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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Saturday, November 4
Oxford, Miss.
11 AM
Ole Miss
vs
Texas A&M
Game Primer: Football Welcomes Texas A&M
11/2/2023 | Football
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
• This is the 15th meeting all-time between Ole Miss and Texas A&M dating back to 1911.
• The Aggies lead the all-time series, 9-3 ... Original record is 9-5 in favor of A&M with wins in 2014 and 2016 vacated.
• Ole Miss is off to a 7-1 start for the second straight year, the first time in back-to-back years since 1961-62.
• The Rebels have cracked a national top 10 for the third straight season, the first such streak since 1962-64.
• At 30-14, Lane Kiffin is the seventh Ole Miss coach with 30 wins, and the second-fastest at 44 total games.
• The Landshark defense has held three straight SEC opponents to fewer than 300 yards of total offense for the first time since 2008-09, and the first time within the same season since 1993.
• Ole Miss leads the FBS in tackles for loss yardage (317), ranks fourth in sacks (3.8/gm) and eighth in TFL (7.9/gm).
• The Rebel secondary has intercepted multiple passes in three straight games for the first time since 2014.
• Ole Miss leads the SEC and ranks 13th nationally in turnover margin (+7).
• The Rebel defense has held opposing offenses to a combined 437 yards passing in its last three games.
• Ole Miss has three 500yd receivers: Jordan Watkins (580), Tre Harris (536) and Dayton Wade (522).
• QB Jaxson Dart ranks third in the SEC, 13th in the FBS at 300.8 yards of total offense per game.
• With 60 more rushing yards, Dart would become just the third Rebel QB ever in the 5K/1K club.
• At 2,258 career rushing yards, RB Quinshon Judkins ranks sixth in Ole Miss history.
• Judkins (9) and Dart (7) are the lone teammates in the SEC with at least seven rushing TD this season.
• Ole Miss is the only FBS team with both a 500yd passing (524, vs. Mercer) and a 300yd rushing game (317, vs. LSU).
• Of Ole Miss' 3,792 total yards, 2,698 (71.1%) have come from transfers.
AGGIES SCOUTING REPORT
Texas A&M comes to Oxford at 5-3 overall and 3-2 in the SEC this season. The Aggies are coming off a 30-17 home win over South Carolina in which they limited the Gamecocks to just 209 total yards. This weekend will mark the third time in the last four games that the Aggies have taken on a top 20 opponent. Texas A&M dropped two one-score games to both #11 Alabama and #19 Tennessee to open the month of October. Offensively, the Aggies average 394.2 yards per game, with 266 yards of that coming through the air. LSU transfer Max Johnson has taken over the reigns at quarterback after Conner Weigman suffered a season-ending injury during the fourth game of the season. Johnson has completed 59 percent of his passes for 1,147 yards and eight touchdowns. Receivers Ainias Smith and Evan Stewart have led the charge for the A&M receiving corps with 5069 and 506 receiver yards respectively. The A&M defense has been the backbone of the Aggie team, ranking first in the SEC and No. 7 nationally allowing just 269.2 yards per game The Aggies lead the country in sacks and tackles for loss. Linebacker Edgerrin Cooper leads the Aggies with 52 total tackles and ranks No. 1 in FBS with 15.5 tackles for loss on the season.
OLE MISS-TEXAS A&M SERIES HISTORY
• Ole Miss and Texas A&M will be meeting for the 15th time in a series that started in 1911.
• Texas A&M leads the all-time series vs. Ole Miss 9-3.
• The original record is 9-5 in favor of A&M, with wins in 2014 and 2016 by Ole Miss vacated due to NCAA ruling.
• Texas A&M leads 4-2 in games played in Oxford.
• This is the 11th time the Rebels and Aggies have squared off since Texas A&M joined the SEC in 2012.
TEXAS REBELS
Ole Miss has 14 players from Texas: RB Ulysses Bentley IV (Houston), WR Lex Boucvalt (Austin), OL Victor Curne (Houston), K Caden Davis (Coppell), S Dylan Davis (Frisco), S Daniel Demery (Flower Mound), WR Zakhari Franklin (Cedar Hill), LB Tres Harris III (Frisco), TE Kyirin Heath (Mansfield), WR JJ Henry (McKinney), S Jalen Knox (Arlington), OL Cedric Melton (Houston), RB Kedrick Reescano (New Caney) and QB Spencer Sanders (Denton).
REBS IN THE POLLS
• Ole Miss ranks No. 10 in the Coaches poll and No. 11 in the Associated Press poll for Week 10.
• Dating back to 2021, Ole Miss has been ranked in the top 25 in 39 of the last 41 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 both polls.
