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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Saturday, November 18
Oxford, Miss.
11 AM
Ole Miss
vs
ULM
Football Hosts ULM in Home Finale, Military Appreciation Game
11/16/2023 | Football
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
• Ole Miss and ULM are set to meet for the fifth time ... The Rebels lead the all-time series, 4-0.
• Ole Miss and ULM last met in 2018, when the Rebels won 70-21 and set the school record for total offense (826).
• Ole Miss is 298-115-8 (.717) all-time at Vaught-Hemingway and are 20-5 at home in the Kiffin era ... The Rebels are 20-2 overall in their last 22 home games.
• Ole Miss is 63-17 (.788) against non-conference opponents dating back to a 38-0 win over Tulane in 1994 ... Under Kiffin, Ole Miss is 12-2 against non-conference opponents.
• Ole Miss will honor its senior class in the home finale vs. ULM on Saturday, including LB Ashanti Cistrunk, who has played in 58 consecutive games, and OL Jeremy James, who ranks fifth all-time with 46 starts.
• RB Quinshon Judkins leads the SEC with 14 rushing touchdowns this year ... He ranks second in Ole Miss career history with 30, third in all-purpose TD (32) and fifth in rushing yards (2,435).
• Judkins is the lone active FBS rusher at 1,500 career yards and a per-game average beyond 100.0.
• Judkins is two rushing scores away from tying his own single-season TD record of 16 set in 2022.
• Judkins leads the SEC in yards after contact at 653, good for 75 percent of his season total (868).
• WR Tre Harris is the only FBS receiver this season with both a 200yd game and a four touchdown performance.
• Ole Miss is 1-of-3 FBS schools w/three 600yd WRs: Harris (761), Jordan Watkins (661) and Dayton Wade (647).
• Since 2020, Ole Miss ranks second among all FBS teams at 501.5 yards per game, trailing only Ohio State (502.3).
• QB Jaxson Dart is 32 rushing yards shy of becoming the third QB ever at Ole Miss in the 5K/1K club.
• Ole Miss leads the SEC and ranks 14th nationally in turnover margin (+8).
WARHAWKS SCOUTING REPORT
ULM heads into the matchup with the Rebels at 2-8, 0-7 in Sun Belt Conference play. The Warhawks started the season 0-2, but have dropped eight straight games. Offensively, ULM is averaging 335.4 yards per game, with 195 coming through the air and 140 yards rushing per game. Jiya Wright, Blake Murphy and Hunter Herring have all started at least one game at quarterback for ULM. Wright has started seven of the Warhawks' 10 games and has thrown for 1,124 yards and 10 TDs, with six interceptions. Sixth-year wide receiver Tyrone Howell leads the ULM receiving corps with 44 catches for 516 yards and seven touchdowns. Hunter Smith and former Ole Miss Rebel Isaiah Woullard serve as the primary backs, rushing for 423 and 418 yards respectively. Defensively, ULM is giving up 438.8 yards per game, but ranks No. 19 nationally with 11 interceptions. Junior middle linebacker Michael Batton leads the team with 71 total tackles. Ja'Terious Evans and David Godsey Jr. lead the Warhawks with three interceptions apiece.
OLE MISS-ULM SERIES HISTORY
• Ole Miss and ULM are set to meet for the fifth time ... The Rebels lead the all-time series, 4-0.
• The series began in 2002 (W, 31-3), and all four prior meetings have occurred in Oxford.
• Ole Miss and ULM last met in 2018, when the Rebels won 70-21 and set the school record for total offense (826).
REBS IN THE POLLS
• Ole Miss ranks No. 13 in the Associated Press poll and No. 14 in the Coaches poll for Week 12.
• Ole Miss also ranks No. 9 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings released Nov. 7.
• Dating back to 2021, Ole Miss has been ranked in the top 25 in 41 of the last 43 poll releases ... That includes a streak of 29 across 2021 and 2022, the longest streak since being ranked for 41 straight weeks from 2014-16.
• The SEC boasts six teams in the top 25 of all three polls.
GROUND & POUND
Sophomore RB Quinshon Judkins was the sole focus of opposing defenses early on after his superb freshman campaign in 2022, as he was held to just 201 yards and four scores across his first four games. Since, Judkins has exploded for 667 yards and 10 touchdowns across his last six games -- beginning with a monster 177-yard effort in Ole Miss' thrilling 55-49 win over No. 12 LSU in Oxford on Sept. 30, his most rushing yards ever at Vaught-Hemingway. All four of Judkins' 100-yard efforts this season have come against SEC opponents -- those 177 and one TD against LSU and successive efforts against Auburn (124, 1 TD), Vanderbilt (124, 2 TDs) and Texas A&M (102, 3 TDs) -- as well as 10 of his 14 total rushing scores. Judkins leads the SEC and ranks fourth nationally at those 14 rushing TDs, and he ranks fourth in the conference at 86.8 yards per game. Judkins has also put his reputation as a bruising runner to good use, as he currently leads the SEC in both yards after contact at 653 (65.3 per game) and 51 total missed tackles forced, with those yards after contact accounting for 75 percent of his entire rushing total this season. Judkins was a consensus first team selection on all the Preseason All-America teams and All-SEC teams, and was selected to the Maxwell, Walter Camp and Doak Walker Award watch lists.
