The University of Mississippi Athletics
Saturday, November 2
Auburn, Ala.
6 PM
Ole Miss
3-6 , 2-4
14
at
20
Auburn
7-2 , 4-2
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Ole Miss
0
7
0
7
14
Auburn
0
10
10
0
20
Comeback Attempt Falls Short in 20-14 Defeat at No. 11 Auburn
11/2/2019 | Football
Box Score<i class="icon-paper"></i> Box Score (PDF)<i class="icon-list-bullet"></i> Postgame Notes<i class="icon-comment"></i> Postgame Quotes<i class="icon-camera"></i> Photo Gallery<i class="icon-video"></i> Highlights
Plumlee Sets Single-Season QB Rushing Record in Road Loss
AUBURN, Ala. – Ole Miss football's comeback attempt came up 35 yards short as the Rebels dropped a close Southeastern Conference battle, 20-14, at No. 11 Auburn.
Trailing 20-7 midway through the third quarter, the Rebels battled back, making it a one-score game on a 1-yard rushing touchdown by Snoop Conner with 5:45 left in the game. The Rebel defense came up with one last stop, forcing a missed field goal to get the ball back with 1:14 to play.
John Rhys Plumlee led the game's final drive with a 17-yard completion to Braylon Sanders followed by a 20-yard rush to enter Auburn territory. The Rebels made it as far as the Tiger 35-yard line, but facing 4th-and-3 with less than 20 seconds on the clock, Plumlee scrambled and was intercepted by Christian Tutt as time ran out.
Ole Miss opened the night with the ball and quickly saw both Ben Brown and Scottie Phillips go down to ankle injuries. Brown would return two series later, but Phillips remained out for the rest of the contest. The Rebels nonetheless drove their way into Auburn territory on the drive but were stopped on fourth down. The defense responded with a stop as Auburn kicker Anders Carlson missed wide left from 42 yards out.
After a Rebel punt, Tiger quarterback Bo Nix connected with Anthony Schwartz for a 50-yard gain through the air. The Ole Miss defense recovered, though, forcing another field goal attempt. Carlson was off target once again, missing wide right from 49 yards away.
The Rebels were forced to punt on their next drive, but possession quickly returned to the visitors when Qaadir Sheppard pounced on a fumbled handoff exchange between Nix and D.J. Williams. However, Ole Miss couldn't convert the turnover into points as the first quarter came and went without a score from either side.
Midway through the second quarter, the Rebels nearly came up with another turnover thanks to excellent coverage by Keidron Smith, but the pick slipped through the Rebel corner's grasp. Smith nearly had his hands in another turnover on the drive when he jarred the ball loose from Harold Joiner at the goal line, but Auburn was able to recover the fumble. The big hit from Smith paid off though, as the Tigers were forced to settle for a field goal. This time, Carlson hit from 20 yards out for the game's first score.
Ole Miss was forced to punt once again, and an explosive play by Auburn set up the game's first touchdown. Nix hit a wide-open Joiner for a 78-yard gain down to the 1-yard line. One play later, Shaun Shivers followed his blockers into the end zone to make it 10-0 in favor of the home team.
The Rebel defense came up with a key stop late in the first half, and Ole Miss made the most of it. Elijah Moore broke free for a 55-yard punt return down to the Auburn 23-yard line, the longest punt return by a Rebel since Carlos Davis went 58 yards on September 5, 2015, against UT Martin. Three plays later, Plumlee raced around the edge for a 4-yard touchdown to make it just a three-point game at halftime.
Auburn started the second half with outstanding field position thanks to a 49-yard kickoff return by Noah Igbinoghene. The Tiger offense quickly capitalized on the return, relying heavily on the ground game en route to a 1-yard rushing score by Nix to make it a 17-7 game.
After an Ole Miss three-and-out, the Rebel defense halted the Tigers and were set to come up with a three-and-out of their own, but after the third-down stop, Sheppard was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct to keep the Auburn drive alive. The drive resulted in three points for the Tigers as Carlson connected on a 38-yard field goal to make it 20-7.