• Ole Miss is one of just 14 FBS teams with multiple AP Top 25 wins (Alabama, Arizona, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Missouri, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon, Oregon St., Texas, Utah, Washington State).
HOME SWEET HOME
Vaught-Hemingway Stadium has been a safe haven for the Rebels historically, owning a 297-115-8 (.716) record all-time in Oxford, and that's been no different in the Kiffin era. Ole Miss is 19-2 in its last 21 home games, and since the beginning of Kiffin's tenure in 2020, the Rebels have gone 19-5 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, which included a 31-17 win over LSU on Oct. 23.
KIFFIN JOINS 30-WIN CLUB
With his win last week vs. Vanderbilt, Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin became just the seventh coach in Rebel history to eclipse 30 wins (in games played on the field). Additionally, he is now the second-fastest coach in Ole Miss history to 30 wins at 44 total games coached, trailing only Harry Mehre's 38 games.
HOT STARTS
Ole Miss is off to at least a 7-1 start through eight games for the second straight season under head coach Lane Kiffin, the first time doing so in back-to-back years since 1961 (7-1) and 1962 (8-0). When including ties, this is the first time Ole Miss has had at least seven wins through eight games played since the Rebels did so in six consecutive seasons from 1957-63.
AMONG THE BEST
With this week's No. 10 ranking in the US LBM Coaches Poll, 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.
In addition, with a current strength of schedule of 26, Ole Miss stands out among just a handful of FBS teams this season with multiple wins or even just contests against bowl eligible or AP Top 25 teams:
• One of just three in the SEC, nine nationally with no more than one loss at least two wins vs. bowl eligible teams.
• One of just three in the SEC, five nationally with no more than one loss to have already played three bowl eligible teams.
• One of just three in the SEC, 14 nationally to have beat two AP Top 25 at the time of the game.
• One of three in the SEC, five nationally with no more than one loss and three games vs. AP Top 25 opponents.
• One of two in the SEC, four nationally with no more than one loss and two wins vs. current AP Top 25.
• One of two in the SEC, three nationally with no more than one loss with three games against the current AP Top 25.
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, the last three games against Arkansas (288), Auburn (275) and Vanderbilt (229) constitute 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 fourth nationally in sacks (3.8/game) and eighth in tackles for loss (7.9/game). The Rebels have been relentless, recording at least 4.0 TFL in all eight games this season, with seven of eight 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 lead the FBS in lost yardage at a whopping 317 yards. Ole Miss has been equally as punishing in disrupting the passing game, notching multiple sacks in all seven games and recording at least four sacks in five of eight games and 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 six forced fumbles (including a Khari Coleman sack fumble returned for a TD by Jared Ivey vs. Tulane), nine interceptions, 32 QB hurries, 31 pass breakups and a blocked field goal. 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.
WINNING THE TURNOVER BATTLE
Ole Miss leads the SEC and ranks 13th in the FBS in turnover margin, currently sitting at a total season margin of +7 and a per-game margin of +0.9. The Rebel defense has done its part with nine interceptions and four fumble recoveries, but it's been the powerful -- yet careful -- Ole Miss offense that has helped pad that margin, currently ranking second in the SEC and eighth nationally at just six turnovers all season.
FAST STARTS, STRONG FINISHES
The Rebel offense can get out to an explosive start, as evidenced by its 110-38 first quarter margin (13.8 to 4.8 per game), but Ole Miss has also closed games in powerful fashion, holding an almost identical scoring margin in the final frame at 96-44 (12.0 to 5.5). That extends to the entire second half as well, as Ole Miss holds a season advantage of 158-89 in the back two quarters. The Rebels own six quarters with at least 20 points this year, five of which have come in either the first or fourth quarters.
NO-FLY ZONE
The Ole Miss secondary has 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 to Arkansas (250), Auburn (122) and Vanderbilt (60). In that same stretch, the Rebel defensive backs have combined for six interceptions and 11 pass breakups for 17 total passes defended. Ole Miss has 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 has come 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. On the year, Ole Miss has only allowed two opponents to break 300 yards passing in eight total games: current SEC leader and FBS No. 3 in passing offense, LSU (414); and current ACC No. 4/FBS No. 40, Georgia Tech (307).
