Running Game, Defense Power Football Over Tulsa, 35-27

OXFORD, Miss. - Ole Miss anticipated an aerial shootout against Tulsa's top-ranked passing offense, but a tough Rebel running game and a defensive effort that never fully broke helped the 13th-ranked Rebels hold on, 35-27, over the Golden Hurricane on Saturday.

The Rebels (4-0) battled back from an early 14-7 first quarter deficit to take a 35-17 halftime lead over Tulsa (2-2), but the second half became a defensive slugfest highly dependent on the running game and field position.

On the ground, Ole Miss tallied 308 of its 462 total yards, led by another impressive showing from freshman running back Quinshon Judkins, who ended the day on a career-high 140 yards and two scores on 27 carries. Today's matchup marks the first time since 1999 that Ole Miss has had at least one 100-yard rusher in four consecutive games, as well as the first time since at least 1976 in available game-by-game data that Ole Miss has opened the year with four straight games with a 100-yard rusher.

Judkins had three runs of 20 yards or more, and his two touchdowns in the second quarter pushes him to five in four games.

Judkins, starting quarterback Jaxson Dart (13 carries, 116 yards) and Zach Evans (10 carries, 48 yards, 1 TD) all secured high numbers in the rushing game for the Rebels, while Malik Heath (4 catches, 75 yards, 1 TD) and Jonathan Mingo (3 catches, 54 yards, 1 TD) hauled in 129 of Ole Miss' 154 passing yards.

It was an offensive back-and-forth battle as both teams secured at least 450 yards on offense, but the Rebels were able to put up the points needed in the first half, while the defense closed out the game in the back half.

The Rebel defense stymied Tulsa's FBS-leading passing attack to 218 yards fewer than its No. 1 ranked average of 413 yards per game entering, throwing for just 195 on Saturday.

Dart came out of the gates running with back-to-back rushes to bring the Rebels to the Tulsa 38-yard line right from the start. Evans put Ole Miss on the board after a 20-yard scamper that made it a 7-0 contest only 1:39 into the game – his fourth rushing touchdown of the season.

Tulsa was quick to respond, though, as they drove the ball down 87 yards and scored following a Davis Brin 37-yard dart to Keylon Stokes to get Tulsa on the board.

Following an Ole Miss punt on the ensuing drive, Tulsa drove the ball down for 75 yards and another touchdown on a 20-yard pass from Brin to Isiah Epps in the endzone to put Tulsa in the lead, 14-7.

After driving the ball back down the field, Ole Miss sat at the Tulsa 9 yard-line as time expired in the first quarter. A quick rush up the middle early in the second quarter by Judkins evened the game at 14-14.

From there, the Ole Miss offense took over the second quarter, with the Rebels quickly taking the lead on a 31-yard touchdown pass hauled in by Malik Heath for a scoring drive of four plays and 64 yards in only 1:06 with 10:31 remaining in the half.

Judkins continued to run through the Golden Hurricane as a 23-yard carry propelled him to the Tulsa 7-yard line. From there, Judkins finished off his work with his second touchdown of the day and fifth of the season to put the Rebels in control, 28-14.

Tulsa began driving back down the field, but was picked off on a 4th down conversion by AJ Finley, returning the ball for 19 yards on his first pick of the season. The Rebels took advantage of the momentum change and followed up with a 31-yard passing touchdown from Dart to Mingo.

Tulsa ended the half with a 28-yard field goal as time expired to bring the halftime score to 35-17.

Tulsa opened the third with a 20-yard field goal after the Ole Miss defense held the Hurricane offense at the goal line.

Tulsa capitalized off a forced fumble and recovery by Kendarin Ray in the third quarter and opened the fourth quarter with a touchdown after driving for 97 yards. Backup Tulsa QB Braylon Braxton's 17-yard pass up the middle was caught by Epps for his second touchdown of the night to cut it to a one score game with 14:38 to play.

Ole Miss would go on to convert key first downs in the fourth quarter, though, to finish out the victory and secure a 4-0 start and its 12th-straight win at home. The Rebels are now 4-0 for the first time since 2015.

Up next, Ole Miss will welcome a top-10 opponent to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium next Saturday (Oct. 1) when the No. 8 Kentucky Wildcats come to town to open SEC play. Kickoff is slated for 11 a.m. CT on ESPN.

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Team Stats

Jaxson Dart

Players Mentioned

Jaxson Dart

Zach Evans

AJ Finley

Malik Heath

Quinshon Judkins

Jonathan Mingo

Players Mentioned

Jaxson Dart

Zach Evans

AJ Finley

Malik Heath

Quinshon Judkins

Jonathan Mingo

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