LEAGUE OF HIS OWN
Judkins' productivity has catapulted him into a category unmatched by his peers nationally, as he is the only active FBS rusher with 1,500 career yards (2,435) and a per game career average in the triple digits (105.9). Judkins leads active FBS players in several career categories, including rushing attempts per game (20.2), rushing yards per game (105.9), all-purpose plays per game (21.6) and all-purpose yards per game (117.4).
MADE TO BE BROKEN
Running back Quinshon Judkins made a splash as a freshman in 2022 with six individual Ole Miss single-season records, but Judkins is not only taking a run at those single-season marks again in 2023, but he is also closing in on several all-time career marks by Rebel rushers.
PICK YOUR POISON
Ole Miss has had a well-rounded running game, particularly when it comes to punching the ball across the goal line for six. The Rebels stand as the lone team in the SEC with two rushers with at least seven rushing touchdowns, with sophomore RB Quinshon Judkins leading the SEC lead at 14 and junior QB Jaxson Dart with seven -- the third-most among all SEC signal callers and tied for 11th nationally among quarterbacks.
NOSE FOR THE ENDZONE
Last season, the Ole Miss single-season rushing touchdown record was one of many dismantled by current sophomore running back Quinshon Judkins during his electric freshman campaign. One year later, Judkins is making a run at the crown again, currently standing just two touchdowns shy of his record 16 in 2022 with 14 so far in the 2023 season. Judkins is the only rusher in Ole Miss history with multiple seasons with 14 or more rushing touchdowns, and he is also closing in on Deuce McAllister's career record of 37 with 30 in just 23 career games played.
HOME SWEET HOME
Vaught-Hemingway Stadium has been a safe haven for the Rebels historically, owning a 298-115-8 (.717) record all-time in Oxford, and that's been no different in the Kiffin era. Ole Miss is 20-2 in its last 22 home games, and since the beginning of Kiffin's tenure in 2020, the Rebels have gone 20-5 overall at Vaught-Hemingway -- which includes a 14-game home winning streak that spanned Nov. 14, 2020 to Oct. 15, 2022. That streak was among the longest home winning streaks nationally when it was snapped by No. 9 Alabama last November. It was also the longest winning streak in Oxford since winning 21 straight games from Nov. 1, 1952 to Nov. 7, 1959. Including a tie to LSU in 1960, the Rebels went unbeaten for 34 games over the course of 12 years (1952-64). Ole Miss finished the 2021 campaign with a perfect 7-0 home record, its first undefeated season at home (on the field) since 1992 when the Rebels finished 6-0 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. The 2021 season was also the first time that Ole Miss won seven on-campus games within the same season.
NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS
• Ole Miss is 63-17 (.788) versus non-conference opponents dating back to a 38-0 win over Tulane on Nov. 12, 1994.
• Under head coach Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss is 12-2 against non-conference opponents.
• The Rebels have only lost one home non-conference game since 2012 (Sept. 23, 2019 vs. #23 Cal, 28-20).
• Ole Miss has only lost three total non-conference road games since 2012.
MR. CONSISTENCY
Senior LB Ashanti Cistrunk will play in his final game at Vaught-Hemingway this Saturday, capping off an excellent career as a mainstay of the Ole Miss defense throughout his long career as a Rebel. Cistrunk has played in 58 consecutive games, which constitutes all 58 of his career games played. Cistrunk is among 105 active players nationally in the FBS to have played at least 58, and on Ole Miss' roster this year he is among two transfers in Zamari Walton (58) and Teja Young (59). Cistrunk was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week following perhaps the best game of his career against Arkansas, when he ended the night with a season-high nine tackles, 1.0 tackles for loss, one half-sack and a key interception returned 28 yards -- the second pick of his career and helping lead the Rebel defense to a 27-20 victory on Oct. 7. In his Ole Miss career, Cistrunk has 187 total tackles (83 solo), 9.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and two interceptions. In addition to Cistrunk, Ole Miss' 2023 roster features five more with at least 150 career tackles: CB DeShawn Gaddie Jr. (157), LB Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste (189), LB Monty Montgomery (181), CB Zamari Walton (156) and S Teja Young (170).