MR. CONSISTENCY
Senior LB Ashanti Cistrunk has been a mainstay of the Ole Miss defense throughout his long career as a Rebel, as evidenced by his current streak of 56 consecutive games played -- which constitutes all 56 of his career games played. Cistrunk is among 125 active players nationally in the FBS to have played at least 56, and on Ole Miss' roster this year he is among three alongside transfers Zamari Walton and Teja Young, who both have also appeared in 56 career contests. Cistrunk is coming off 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. Cistrunk was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts against the Razorbacks, helping lead the Rebel defense to a 27-20 victory on Oct. 7. In his Ole Miss career, Cistrunk has 179 total tackles (78 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. In addition to Cistrunk, Ole Miss' 2023 roster features six more with at least 150 career tackles: CB DeShawn Gaddie Jr. (155), LB Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste (181), LB Monty Montgomery (181), CB Zamari Walton (151), S Isheem Young (186) and S Teja Young (169).
DEFENSIVE NOTES
The Rebel defensive unit has been crucial to Ole Miss' success with timely big plays and big stops.
• CB Deantre Prince is Ole Miss' active career leader in interceptions with six.
• S John Saunders Jr. (85.4) and S Daijahn Anthony (80.0) are Ole Miss' top-two rated defenders per PFF.
• Saunders, CB Zamari Walton and S Trey Washington lead Ole Miss with two interceptions apiece.
• Anthony had a crucial forced fumble and the game-winning pass breakup vs. No. 12 LSU on Sept. 30.
• Seven Rebels have multiple pass breakups, led by five each from Anthony and Saunders Jr.
• Eight different Rebels have had their hand in Ole Miss' four forced fumbles either on the force or recovery ... 14 Rebels have batted down a pass, and 13 have recorded at least one QB hurry.
• Ole Miss has returned its seven interceptions this season for 136 yards, currently No. 3 in the SEC.
• LB Khari Coleman leads the SEC and ranks 14th in the FBS in active career tackles for loss (31.0)
• S Teja Young ranks second among FBS active career leaders with 222 career interception return yards, and he leads with four interception return touchdowns ... The FBS career record for INT return TDs is five (Jackie Walker, Tennessee, 1969-71).
• LB Ashanti Cistrunk has a season career-high of 2.5 sacks ... Cistrunk was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week following his nine-tackle performance against the Razorbacks that saw him intercept a pass and assist on a sack as well.
• S Trey Washington leads Ole Miss in tackles, averaging 6.1 per game (19th SEC) ... Washington was SEC Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 18 after notching a career-high 10 tackles and a forced fumble vs. Georgia Tech.
• Ole Miss active career sacks leader DE Cedric Johnson recorded career sack No. 17.0 against Vanderbilt (No. 7 OM history).
• Johnson (17.0, 25th) and LB Monty Montgomery (15.0, T-36th) both rank within the FBS top-40 in active career sacks.
• LB Suntarine Perkins leads all SEC freshmen and ranks sixth nationally among freshmen with 3.5 sacks.
• DE Jared Ivey leads Ole Miss with 5.5 sacks, good for sixth in the SEC and 29th nationally ... Ivey also owns the lone defensive TD of the year for the Rebels, a key 26-yard fumble return at No. 22 Tulane.
• DE Isaac Ukwu has 3.5 sacks for a loss of 20 yards ... Combined with his career totals at FCS James Madison, he has 20.0.
BIG PLAY POTENTIAL
The Rebels continue to be one of the best teams in the country in explosive plays, currently tied for third among all FBS teams with 56 plays of 20 yards or more this season. In total, Ole Miss has tallied 142 plays of 10 or more yards this year, ranking ninth among all FBS schools. The Rebels average 17.8 such plays per game.
DON'T BLINK
Ole Miss is once again running a lightning-quick offense in 2023, currently ranking 10th in the FBS at 23.2 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 25-5 when scoring first.
THROWIN' DARTS
Junior QB Jaxson Dart has been one of the top signal callers nationally this season with both his arm and his legs, ranking third in the SEC and 13th nationally at his 300.8 yards of total offense per game. As Dart goes, so have the Rebels so far this season, with his SEC No. 2 and FBS No. 22 points responsible per game clip of 15.8 helping spur the Rebels to the No. 3 scoring offense in the conference (No. 10 FBS) at 38.9 points per game. Dart ranks third in the SEC in both yards per completion at 15.3 (FBS No. 6) and yards per attempt at 9.9 (FBS No. 7), and he also ranks No. 13 nationally at his passing efficiency rating of 165.4. Dart has been especially effective in the first quarters so far this season, standing at 44-of-58 for 727 yards and seven touchdowns in the opening frame. That includes a blistering 11-for-11 stretch to open the season against Mercer, making him just the seventh Ole Miss quarterback to ever throw 11 consecutive completions and the best such streak since Matt Corral set the school record at 19 in a row at Vanderbilt in 2020. Dart is starting to climb several Ole Miss career lists, as he now ranks seventh all-time in career 300-yard passing games (4), eighth in passing touchdowns (34), ninth in total offense (5,994), ninth in touchdowns responsible for (42) and 10th in passing yards (5,054). In his overall career combining totals from his freshman season at USC in 2021, Dart owns 6,407 yards passing, 7,390 yards of total offense, 983 yards rushing (940 at Ole Miss), and 43 passing touchdowns. Dart is 40 rushing yards shy of becoming one of just 20 quarterbacks in the FBS and four within the SEC with at least 4,000 career passing yards and 1,000 career rushing yards, as well as one of 17 with at least 6,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards.
