/2010 | Football
Sept. 17, 2010
FRIDAY FLASHBACK rewinds to some of the memorable Ole Miss games from this week's all-time series. This week features the Rebels' dramatic win over Vanderbilt in 1983 which helped propel Ole Miss to its first bowl game in 12 years.
Ole Miss holds off Vanderbilt
By Butch John
Clarion-Ledger
OXFORD - It was all the "It ain't over `til its over" statements rolled into one, the 21-14 Ole Miss upset of Vanderbilt here Saturday.
The Fat Lady barely had time to utter a note.
For this one indeed was not over until but 6 seconds showed on the Vaught-Hemingway Stadium clock, with Ole Miss' Eric Truitt downed safely in the end zone after a dramatic comeback-ending interception.
And the 35,847 in attendance at homecoming cheered the Rebels in their first Southeastern Conference victory since 1981and second straight 1983 win.
And Kelly Powell, who took the place of No. 1 quarterback Kent Austin in the first period, made sure he wouldn't be upstaged by another reserve QB who staged the aborted comeback effort.
First, let's look at Vandy's last-ditch drive, executed by the Commodores' freshman quarterback Mark Wracher, who replaced struggling starter Kurt Page with 1:37 to play in the game.
The Vanderbilt possession began at the Rebels' 20, following Karl Jordan's partial block of a 34-yard field goal attempt by Neil Teevan, which would have meant an insurmountable 24-14 lead.
Ole Miss, now 3-4 and 1-2 in the SEC, had gone ahead with the only points of the half, a 37-yard end-around jaunt by Andre Rodgers at 5:00 of the third period.
Surviving a near interception by Rebel safety Roger Clark early in the drive, freshman Wracher came on to guide the Commodores nicely. However, with 38 seconds to play in the game Vandy was perched on the Ole Miss 45 and forced to go deep.
On first down, Wracher misfired. On second down, he found tight end Chuck Scott between defenders Lee Davis and Barry Wilburn on the Ole Miss 1 for a first down and excellent scoring chance.
"Slow death," said Ole Miss head coach Billy Brewer, describing the feeling he had. "The field goal would've iced it; Roger Clark's interception would've put it away. They made a good run."
On first down, Wracher threw out of bounds to stop the clock at 17 seconds and collect his thoughts. On second down, the initial snap never got off- and Vandy was penalized 5 yards for delay.
"We had the right play called, just the wrong formation," Wracher said. "Time was running out and I decided it would be better to have a penalty than run a bad play."
Truitt picked off the football on the ensuing play, catching the carom off Scott's fingertips. He attempted to run the ball out of the end zone, but was stopped short for a touchback.
"I saw the quarterback, then went to the ball with his release. I bobbled it; it was on me real quick and I saw it was tipped," Truitt said.
It was one of six turnovers accumulated by a big-play defense that held Vandy's vaunted aerial game mostly in check- a pair of first-half Page 5-yard TD passes to Scott and wide receivers Joe Kelly and 298 yards total offense.
Davis had a pair of interceptions; linebacker Andre Townsend recovered two fumbles. In addition, the Rebs inflicted a rib injury on fullback Keith Edwards, holding NCAA Division I-A's leading pass receiver to two catches for 15 years.
Powell, who came in on the third series and remained in place the rest of the afternoon, ended the day with 116 yards (12-of-23) and a TD pass. Sacked but once, he also rushed for 29 yards.
"It wasn't a spur of the moment decision to play Kelly," said Brewer. The coach said Powell's week of practice combined with Austin's "personal problems" causing him to miss Thursday practice, helped make the decision early.
Key plays by Powell set up each of the three Ole Miss scores, including a 20-yard fourth down scamper that set up the 14-14 halftime deadlock.
With just over a minute left in the half, the Rebels were faced with fourth-and-13 at the Commodore 34. Eschewing the field goal- "I didn't think three points would hold," Brewer said- Ole Miss went for it. Powell was flushed from the pocket, rolled right and rambled to the 14.
A play later, he connected with wide receiver Stephen Cunningham for a 14-yard scoring pass with 52 seconds left in the half.
Earlier, with Vanderbilt (2-5, 0-4) up 7-0 Powell found tailback Buford McGee on a third down quick slant for 15 yards from the Rebel 21. It took three plays from the 6, the third a 1-yard McGee run at 12:46 of the second period.
A 16-yard third-down Powell pass to split end Tim Moffett was the important play to set Rodger's eventual winning TD run.
The last time Ole Miss won in the SEC was 1981 21-17 season-finale with Mississippi State.
While Powell controlled the offense, Clark, saved the Ole Miss defense with a pair of clutch second-half plays.