CONSTANT PRESENCE
Senior offensive lineman Jeremy James has started all 10 games at right guard this season, which is but a small sample size of his long Rebel career as a starter. James currently stands at 46 career starts -- all consecutive -- which puts him fourth in Ole Miss history. James has been a versatile starting member of the offensive line in his time as well, charting 29 starts at right guard and 17 at right tackle from the early part of his career. James was Preseason All-SEC and Senior Bowl watch list selection, and this season he has not allowed a sack in 300 opportunities.
BIG PLAY POTENTIAL
The Rebels continue to be one of the best teams in the country in explosive plays, currently fourth among all FBS teams with 69 plays of 20 yards or more this season. In total, Ole Miss has tallied 174 plays of 10 or more yards this year, ranking seventh among all FBS schools. The Rebels average 17.4 such plays per game.
AMONG THE BEST
With its initial appearance at No. 10 ranking in the Coaches Poll in Week 10, Ole Miss has now cracked the top-10 in the national rankings for the third consecutive season, joining a high of No. 7 in 2022 and No. 8 in 2021. The last time the Rebels entered the top-10 of a major national poll in three straight campaigns was 1962-64.
LIGHT 'EM UP
There haven't been any Swayze Showers at the Vaught, but that hasn't stopped the explosive Ole Miss offense from being big time home run hitters through this season. On the year, the Rebels rank third in the SEC in yards per play at 6.7, as well as third in the conference and sixth nationally at 15.2 yards per completion.
OPTIONS THROUGH THE AIR
Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart has had plenty of targets in the passing game, but none more frequently than wideouts Jordan Watkins (46 rec., 661 yards, 3 TD), Dayton Wade (43 rec., 647 yards, 3 TD) and Tre Harris (40 rec., 761 yards, 7 TD). The Rebels are the lone team in the SEC and one of just three FBS teams alongside Colorado State and Washington State with three 600-yard receivers. Combined among them, that Rebel trio has nine 100-yard outings this season. All three have been crucial toward Ole Miss' status as a big-play threat as well, combining for 76 catches of at least 10 yards, 40 of at least 20 yards, 21 of at least 30 yards and nine beyond 40 yards.
RARE COMPANY
With 32 more rushing yards, Jaxson Dart will become just the third member all-time in the Ole Miss 5,000/1,000 club in passing and rushing, joining John Fourcade (1978-81) and Matt Corral (2018-21).
DON'T BLINK
Ole Miss is once again running a lightning-quick offense in 2023, currently ranking 10th in the FBS at 23.3 seconds per play. This season, Ole Miss owns seven scoring drives clocking in beneath the one-minute mark, including back-to-back opening drives against Mercer (51 seconds) and Tulane (48 seconds). The 51-second drive against Mercer was the fastest to open a season for Ole Miss since 2018, and the 28 first quarter points ranks as the most in available records since at least 1967. The 48-second debut against the Green Wave, meanwhile, was the fastest on any opening drive for the Rebels since finding the endzone in just 34 seconds against Liberty on Nov. 6, 2021. In the Kiffin era, Ole Miss is 26-6 when scoring first.
WINNING THE TURNOVER BATTLE
Ole Miss leads the SEC and ranks 14th in the FBS in turnover margin, currently sitting at a total season margin of +8 and a per-game margin of +0.8. The Rebel defense has done its part with 11 interceptions and four fumble recoveries, but it's been the powerful -- yet careful -- Ole Miss offense that has helped pad that margin, currently leading the SEC and ranking sixth nationally at just six turnovers all season.
CALLING HIS OWN NUMBER
Junior QB Jaxson Dart had a career day running the ball against Georgia Tech on Sept. 16, and did so with one of the longest rushes ever by a Rebel signal caller. Dart ended with a career high 136 yards and two rushing touchdowns on 14, highlighted by a massive 68 yard scamper in the second quarter. That run nearly doubled up his previous career long of 36 against Troy last season, and all-time in Ole Miss history it ranks as the fourth-longest ever by a QB. On the ground, Dart ranks as one of the top rushing QBs nationally, ranking second in the SEC among signal-callers in both yards per carry at 3.7, No. 3 in touchdowns at seven, as well as fourth in the SEC among QBs in yards per game at 35.4.