RARE COMPANY
With 60 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).
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 3.8 (FBS No. 19) and yards per game at 40.8 (FBS No. 25).
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 tied for the SEC lead at nine and junior QB Jaxson Dart with seven -- the most among all SEC signal callers and tied for sixth nationally among quarterbacks.
NOSE FOR THE ENDZONE
Ole Miss has two well-seasoned running backs in Quinshon Judkins (25) and Ulysses Bentley IV (22), who stand as just one of six duos in the FBS with at least 20 career rushing touchdowns alongside other duos from LSU, Memphis, Ohio State, San Jose State and USC. Combined, they own 4,259 career yards and 47 total touchdowns on the ground.
GROUND & POUND
Sophomore RB Quinshon Judkins has exploded for 490 rushing yards and five touchdowns across his last four games after opening the season with just 201 yards and four scores across his first four games against defenses keyed-in on the consensus preseason All-American. Judkins broke out with 177 yards on 33 carries against the No. 12 LSU defense on Sept. 30, and has followed that up with 100-yard efforts at Auburn (124, 1 TD) and against Vanderbilt (124, 2 TD). Those three efforts beyond the century mark have pushed Judkins to sole possession of No. 3 in Ole Miss history in career 100-yard games. His 177 yards against LSU was his third career 150-yard outing -- with his other two last year being a 214-yard explosion at Arkansas, and a 205-yard effort at Texas A&M (making his 177 yards vs. LSU his most in front of a home crowd). Judkins is marching his way up several other all-time lists at Ole Miss, as he is currently tied for fourth in career rushing touchdowns (25), third in career all-purpose touchdowns (27), and sixth in career rushing yards (2,258). Judkins is coming off a historic freshman campaign in 2022 that saw him break several Ole Miss records, including the single-season rushing mark. 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.
BACK IN ACTION
Senior transfer WR Zakhari Franklin has been limited due to injury to start the 2023 season, but he still ranks as one of the top active receivers in the FBS. This preseason, Franklin was one of two Rebels named to the Biletnikoff Award watch list alongside Tre Harris, and with good reason. Despite missing the first three games of 2023, Franklin still ranks among the top active receivers in the FBS, as his 38 career receiving touchdowns leads all active FBS receivers, and his 3,386 career yards ranks second only to Arizona's Jacob Cowing (4,045). Franklin has also hauled in a reception in 49 consecutive games played, ranking only behind Coastal Carolina's Sam Pinckney (53) and Cowing (52). In 46 career games for UTSA, Franklin rewrote their record books en route to two first team All-Conference USA selections and an Honorable Mention All-America nod by Phil Steele in 2022. Franklin has notched 13 career 100-yard receiving games, and in 2022 was tied for second nationally in receiving touchdowns with 15. Franklin was also part of the Biletnikoff watch list in 2022.
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 (39 rec., 580 yards, 2 TD), Dayton Wade (36 rec., 522 yards, 3 TD) and Tre Harris (27 rec., 536 yards, 6 TD). The Rebels stand alongside Colorado State as the lone teams nationally this season with three 500-yard receivers.
PORTAL PRODUCTION
Ole Miss has been no stranger to the transfer portal, and it has paid huge dividends this season, with 2,698 of its 3,792 yards (71.1%) of total offense coming from transfer players. That doesn't include all 2,292 passing yards from all three of Ole Miss' three transfer quarterbacks, but it does include 747 of 1,500 rushing yards (49.8%), and 1,951 of 2,292 receiving yards (85.1%), as well as 26 of all 39 Rebel touchdowns (66.7%) 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 19 plays of at least 10 yards, including nine of at least 20 yards, four 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 third longest in the SEC (No. 13 FBS), and he is one of three nationally to have both a 70-yard punt return TD and a reception of at least 59 yards.