On the following drive, Plumlee became the new single-season rushing leader among Rebel quarterbacks. With runs of 9 and 16 yards on the drive, Plumlee broke the previous mark of 544, set by Jeremiah Masoli in 2010.
Auburn put together a strong drive early in the fourth quarter, making its way to the Ole Miss 38-yard line, but a clutch third-down sack by Quentin Bivens forced a punt.
Pinned back on its own 9-yard line, the Rebel offense responded. A personal foul late hit against Auburn's Derrick Brown got the Rebels into respectable field position, then after a 25-yard passing connection between Plumlee and Conner, Ole Miss was in business. The Rebels converted two fourth downs on the drive, one on an 8-yard scramble by Plumlee, and the other on a gutsy 4-yard rush by Jerrion Ealy, which set up a 1-yard rushing score by Conner to make it just a six-point game.
Auburn was able to melt 4:30 off the clock on its final drive before the Landshark defense held, forcing another field goal attempt. Carlson missed from 49 yards away to give the Rebels a shot with 1:14 to play.
On the first play of the last drive, Plumlee hit Sanders for a huge 33-yard gain, but the Rebels were flagged for holding to negate the play. Plumlee turned around and found Sanders again on similar play for 17 yards down the sideline. The freshman quarterback followed that with a 20-yard rush to push the Rebels into Tiger territory.
Back-to-back completions to Tylan Knight, followed by a missed connection with Moore, set up a 4th-and-2 with time winding down. Plumlee dropped back and scrambled in the face of heavy pressure, but the Tiger pass rush caught up to him, forcing a desperation heave, which was intercepted by Tutt to end the comeback try.
Ole Miss returns home next weekend to host New Mexico State. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. CT on SEC Network.
Trailing 20-7 midway through the third quarter, the Rebels battled back, making it a one-score game on a 1-yard rushing touchdown by Snoop Conner with 5:45 left in the game. The Rebel defense came up with one last stop, forcing a missed field goal to get the ball back with 1:14 to play.
John Rhys Plumlee led the game's final drive with a 17-yard completion to Braylon Sanders followed by a 20-yard rush to enter Auburn territory. The Rebels made it as far as the Tiger 35-yard line, but facing 4th-and-3 with less than 20 seconds on the clock, Plumlee scrambled and was intercepted by Christian Tutt as time ran out.
Ole Miss opened the night with the ball and quickly saw both Ben Brown and Scottie Phillips go down to ankle injuries. Brown would return two series later, but Phillips remained out for the rest of the contest. The Rebels nonetheless drove their way into Auburn territory on the drive but were stopped on fourth down. The defense responded with a stop as Auburn kicker Anders Carlson missed wide left from 42 yards out.
After a Rebel punt, Tiger quarterback Bo Nix connected with Anthony Schwartz for a 50-yard gain through the air. The Ole Miss defense recovered, though, forcing another field goal attempt. Carlson was off target once again, missing wide right from 49 yards away.
The Rebels were forced to punt on their next drive, but possession quickly returned to the visitors when Qaadir Sheppard pounced on a fumbled handoff exchange between Nix and D.J. Williams. However, Ole Miss couldn't convert the turnover into points as the first quarter came and went without a score from either side.
Midway through the second quarter, the Rebels nearly came up with another turnover thanks to excellent coverage by Keidron Smith, but the pick slipped through the Rebel corner's grasp. Smith nearly had his hands in another turnover on the drive when he jarred the ball loose from Harold Joiner at the goal line, but Auburn was able to recover the fumble. The big hit from Smith paid off though, as the Tigers were forced to settle for a field goal. This time, Carlson hit from 20 yards out for the game's first score.
Ole Miss was forced to punt once again, and an explosive play by Auburn set up the game's first touchdown. Nix hit a wide-open Joiner for a 78-yard gain down to the 1-yard line. One play later, Shaun Shivers followed his blockers into the end zone to make it 10-0 in favor of the home team.