STINGY DEFENSE
The Landshark defense has been on a tear lately, helping lift Ole Miss in three straight victories against Arkansas, Auburn and Vanderbilt, but doing so in different ways. The Rebel defense stifled the Razorbacks to just 36 yards on the ground back on Oct. 7, the fewest yielded to an SEC opponent by Ole Miss since shutting out Tennessee to zero rushing yards back on Oct. 18, 2014. Ole Miss followed that up with lockdown passing defense performances at Auburn and Vanderbilt that rank among the best by the Rebels since 2014 -- with the 60 yielded to the Commodores tying to the fewest in that span. In terms of total offense, those three games against Arkansas (288), Auburn (275) and Vanderbilt (229) constituted the first three-game stretch against the SEC since a span from the end of the 2008 season (vs. Mississippi State, 24 yards) and the beginning of the 2009 season (at South Carolina, 285 yards; at Vanderbilt, 240 yards). The last time Ole Miss held three straight SEC opponents to fewer than 300 yards within the same season was in 1993 in a stretch against Alabama (279), LSU (299) and Mississippi State (279).
CAUSING MAYHEM
Ole Miss ranks as one of the most ferocious defenses in the backfield this season, ranking 10th nationally in sacks (3.1/game) and 26th in tackles for loss (6.6/game). The Rebels have been relentless, recording at least 3.0 TFL in nine of 10 games this season, with seven of 10 games hitting at least 6.0 TFL, four with at least 9.0 TFL, and two in double-digits against Mercer in the season-opener (11.0) and against Arkansas on Oct. 7 (10.0). Those TFL have come at a huge cost for opposing teams as well, as the Rebels rank third in the SEC and are 10th nationally in lost yardage at 326 yards. Ole Miss has been equally as punishing in disrupting the passing game, notching multiple sacks in eight games, recording at least four sacks in five and notching five sacks twice this year. A wide range of defenders have been getting in on the fun, too, with a total of 13 Rebels contributing to a QB sack and 22 having chipped-in on a TFL. And all that mayhem is paying off, with eight forced fumbles (including a Khari Coleman sack fumble returned for a TD by Jared Ivey vs. Tulane), 11 interceptions, 37 QB hurries, 36 pass breakups and two blocked field goals. In the Kiffin era, Ole Miss has recorded multiple sacks in 32 games, at least 5.0 tackles for loss in 30 games, and at least 4.0 sacks in 18 games. In games under Kiffin with at least 5.0 tackles for loss, Ole Miss is 21-9, and in games with at least 4.0 sacks, the Rebels are 10-3.
NO-FLY ZONE
The Ole Miss secondary put together an excellent stretch of games beginning with S Daijahn Anthony's game-sealing pass breakup against No. 12 LSU on Sept. 30, yielding just 437 combined passing yards over its next three games to Arkansas (250), Auburn (122) and Vanderbilt (60). Since, the Rebel defensive backs have combined for eight interceptions and 15 pass breakups for 23 total passes defended. Ole Miss picked off two passes apiece in all three games against Arkansas (LB Ashanti Cistrunk, S John Saunders Jr.), Auburn (Saunders Jr., CB Zamari Walton), and Vanderbilt (both by S Trey Washington), marking the first time since 2014 that Ole Miss came down with multiple picks in three consecutive games. Furthermore, Washington's two INTs against the Commodores on Oct. 28 made him the first Rebel with two in the same game since A.J. Finley against Liberty in 2021 and currently makes him one of just five defensive backs in the SEC to do so this season.
PORTAL PRODUCTION
Ole Miss has been no stranger to the transfer portal, and it has paid huge dividends this season, with 3,337 of its 4,662 yards (71.6%) of total offense coming from transfer players. That doesn't include all 2,852 passing yards from all three of Ole Miss' three transfer quarterbacks, but it does include 868 of 1,810 rushing yards (48.0%), and 2,469 of 2,852 receiving yards (86.6%), as well as 28 of all 46 Rebel touchdowns (60.9%) this season.
WIDE-OPEN WATKINS
Senior WR Jordan Watkins has been a big-play threat throughout his two-year tenure as a Rebel, and he's been a dynamite all-purpose option for Ole Miss this season. Watkins has eclipsed the century mark receiving in three games this season, including a career-high 119 yards against Georgia Tech, and he has broken loose for several massive plays. Watkins has 22 plays of at least 10 yards, including 11 of at least 20 yards, five of at least 30 and three of the top-four long plays for Ole Miss this season: his 70-yard punt return touchdown against Mercer, his 68-yard TD reception against Georgia Tech, and his 63-yard score through the air against LSU. Watkins also had four receptions of 30 yards last season, including a 61-yard catch at Vanderbilt. This season, his 70-yard punt return TD ranks fourth-longest in the SEC.
DAYLIGHT FOR DAYTON
Senior WR Dayton Wade is in the midst of a career year in 2023 as one of Ole Miss' top deep-play threats. At 647 yards on 43 receptions, Wade has nearly doubled his prior high in yards (309) and catches (27) -- both recorded in 2022, his first season at Ole Miss after three at WKU from 2019-21. Wade has had at least 64 yards receiving in six games this year, including a career day against Vanderbilt with 120 yards and one touchdown on eight catches. He leads all Rebels and is among just six SEC receivers with five receptions of at least 40 yards.