QUADRUPLE THREAT
Louisiana native Tre Harris has had a nose for the endzone in just two games as a Rebel, highlighted by the game of his life against Mercer on Sept. 2. Against the Bears, Harris wowed the Vaught-Hemingway faithful by finding the endzone on each of his first three catches as a Rebel, which tied the school record and helped the lightning-quick Ole Miss offense get up early in its eventual 73-7 blowout win. Harris tacked on a fourth touchdown reception in the fourth quarter, in the process breaking the school record and becoming just the 22nd player in SEC history to haul in at least four touchdown receptions in a single game. Harris ended the day as Ole Miss' top receiver, nabbing six catches for 133 yards and his record-breaking four trips to the endzone. Harris is no stranger to the multi-TD effort, having caught three touchdown passes against Rice last October while a member of the Louisiana Tech football team. Harris -- a preseason Biletnikoff Award watch list member -- owns a career line of 133 receptions, 2,053 yards and 20 touchdowns -- 16 of which have come within the last calendar year after a 10 TD season with the Bulldogs in 2022. In 2023, Harris is still the only receiver in the SEC and one of just two in the FBS with four touchdown receptions in a single game.
DEADLY DUO
Wideouts Zakhari Franklin and Tre Harris, both Biletnikoff Award watch list members this preseason, are the lone teammates in the FBS to rank within the active career receiving touchdowns top-15 list, with Franklin's 38 career scores leading all active FBS receivers, and Harris' 20 ranking tied for 13th. Combined, they own a dazzling career line of 399 receptions for 5,439 yards and 58 touchdowns.
DAYLIGHT FOR DAYTON
Senior WR Dayton Wade is off to a career-best start in 2023 as one of Ole Miss' top deep-play threats. At 522 yards on 36 receptions, Wade has already passed 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 five 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 five SEC receivers with five receptions of at least 40 yards.
• This is the 15th meeting all-time between Ole Miss and Texas A&M dating back to 1911.
• The Aggies lead the all-time series, 9-3 ... Original record is 9-5 in favor of A&M with wins in 2014 and 2016 vacated.
• Ole Miss is off to a 7-1 start for the second straight year, the first time in back-to-back years since 1961-62.
• The Rebels have cracked a national top 10 for the third straight season, the first such streak since 1962-64.
• At 30-14, Lane Kiffin is the seventh Ole Miss coach with 30 wins, and the second-fastest at 44 total games.
• The Landshark defense has held three straight SEC opponents to fewer than 300 yards of total offense for the first time since 2008-09, and the first time within the same season since 1993.
• Ole Miss leads the FBS in tackles for loss yardage (317), ranks fourth in sacks (3.8/gm) and eighth in TFL (7.9/gm).
• The Rebel secondary has intercepted multiple passes in three straight games for the first time since 2014.
• Ole Miss leads the SEC and ranks 13th nationally in turnover margin (+7).
• The Rebel defense has held opposing offenses to a combined 437 yards passing in its last three games.
• Ole Miss has three 500yd receivers: Jordan Watkins (580), Tre Harris (536) and Dayton Wade (522).
• QB Jaxson Dart ranks third in the SEC, 13th in the FBS at 300.8 yards of total offense per game.
• With 60 more rushing yards, Dart would become just the third Rebel QB ever in the 5K/1K club.
• At 2,258 career rushing yards, RB Quinshon Judkins ranks sixth in Ole Miss history.
• Judkins (9) and Dart (7) are the lone teammates in the SEC with at least seven rushing TD this season.
• Ole Miss is the only FBS team with both a 500yd passing (524, vs. Mercer) and a 300yd rushing game (317, vs. LSU).
• Of Ole Miss' 3,792 total yards, 2,698 (71.1%) have come from transfers.
AGGIES SCOUTING REPORT
Texas A&M comes to Oxford at 5-3 overall and 3-2 in the SEC this season. The Aggies are coming off a 30-17 home win over South Carolina in which they limited the Gamecocks to just 209 total yards. This weekend will mark the third time in the last four games that the Aggies have taken on a top 20 opponent. Texas A&M dropped two one-score games to both #11 Alabama and #19 Tennessee to open the month of October. Offensively, the Aggies average 394.2 yards per game, with 266 yards of that coming through the air. LSU transfer Max Johnson has taken over the reigns at quarterback after Conner Weigman suffered a season-ending injury during the fourth game of the season. Johnson has completed 59 percent of his passes for 1,147 yards and eight touchdowns. Receivers Ainias Smith and Evan Stewart have led the charge for the A&M receiving corps with 5069 and 506 receiver yards respectively. The A&M defense has been the backbone of the Aggie team, ranking first in the SEC and No. 7 nationally allowing just 269.2 yards per game The Aggies lead the country in sacks and tackles for loss. Linebacker Edgerrin Cooper leads the Aggies with 52 total tackles and ranks No. 1 in FBS with 15.5 tackles for loss on the season.
