The University of Mississippi Athletics
Mistakes Cost Rebels Despite Comeback Effort
9/17/2016 | Football, Blog
At the 5:28 mark in the fourth quarter, Jonathan Allen grabbed a Chad Kelly pass and took it 75 yards from the end zone. It ended a drive that was looking to pull the game back to one score and instead gave Alabama a three-score advantage.
It was the second time the Alabama defense scored off of turnovers, not to mention another touchdown added by the Crimson Tide's punt return unit. The Rebels are a young team, and it was almost expected the ending would be nondescript.Â
Instead, the Rebels put together two quick scores with an onside kick sandwiched in-between to make the game one score. Ole Miss made mistakes to see a first half lead disappear, but it wasn't due to a lack of effort.Â
"I'm proud of our football team," Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze said. "We're so shorthanded on defense right now, but I was pleased with the effort. We're playing a lot of young kids in a lot of areas. They competed."
Ole Miss finished with a negative turnover margin, which is something you can't do against the Tide. Alabama is 62-2 since 2008 when it finished with a positive turnover margin.Â
"The margin of error for winning and losing in this league is so small," Freeze said. "You can't turn it over and give 14 points and expect to beat many teams, especially Alabama."
Everyone knew when this year's schedule was released that the opening month was brutal. It doesn't ease up either, with No. 16 Georgia heading to Oxford next week. The Rebels still have a long season ahead and are adamant about bouncing back while getting some players back from injury like defensive linemen Victor Evans and Fadol Brown to help bolster the front seven.
"The leadership of this team is what I think it is, I expect them to respond like they always have," Freeze said. "You depend upon the leadership in the locker room. We're competing at a high level. The schedule we're playing is a tough one. Injuries haven't been our friend either."
Ole Miss played the best team in the nation and lost. While it's disappointing now, the season aheads holds many opportunities to put this loss behind them.
"I'm excited to get back on the field with those guys," Freeze said. "I love the fight and the effort. We have to get some things corrected and a get a few guys back."
