.png&width=32&height=32&type=webp)
The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
1-3 , 1-3
Arkansas
2-2 , 2-2
Football Suffers 33-21 Road Defeat to Arkansas
10/17/2020 | Football
Rebels Outgain Razorbacks 442-394 in Road Loss
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – An Ole Miss Rebel offense that has been among the nation's best through the first three weeks of the season was silenced for two and a half quarters. Even when they found a way late, turnovers and goal line stops proved costly as the Rebels (1-3) could not complete a 20-point rally as they fell the Arkansas Razorbacks 33-21 at Donald W. Reynolds Stadium on Saturday.
Matt Corral completed 20 of 38 passes for 200 yards and two touchdown passes with six interceptions. On the ground, Jerrion Ealy led the Rebels with 112 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries. Elijah Moore had 113 yards and a touchdown catch. Moore's 11 catches marked his fourth straight game with 10 or more catches. Jonathan Mingo also added two catches for 31 yards and a score. Overall, the Rebels out-gained Arkansas 442-394.
Defensively, The Rebels were led by Ryder Anderson who finished with 13 tackles, two TFLs and a sack. Jalen Jordan also added a career-high 11 tackles. Although the Rebels turned in their best defensive performance of the season, missed opportunities happened early and often.
The Rebels started the game on defense and forced a three-and-out for the first time this season on an opening drive. On third down, Jaylon Jones' interception was overturned, which would've given the Rebels the ball inside Razorback territory. Instead, the Rebels set up at their own 40-yard line.
Ole Miss later converted a 4th down and moved the ball to Arkansas' goal line. Arkansas held firm. On fourth down, Corral's exchange went awry and Arkansas took over at their own 5-yard line with 9:58 left in the first quarter.
The Rebel defense would've forced another three-and-out on the ensuing possession, but a roughing the kicker penalty on fourth down kept the drive alive for the Razorbacks. Arkansas capitalized, capping off an 11-play, 95-yard drive with a Rakeem Boyd touchdown with 5:47 left in the first quarter to take a 7-0 lead.
Ole Miss again found Razorback territory the following drive. After reaching Arkansas' 31-yard line, the drive stalled, but the Razorbacks began their next drive in the shadow of their own goal post after Mac Brown's 34-yard punt was downed at the two-yard line.
The Razorbacks then made their way near midfield, but a Ryder Anderson sack on third down ended the drive. Two plays later, Corral's deep ball was intercepted by Arkansas's Hudson Clark and the Razorbacks were back in business at the Rebels' 48-yard line with 13:15 left in the first half.
Arkansas used a pair of 18-yard gains to reach the Ole Miss 5-yard line, but the Rebels forced Arkansas' A.J. Reed to kick a 23 yard field goal with 10:50 left in the second quarter. Arkansas had a 10-0 lead.
On the first play of Ole Miss' ensuing drive, Corral was intercepted by Jalen Catalon, who took it 35 yards the other way for an Arkansas touchdown. The Razorbacks had a 17-0 lead with 10:40 left in the first half. Corral found Elijah Moore for a 34-yard gain the following drive to get to the Arkansas 33-yard line, but all to no avail. The Razorbacks forced fourth down and took over on downs at their own 31-yard line with 8:09 left in the second quarter.
After both teams traded three-and-outs, the Razorbacks converted twice on third down before reaching the Ole Miss 10-yard line. A.J. Reed kicked his second field goal for the Razorbacks from 32 yards out to give Arkansas a 20-0 lead with 1:41 left in the first half and going into halftime. The Rebels finished the first half with 145 yards of total offense and only 43 yards on the ground.
The Rebels looked as if they were going to finally break through offensively to begin the second half, but a 16-play, 74-yard drive came up empty handed, with the Razorbacks again coming up with a goal line stand on fourth down with 10:38 left in the third quarter.
It wouldn't be until the next Rebel drive that they finally got on the scoreboard. Ole Miss capped off a 10-play, 56-yard drive with a touchdown pass from Matt Corral to Elijah Moore from seven yards out. The Arkansas lead was cut to 20-7 with 4:35 left in the third quarter.
On the ensuing drive, the Ole Miss defense got their first turnover of the game. Lakia Henry sacked Franks and knocked the ball loose while LeDarrius Cox recovered the football at the Arkansas 17-yard line. On the very next play, The Razorbacks got the ball right back at their own 12-yard line after Corral threw his third interception to Greg Brooks. Then at midfield, Franks again turned the ball over with a tipped-ball interception to Jon Haynes with 1:57 left in the third quarter. Again, the Rebels couldn't capitalize. Corral threw a fourth interception to Hudson Clark. Both teams combined for four turnovers in a 14-play span late in the third quarter.
Ole Miss was back in the game early in the fourth quarter. Using the ground game, the Rebels capped off an eight-play, 66-yard drive with 21-yard touchdown pass from Corral to Jonathan Mingo. With 12:06 left in the game, Arkansas' lead was cut to one possession, 20-14.
The Razorbacks answered. An 11-play, 70-yard drive was capped off with a one-handed touchdown grab by Treylon Burks in the back corner of the end zone from seven yards out. Following a failed two-point conversion attempt, Arkansas extended their lead to 26-14, 7:36 to play.
It looked as though the Rebels would go three-and-out on the following possession, but they faked a punt from their own 27-yard line. MoMo Sanogo took a direct snap and rumbled 47 yards into Razorback territory. Jerrion Ealy capped off three consecutive carries with a goal line touchdown. The Rebels trailed 26-21 with 5:50 left to play and three timeouts to work with. After forcing a three-and-out, the Rebels looked to take the lead with 3:46 left in the game, ball at the 16-yard line.
Two plays later, Matt Corral threw a fifth interception to Grant Morgan, who returned it 23 yards the other way for a pick-six. The Razorbacks were again up by two scores with 3:07 left. Corral then threw a sixth interception to ice the game for good.
The Rebels return to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on October 24 to face the Auburn Tigers. Kickoff time is set for 11 a.m. CT and will be televised by the SEC Network.
Team Stats
OM 0, AR 7
AR - Rakeem Boyd 1 yd run (AJ Reed kick), 11 plays, 95 yards, TOP 4:11
OM 0, AR 10
AR - AJ Reed 23 yd field goal 7 plays, 42 yards, TOP 2:25
OM 0, AR 17
AR - Jalen Catalon 35 yd interception (AJ Reed kick)
OM 0, AR 20
AR - AJ Reed 32 yd field goal 12 plays, 50 yards, TOP 3:21
OM 7, AR 20
OM - Elijah Moore 7 yd pass from Matt Corral (Luke Logan kick) 10 plays, 56 yards, TOP 4:07
OM 14, AR 20
OM - Jonathan Mingo 21 yd pass from Matt Corral (Luke Logan kick) 8 plays, 66 yards, TOP 2:34
OM 14, AR 26
AR - Treylon Burks 7 yd pass from Feleipe Franks (Feleipe Franks rushfailed) 11 plays, 70 yards, TOP 4:30
OM 21, AR 26
OM - Jerrion Ealy 1 yd run (Luke Logan kick), 7 plays, 73 yards, TOP 2:06
OM 21, AR 33
AR - Grant Morgan 23 yd interception (AJ Reed kick)