OLE MISS-TEXAS A&M SERIES HISTORY
• Ole Miss and Texas A&M will be meeting for the 15th time in a series that started in 1911.
• Texas A&M leads the all-time series vs. Ole Miss 9-3.
• The original record is 9-5 in favor of A&M, with wins in 2014 and 2016 by Ole Miss vacated due to NCAA ruling.
• Texas A&M leads 4-2 in games played in Oxford.
• This is the 11th time the Rebels and Aggies have squared off since Texas A&M joined the SEC in 2012.
TEXAS REBELS
Ole Miss has 14 players from Texas: RB Ulysses Bentley IV (Houston), WR Lex Boucvalt (Austin), OL Victor Curne (Houston), K Caden Davis (Coppell), S Dylan Davis (Frisco), S Daniel Demery (Flower Mound), WR Zakhari Franklin (Cedar Hill), LB Tres Harris III (Frisco), TE Kyirin Heath (Mansfield), WR JJ Henry (McKinney), S Jalen Knox (Arlington), OL Cedric Melton (Houston), RB Kedrick Reescano (New Caney) and QB Spencer Sanders (Denton).
REBS IN THE POLLS
• Ole Miss ranks No. 10 in the Coaches poll and No. 11 in the Associated Press poll for Week 10.
• Dating back to 2021, Ole Miss has been ranked in the top 25 in 39 of the last 41 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 both polls.
• Ole Miss is one of just 14 FBS teams with multiple AP Top 25 wins (Alabama, Arizona, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Missouri, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon, Oregon St., Texas, Utah, Washington State).
HOME SWEET HOME
Vaught-Hemingway Stadium has been a safe haven for the Rebels historically, owning a 297-115-8 (.716) record all-time in Oxford, and that's been no different in the Kiffin era. Ole Miss is 19-2 in its last 21 home games, and since the beginning of Kiffin's tenure in 2020, the Rebels have gone 19-5 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, which included a 31-17 win over LSU on Oct. 23.
KIFFIN JOINS 30-WIN CLUB
With his win last week vs. Vanderbilt, Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin became just the seventh coach in Rebel history to eclipse 30 wins (in games played on the field). Additionally, he is now the second-fastest coach in Ole Miss history to 30 wins at 44 total games coached, trailing only Harry Mehre's 38 games.
HOT STARTS
Ole Miss is off to at least a 7-1 start through eight games for the second straight season under head coach Lane Kiffin, the first time doing so in back-to-back years since 1961 (7-1) and 1962 (8-0). When including ties, this is the first time Ole Miss has had at least seven wins through eight games played since the Rebels did so in six consecutive seasons from 1957-63.
AMONG THE BEST
With this week's No. 10 ranking in the US LBM Coaches Poll, 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.
In addition, with a current strength of schedule of 26, Ole Miss stands out among just a handful of FBS teams this season with multiple wins or even just contests against bowl eligible or AP Top 25 teams:
• One of just three in the SEC, nine nationally with no more than one loss at least two wins vs. bowl eligible teams.
• One of just three in the SEC, five nationally with no more than one loss to have already played three bowl eligible teams.
• One of just three in the SEC, 14 nationally to have beat two AP Top 25 at the time of the game.
• One of three in the SEC, five nationally with no more than one loss and three games vs. AP Top 25 opponents.
• One of two in the SEC, four nationally with no more than one loss and two wins vs. current AP Top 25.
• One of two in the SEC, three nationally with no more than one loss with three games against the current AP Top 25.
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, the last three games against Arkansas (288), Auburn (275) and Vanderbilt (229) constitute 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 fourth nationally in sacks (3.8/game) and eighth in tackles for loss (7.9/game). The Rebels have been relentless, recording at least 4.0 TFL in all eight games this season, with seven of eight 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 lead the FBS in lost yardage at a whopping 317 yards. Ole Miss has been equally as punishing in disrupting the passing game, notching multiple sacks in all seven games and recording at least four sacks in five of eight games and 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 six forced fumbles (including a Khari Coleman sack fumble returned for a TD by Jared Ivey vs. Tulane), nine interceptions, 32 QB hurries, 31 pass breakups and a blocked field goal. 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.
WINNING THE TURNOVER BATTLE
Ole Miss leads the SEC and ranks 13th in the FBS in turnover margin, currently sitting at a total season margin of +7 and a per-game margin of +0.9. The Rebel defense has done its part with nine interceptions and four fumble recoveries, but it's been the powerful -- yet careful -- Ole Miss offense that has helped pad that margin, currently ranking second in the SEC and eighth nationally at just six turnovers all season.