• Ole Miss and ULM are set to meet for the fifth time ... The Rebels lead the all-time series, 4-0.
• Ole Miss and ULM last met in 2018, when the Rebels won 70-21 and set the school record for total offense (826).
• Ole Miss is 298-115-8 (.717) all-time at Vaught-Hemingway and are 20-5 at home in the Kiffin era ... The Rebels are 20-2 overall in their last 22 home games.
• Ole Miss is 63-17 (.788) against non-conference opponents dating back to a 38-0 win over Tulane in 1994 ... Under Kiffin, Ole Miss is 12-2 against non-conference opponents.
• Ole Miss will honor its senior class in the home finale vs. ULM on Saturday, including LB Ashanti Cistrunk, who has played in 58 consecutive games, and OL Jeremy James, who ranks fifth all-time with 46 starts.
• RB Quinshon Judkins leads the SEC with 14 rushing touchdowns this year ... He ranks second in Ole Miss career history with 30, third in all-purpose TD (32) and fifth in rushing yards (2,435).
• Judkins is the lone active FBS rusher at 1,500 career yards and a per-game average beyond 100.0.
• Judkins is two rushing scores away from tying his own single-season TD record of 16 set in 2022.
• Judkins leads the SEC in yards after contact at 653, good for 75 percent of his season total (868).
• WR Tre Harris is the only FBS receiver this season with both a 200yd game and a four touchdown performance.
• Ole Miss is 1-of-3 FBS schools w/three 600yd WRs: Harris (761), Jordan Watkins (661) and Dayton Wade (647).
• Since 2020, Ole Miss ranks second among all FBS teams at 501.5 yards per game, trailing only Ohio State (502.3).
• QB Jaxson Dart is 32 rushing yards shy of becoming the third QB ever at Ole Miss in the 5K/1K club.
• Ole Miss leads the SEC and ranks 14th nationally in turnover margin (+8).
WARHAWKS SCOUTING REPORT
ULM heads into the matchup with the Rebels at 2-8, 0-7 in Sun Belt Conference play. The Warhawks started the season 0-2, but have dropped eight straight games. Offensively, ULM is averaging 335.4 yards per game, with 195 coming through the air and 140 yards rushing per game. Jiya Wright, Blake Murphy and Hunter Herring have all started at least one game at quarterback for ULM. Wright has started seven of the Warhawks' 10 games and has thrown for 1,124 yards and 10 TDs, with six interceptions. Sixth-year wide receiver Tyrone Howell leads the ULM receiving corps with 44 catches for 516 yards and seven touchdowns. Hunter Smith and former Ole Miss Rebel Isaiah Woullard serve as the primary backs, rushing for 423 and 418 yards respectively. Defensively, ULM is giving up 438.8 yards per game, but ranks No. 19 nationally with 11 interceptions. Junior middle linebacker Michael Batton leads the team with 71 total tackles. Ja'Terious Evans and David Godsey Jr. lead the Warhawks with three interceptions apiece.
OLE MISS-ULM SERIES HISTORY
• Ole Miss and ULM are set to meet for the fifth time ... The Rebels lead the all-time series, 4-0.
• The series began in 2002 (W, 31-3), and all four prior meetings have occurred in Oxford.
• Ole Miss and ULM last met in 2018, when the Rebels won 70-21 and set the school record for total offense (826).
REBS IN THE POLLS
• Ole Miss ranks No. 13 in the Associated Press poll and No. 14 in the Coaches poll for Week 12.
• Ole Miss also ranks No. 9 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings released Nov. 7.
• Dating back to 2021, Ole Miss has been ranked in the top 25 in 41 of the last 43 poll releases ... That includes a streak of 29 across 2021 and 2022, the longest streak since being ranked for 41 straight weeks from 2014-16.
• The SEC boasts six teams in the top 25 of all three polls.
GROUND & POUND
Sophomore RB Quinshon Judkins was the sole focus of opposing defenses early on after his superb freshman campaign in 2022, as he was held to just 201 yards and four scores across his first four games. Since, Judkins has exploded for 667 yards and 10 touchdowns across his last six games -- beginning with a monster 177-yard effort in Ole Miss' thrilling 55-49 win over No. 12 LSU in Oxford on Sept. 30, his most rushing yards ever at Vaught-Hemingway. All four of Judkins' 100-yard efforts this season have come against SEC opponents -- those 177 and one TD against LSU and successive efforts against Auburn (124, 1 TD), Vanderbilt (124, 2 TDs) and Texas A&M (102, 3 TDs) -- as well as 10 of his 14 total rushing scores. Judkins leads the SEC and ranks fourth nationally at those 14 rushing TDs, and he ranks fourth in the conference at 86.8 yards per game. Judkins has also put his reputation as a bruising runner to good use, as he currently leads the SEC in both yards after contact at 653 (65.3 per game) and 51 total missed tackles forced, with those yards after contact accounting for 75 percent of his entire rushing total this season. Judkins was a consensus first team selection on all the Preseason All-America teams and All-SEC teams, and was selected to the Maxwell, Walter Camp and Doak Walker Award watch lists.