The Rebel defense came up with a key stop late in the first half, and Ole Miss made the most of it. Elijah Moore broke free for a 55-yard punt return down to the Auburn 23-yard line, the longest punt return by a Rebel since Carlos Davis went 58 yards on September 5, 2015, against UT Martin. Three plays later, Plumlee raced around the edge for a 4-yard touchdown to make it just a three-point game at halftime.
Auburn started the second half with outstanding field position thanks to a 49-yard kickoff return by Noah Igbinoghene. The Tiger offense quickly capitalized on the return, relying heavily on the ground game en route to a 1-yard rushing score by Nix to make it a 17-7 game.
After an Ole Miss three-and-out, the Rebel defense halted the Tigers and were set to come up with a three-and-out of their own, but after the third-down stop, Sheppard was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct to keep the Auburn drive alive. The drive resulted in three points for the Tigers as Carlson connected on a 38-yard field goal to make it 20-7.
On the following drive, Plumlee became the new single-season rushing leader among Rebel quarterbacks. With runs of 9 and 16 yards on the drive, Plumlee broke the previous mark of 544, set by Jeremiah Masoli in 2010.
Auburn put together a strong drive early in the fourth quarter, making its way to the Ole Miss 38-yard line, but a clutch third-down sack by Quentin Bivens forced a punt.
Pinned back on its own 9-yard line, the Rebel offense responded. A personal foul late hit against Auburn's Derrick Brown got the Rebels into respectable field position, then after a 25-yard passing connection between Plumlee and Conner, Ole Miss was in business. The Rebels converted two fourth downs on the drive, one on an 8-yard scramble by Plumlee, and the other on a gutsy 4-yard rush by Jerrion Ealy, which set up a 1-yard rushing score by Conner to make it just a six-point game.
Auburn was able to melt 4:30 off the clock on its final drive before the Landshark defense held, forcing another field goal attempt. Carlson missed from 49 yards away to give the Rebels a shot with 1:14 to play.
On the first play of the last drive, Plumlee hit Sanders for a huge 33-yard gain, but the Rebels were flagged for holding to negate the play. Plumlee turned around and found Sanders again on similar play for 17 yards down the sideline. The freshman quarterback followed that with a 20-yard rush to push the Rebels into Tiger territory.
Back-to-back completions to Tylan Knight, followed by a missed connection with Moore, set up a 4th-and-2 with time winding down. Plumlee dropped back and scrambled in the face of heavy pressure, but the Tiger pass rush caught up to him, forcing a desperation heave, which was intercepted by Tutt to end the comeback try.
Ole Miss returns home next weekend to host New Mexico State. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. CT on SEC Network.
Team Stats
OM
AU
Total Yards
266
507
Pass Yards
99
340
Rushing Yards
167
167
Penalty Yards
25
44
1st Downs
16
26
3rd Downs
3
12
4th Downs
2
0
TOP
23:57
36:03
2nd Quarter
OM 0, AU 3
AU - Anders Carlson 20 yd field goal 14 plays, 72 yards, TOP 4:59
OM 0, AU 10
AU - D.J. Williams 1 yd run (Anders Carlson kick), 3 plays, 80 yards, TOP 1:16
OM 7, AU 10
OM - J.R. Plumlee 4 yd run (Luke Logan kick), 3 plays, 23 yards, TOP 0:22
3rd Quarter
OM 7, AU 17
AU - Bo Nix 1 yd run (Anders Carlson kick), 13 plays, 54 yards, TOP 4:43
OM 7, AU 20
AU - Anders Carlson 38 yd field goal 13 plays, 53 yards, TOP 4:54
4th Quarter
OM 14, AU 20
OM - Snoop Conner 1 yd run (Luke Logan kick), 15 plays, 91 yards, TOP 5:35
Game Leaders
CMP
11
TD
0
YDS
86
INT
1
CMP
3
TD
0
YDS
13
INT
0
Players Mentioned
DE
/ Football
RB
/ Football
RB
/ Football
RB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
RB
/ FootballQB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
OLB
/ Football
DB
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