FAST STARTS, STRONG FINISHES
The Rebel offense can get out to an explosive start, as evidenced by its 110-38 first quarter margin (13.8 to 4.8 per game), but Ole Miss has also closed games in powerful fashion, holding an almost identical scoring margin in the final frame at 96-44 (12.0 to 5.5). That extends to the entire second half as well, as Ole Miss holds a season advantage of 158-89 in the back two quarters. The Rebels own six quarters with at least 20 points this year, five of which have come in either the first or fourth quarters.
NO-FLY ZONE
The Ole Miss secondary has 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 to Arkansas (250), Auburn (122) and Vanderbilt (60). In that same stretch, the Rebel defensive backs have combined for six interceptions and 11 pass breakups for 17 total passes defended. Ole Miss has 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 has come 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. On the year, Ole Miss has only allowed two opponents to break 300 yards passing in eight total games: current SEC leader and FBS No. 3 in passing offense, LSU (414); and current ACC No. 4/FBS No. 40, Georgia Tech (307).
MR. CONSISTENCY
Senior LB Ashanti Cistrunk has been a mainstay of the Ole Miss defense throughout his long career as a Rebel, as evidenced by his current streak of 56 consecutive games played -- which constitutes all 56 of his career games played. Cistrunk is among 125 active players nationally in the FBS to have played at least 56, and on Ole Miss' roster this year he is among three alongside transfers Zamari Walton and Teja Young, who both have also appeared in 56 career contests. Cistrunk is coming off 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. Cistrunk was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts against the Razorbacks, helping lead the Rebel defense to a 27-20 victory on Oct. 7. In his Ole Miss career, Cistrunk has 179 total tackles (78 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. In addition to Cistrunk, Ole Miss' 2023 roster features six more with at least 150 career tackles: CB DeShawn Gaddie Jr. (155), LB Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste (181), LB Monty Montgomery (181), CB Zamari Walton (151), S Isheem Young (186) and S Teja Young (169).
DEFENSIVE NOTES
The Rebel defensive unit has been crucial to Ole Miss' success with timely big plays and big stops.
• CB Deantre Prince is Ole Miss' active career leader in interceptions with six.
• S John Saunders Jr. (85.4) and S Daijahn Anthony (80.0) are Ole Miss' top-two rated defenders per PFF.
• Saunders, CB Zamari Walton and S Trey Washington lead Ole Miss with two interceptions apiece.
• Anthony had a crucial forced fumble and the game-winning pass breakup vs. No. 12 LSU on Sept. 30.
• Seven Rebels have multiple pass breakups, led by five each from Anthony and Saunders Jr.
• Eight different Rebels have had their hand in Ole Miss' four forced fumbles either on the force or recovery ... 14 Rebels have batted down a pass, and 13 have recorded at least one QB hurry.
• Ole Miss has returned its seven interceptions this season for 136 yards, currently No. 3 in the SEC.
• LB Khari Coleman leads the SEC and ranks 14th in the FBS in active career tackles for loss (31.0)
• S Teja Young ranks second among FBS active career leaders with 222 career interception return yards, and he leads with four interception return touchdowns ... The FBS career record for INT return TDs is five (Jackie Walker, Tennessee, 1969-71).
• LB Ashanti Cistrunk has a season career-high of 2.5 sacks ... Cistrunk was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week following his nine-tackle performance against the Razorbacks that saw him intercept a pass and assist on a sack as well.
• S Trey Washington leads Ole Miss in tackles, averaging 6.1 per game (19th SEC) ... Washington was SEC Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 18 after notching a career-high 10 tackles and a forced fumble vs. Georgia Tech.
• Ole Miss active career sacks leader DE Cedric Johnson recorded career sack No. 17.0 against Vanderbilt (No. 7 OM history).
• Johnson (17.0, 25th) and LB Monty Montgomery (15.0, T-36th) both rank within the FBS top-40 in active career sacks.
• LB Suntarine Perkins leads all SEC freshmen and ranks sixth nationally among freshmen with 3.5 sacks.
• DE Jared Ivey leads Ole Miss with 5.5 sacks, good for sixth in the SEC and 29th nationally ... Ivey also owns the lone defensive TD of the year for the Rebels, a key 26-yard fumble return at No. 22 Tulane.
• DE Isaac Ukwu has 3.5 sacks for a loss of 20 yards ... Combined with his career totals at FCS James Madison, he has 20.0.