LEAGUE OF HIS OWN
Judkins' productivity has catapulted him into a category unmatched by his peers nationally, as he is the only active FBS rusher with 1,500 career yards (2,435) and a per game career average in the triple digits (105.9). Judkins leads active FBS players in several career categories, including rushing attempts per game (20.2), rushing yards per game (105.9), all-purpose plays per game (21.6) and all-purpose yards per game (117.4).
MADE TO BE BROKEN
Running back Quinshon Judkins made a splash as a freshman in 2022 with six individual Ole Miss single-season records, but Judkins is not only taking a run at those single-season marks again in 2023, but he is also closing in on several all-time career marks by Rebel rushers.
PICK YOUR POISON
Ole Miss has had a well-rounded running game, particularly when it comes to punching the ball across the goal line for six. The Rebels stand as the lone team in the SEC with two rushers with at least seven rushing touchdowns, with sophomore RB Quinshon Judkins leading the SEC lead at 14 and junior QB Jaxson Dart with seven -- the third-most among all SEC signal callers and tied for 11th nationally among quarterbacks.
NOSE FOR THE ENDZONE
Last season, the Ole Miss single-season rushing touchdown record was one of many dismantled by current sophomore running back Quinshon Judkins during his electric freshman campaign. One year later, Judkins is making a run at the crown again, currently standing just two touchdowns shy of his record 16 in 2022 with 14 so far in the 2023 season. Judkins is the only rusher in Ole Miss history with multiple seasons with 14 or more rushing touchdowns, and he is also closing in on Deuce McAllister's career record of 37 with 30 in just 23 career games played.
HOME SWEET HOME
Vaught-Hemingway Stadium has been a safe haven for the Rebels historically, owning a 298-115-8 (.717) record all-time in Oxford, and that's been no different in the Kiffin era. Ole Miss is 20-2 in its last 22 home games, and since the beginning of Kiffin's tenure in 2020, the Rebels have gone 20-5 overall at Vaught-Hemingway -- which includes a 14-game home winning streak that spanned Nov. 14, 2020 to Oct. 15, 2022. That streak was among the longest home winning streaks nationally when it was snapped by No. 9 Alabama last November. It was also the longest winning streak in Oxford since winning 21 straight games from Nov. 1, 1952 to Nov. 7, 1959. Including a tie to LSU in 1960, the Rebels went unbeaten for 34 games over the course of 12 years (1952-64). Ole Miss finished the 2021 campaign with a perfect 7-0 home record, its first undefeated season at home (on the field) since 1992 when the Rebels finished 6-0 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. The 2021 season was also the first time that Ole Miss won seven on-campus games within the same season.
NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS
• Ole Miss is 63-17 (.788) versus non-conference opponents dating back to a 38-0 win over Tulane on Nov. 12, 1994.
• Under head coach Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss is 12-2 against non-conference opponents.
• The Rebels have only lost one home non-conference game since 2012 (Sept. 23, 2019 vs. #23 Cal, 28-20).
• Ole Miss has only lost three total non-conference road games since 2012.
MR. CONSISTENCY
Senior LB Ashanti Cistrunk will play in his final game at Vaught-Hemingway this Saturday, capping off an excellent career as a mainstay of the Ole Miss defense throughout his long career as a Rebel. Cistrunk has played in 58 consecutive games, which constitutes all 58 of his career games played. Cistrunk is among 105 active players nationally in the FBS to have played at least 58, and on Ole Miss' roster this year he is among two transfers in Zamari Walton (58) and Teja Young (59). Cistrunk was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week following perhaps the best game of his career against Arkansas, when he ended the night with a season-high nine tackles, 1.0 tackles for loss, one half-sack and a key interception returned 28 yards -- the second pick of his career and helping lead the Rebel defense to a 27-20 victory on Oct. 7. In his Ole Miss career, Cistrunk has 187 total tackles (83 solo), 9.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and two interceptions. In addition to Cistrunk, Ole Miss' 2023 roster features five more with at least 150 career tackles: CB DeShawn Gaddie Jr. (157), LB Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste (189), LB Monty Montgomery (181), CB Zamari Walton (156) and S Teja Young (170).
CONSTANT PRESENCE
Senior offensive lineman Jeremy James has started all 10 games at right guard this season, which is but a small sample size of his long Rebel career as a starter. James currently stands at 46 career starts -- all consecutive -- which puts him fourth in Ole Miss history. James has been a versatile starting member of the offensive line in his time as well, charting 29 starts at right guard and 17 at right tackle from the early part of his career. James was Preseason All-SEC and Senior Bowl watch list selection, and this season he has not allowed a sack in 300 opportunities.
BIG PLAY POTENTIAL
The Rebels continue to be one of the best teams in the country in explosive plays, currently fourth among all FBS teams with 69 plays of 20 yards or more this season. In total, Ole Miss has tallied 174 plays of 10 or more yards this year, ranking seventh among all FBS schools. The Rebels average 17.4 such plays per game.
AMONG THE BEST
With its initial appearance at No. 10 ranking in the Coaches Poll in Week 10, Ole Miss has now cracked the top-10 in the national rankings for the third consecutive season, joining a high of No. 7 in 2022 and No. 8 in 2021. The last time the Rebels entered the top-10 of a major national poll in three straight campaigns was 1962-64.
LIGHT 'EM UP
There haven't been any Swayze Showers at the Vaught, but that hasn't stopped the explosive Ole Miss offense from being big time home run hitters through this season. On the year, the Rebels rank third in the SEC in yards per play at 6.7, as well as third in the conference and sixth nationally at 15.2 yards per completion.
OPTIONS THROUGH THE AIR
Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart has had plenty of targets in the passing game, but none more frequently than wideouts Jordan Watkins (46 rec., 661 yards, 3 TD), Dayton Wade (43 rec., 647 yards, 3 TD) and Tre Harris (40 rec., 761 yards, 7 TD). The Rebels are the lone team in the SEC and one of just three FBS teams alongside Colorado State and Washington State with three 600-yard receivers. Combined among them, that Rebel trio has nine 100-yard outings this season. All three have been crucial toward Ole Miss' status as a big-play threat as well, combining for 76 catches of at least 10 yards, 40 of at least 20 yards, 21 of at least 30 yards and nine beyond 40 yards.
RARE COMPANY
With 32 more rushing yards, Jaxson Dart will become just the third member all-time in the Ole Miss 5,000/1,000 club in passing and rushing, joining John Fourcade (1978-81) and Matt Corral (2018-21).
DON'T BLINK
Ole Miss is once again running a lightning-quick offense in 2023, currently ranking 10th in the FBS at 23.3 seconds per play. This season, Ole Miss owns seven scoring drives clocking in beneath the one-minute mark, including back-to-back opening drives against Mercer (51 seconds) and Tulane (48 seconds). The 51-second drive against Mercer was the fastest to open a season for Ole Miss since 2018, and the 28 first quarter points ranks as the most in available records since at least 1967. The 48-second debut against the Green Wave, meanwhile, was the fastest on any opening drive for the Rebels since finding the endzone in just 34 seconds against Liberty on Nov. 6, 2021. In the Kiffin era, Ole Miss is 26-6 when scoring first.
WINNING THE TURNOVER BATTLE
Ole Miss leads the SEC and ranks 14th in the FBS in turnover margin, currently sitting at a total season margin of +8 and a per-game margin of +0.8. The Rebel defense has done its part with 11 interceptions and four fumble recoveries, but it's been the powerful -- yet careful -- Ole Miss offense that has helped pad that margin, currently leading the SEC and ranking sixth nationally at just six turnovers all season.
CALLING HIS OWN NUMBER
Junior QB Jaxson Dart had a career day running the ball against Georgia Tech on Sept. 16, and did so with one of the longest rushes ever by a Rebel signal caller. Dart ended with a career high 136 yards and two rushing touchdowns on 14, highlighted by a massive 68 yard scamper in the second quarter. That run nearly doubled up his previous career long of 36 against Troy last season, and all-time in Ole Miss history it ranks as the fourth-longest ever by a QB. On the ground, Dart ranks as one of the top rushing QBs nationally, ranking second in the SEC among signal-callers in both yards per carry at 3.7, No. 3 in touchdowns at seven, as well as fourth in the SEC among QBs in yards per game at 35.4.
STINGY DEFENSE
The Landshark defense has been on a tear lately, helping lift Ole Miss in three straight victories against Arkansas, Auburn and Vanderbilt, but doing so in different ways. The Rebel defense stifled the Razorbacks to just 36 yards on the ground back on Oct. 7, the fewest yielded to an SEC opponent by Ole Miss since shutting out Tennessee to zero rushing yards back on Oct. 18, 2014. Ole Miss followed that up with lockdown passing defense performances at Auburn and Vanderbilt that rank among the best by the Rebels since 2014 -- with the 60 yielded to the Commodores tying to the fewest in that span. In terms of total offense, those three games against Arkansas (288), Auburn (275) and Vanderbilt (229) constituted the first three-game stretch against the SEC since a span from the end of the 2008 season (vs. Mississippi State, 24 yards) and the beginning of the 2009 season (at South Carolina, 285 yards; at Vanderbilt, 240 yards). The last time Ole Miss held three straight SEC opponents to fewer than 300 yards within the same season was in 1993 in a stretch against Alabama (279), LSU (299) and Mississippi State (279).
CAUSING MAYHEM
Ole Miss ranks as one of the most ferocious defenses in the backfield this season, ranking 10th nationally in sacks (3.1/game) and 26th in tackles for loss (6.6/game). The Rebels have been relentless, recording at least 3.0 TFL in nine of 10 games this season, with seven of 10 games hitting at least 6.0 TFL, four with at least 9.0 TFL, and two in double-digits against Mercer in the season-opener (11.0) and against Arkansas on Oct. 7 (10.0). Those TFL have come at a huge cost for opposing teams as well, as the Rebels rank third in the SEC and are 10th nationally in lost yardage at 326 yards. Ole Miss has been equally as punishing in disrupting the passing game, notching multiple sacks in eight games, recording at least four sacks in five and notching five sacks twice this year. A wide range of defenders have been getting in on the fun, too, with a total of 13 Rebels contributing to a QB sack and 22 having chipped-in on a TFL. And all that mayhem is paying off, with eight forced fumbles (including a Khari Coleman sack fumble returned for a TD by Jared Ivey vs. Tulane), 11 interceptions, 37 QB hurries, 36 pass breakups and two blocked field goals. In the Kiffin era, Ole Miss has recorded multiple sacks in 32 games, at least 5.0 tackles for loss in 30 games, and at least 4.0 sacks in 18 games. In games under Kiffin with at least 5.0 tackles for loss, Ole Miss is 21-9, and in games with at least 4.0 sacks, the Rebels are 10-3.
NO-FLY ZONE
The Ole Miss secondary put together an excellent stretch of games beginning with S Daijahn Anthony's game-sealing pass breakup against No. 12 LSU on Sept. 30, yielding just 437 combined passing yards over its next three games to Arkansas (250), Auburn (122) and Vanderbilt (60). Since, the Rebel defensive backs have combined for eight interceptions and 15 pass breakups for 23 total passes defended. Ole Miss picked off two passes apiece in all three games against Arkansas (LB Ashanti Cistrunk, S John Saunders Jr.), Auburn (Saunders Jr., CB Zamari Walton), and Vanderbilt (both by S Trey Washington), marking the first time since 2014 that Ole Miss came down with multiple picks in three consecutive games. Furthermore, Washington's two INTs against the Commodores on Oct. 28 made him the first Rebel with two in the same game since A.J. Finley against Liberty in 2021 and currently makes him one of just five defensive backs in the SEC to do so this season.
PORTAL PRODUCTION
Ole Miss has been no stranger to the transfer portal, and it has paid huge dividends this season, with 3,337 of its 4,662 yards (71.6%) of total offense coming from transfer players. That doesn't include all 2,852 passing yards from all three of Ole Miss' three transfer quarterbacks, but it does include 868 of 1,810 rushing yards (48.0%), and 2,469 of 2,852 receiving yards (86.6%), as well as 28 of all 46 Rebel touchdowns (60.9%) this season.
WIDE-OPEN WATKINS
Senior WR Jordan Watkins has been a big-play threat throughout his two-year tenure as a Rebel, and he's been a dynamite all-purpose option for Ole Miss this season. Watkins has eclipsed the century mark receiving in three games this season, including a career-high 119 yards against Georgia Tech, and he has broken loose for several massive plays. Watkins has 22 plays of at least 10 yards, including 11 of at least 20 yards, five of at least 30 and three of the top-four long plays for Ole Miss this season: his 70-yard punt return touchdown against Mercer, his 68-yard TD reception against Georgia Tech, and his 63-yard score through the air against LSU. Watkins also had four receptions of 30 yards last season, including a 61-yard catch at Vanderbilt. This season, his 70-yard punt return TD ranks fourth-longest in the SEC.
DAYLIGHT FOR DAYTON
Senior WR Dayton Wade is in the midst of a career year in 2023 as one of Ole Miss' top deep-play threats. At 647 yards on 43 receptions, Wade has nearly doubled his prior high in yards (309) and catches (27) -- both recorded in 2022, his first season at Ole Miss after three at WKU from 2019-21. Wade has had at least 64 yards receiving in six games this year, including a career day against Vanderbilt with 120 yards and one touchdown on eight catches. He leads all Rebels and is among just six SEC receivers with five receptions of at least 40 yards.
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/ FootballThe Season: Tulane (2025)
Wednesday, September 24
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