BIG PLAY POTENTIAL
The Rebels continue to be one of the best teams in the country in explosive plays, currently tied for third among all FBS teams with 56 plays of 20 yards or more this season. In total, Ole Miss has tallied 142 plays of 10 or more yards this year, ranking ninth among all FBS schools. The Rebels average 17.8 such plays per game.
DON'T BLINK
Ole Miss is once again running a lightning-quick offense in 2023, currently ranking 10th in the FBS at 23.2 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 25-5 when scoring first.
THROWIN' DARTS
Junior QB Jaxson Dart has been one of the top signal callers nationally this season with both his arm and his legs, ranking third in the SEC and 13th nationally at his 300.8 yards of total offense per game. As Dart goes, so have the Rebels so far this season, with his SEC No. 2 and FBS No. 22 points responsible per game clip of 15.8 helping spur the Rebels to the No. 3 scoring offense in the conference (No. 10 FBS) at 38.9 points per game. Dart ranks third in the SEC in both yards per completion at 15.3 (FBS No. 6) and yards per attempt at 9.9 (FBS No. 7), and he also ranks No. 13 nationally at his passing efficiency rating of 165.4. Dart has been especially effective in the first quarters so far this season, standing at 44-of-58 for 727 yards and seven touchdowns in the opening frame. That includes a blistering 11-for-11 stretch to open the season against Mercer, making him just the seventh Ole Miss quarterback to ever throw 11 consecutive completions and the best such streak since Matt Corral set the school record at 19 in a row at Vanderbilt in 2020. Dart is starting to climb several Ole Miss career lists, as he now ranks seventh all-time in career 300-yard passing games (4), eighth in passing touchdowns (34), ninth in total offense (5,994), ninth in touchdowns responsible for (42) and 10th in passing yards (5,054). In his overall career combining totals from his freshman season at USC in 2021, Dart owns 6,407 yards passing, 7,390 yards of total offense, 983 yards rushing (940 at Ole Miss), and 43 passing touchdowns. Dart is 40 rushing yards shy of becoming one of just 20 quarterbacks in the FBS and four within the SEC with at least 4,000 career passing yards and 1,000 career rushing yards, as well as one of 17 with at least 6,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards.
RARE COMPANY
With 60 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).
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 3.8 (FBS No. 19) and yards per game at 40.8 (FBS No. 25).
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 tied for the SEC lead at nine and junior QB Jaxson Dart with seven -- the most among all SEC signal callers and tied for sixth nationally among quarterbacks.
NOSE FOR THE ENDZONE
Ole Miss has two well-seasoned running backs in Quinshon Judkins (25) and Ulysses Bentley IV (22), who stand as just one of six duos in the FBS with at least 20 career rushing touchdowns alongside other duos from LSU, Memphis, Ohio State, San Jose State and USC. Combined, they own 4,259 career yards and 47 total touchdowns on the ground.
GROUND & POUND
Sophomore RB Quinshon Judkins has exploded for 490 rushing yards and five touchdowns across his last four games after opening the season with just 201 yards and four scores across his first four games against defenses keyed-in on the consensus preseason All-American. Judkins broke out with 177 yards on 33 carries against the No. 12 LSU defense on Sept. 30, and has followed that up with 100-yard efforts at Auburn (124, 1 TD) and against Vanderbilt (124, 2 TD). Those three efforts beyond the century mark have pushed Judkins to sole possession of No. 3 in Ole Miss history in career 100-yard games. His 177 yards against LSU was his third career 150-yard outing -- with his other two last year being a 214-yard explosion at Arkansas, and a 205-yard effort at Texas A&M (making his 177 yards vs. LSU his most in front of a home crowd). Judkins is marching his way up several other all-time lists at Ole Miss, as he is currently tied for fourth in career rushing touchdowns (25), third in career all-purpose touchdowns (27), and sixth in career rushing yards (2,258). Judkins is coming off a historic freshman campaign in 2022 that saw him break several Ole Miss records, including the single-season rushing mark. 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.
BACK IN ACTION
Senior transfer WR Zakhari Franklin has been limited due to injury to start the 2023 season, but he still ranks as one of the top active receivers in the FBS. This preseason, Franklin was one of two Rebels named to the Biletnikoff Award watch list alongside Tre Harris, and with good reason. Despite missing the first three games of 2023, Franklin still ranks among the top active receivers in the FBS, as his 38 career receiving touchdowns leads all active FBS receivers, and his 3,386 career yards ranks second only to Arizona's Jacob Cowing (4,045). Franklin has also hauled in a reception in 49 consecutive games played, ranking only behind Coastal Carolina's Sam Pinckney (53) and Cowing (52). In 46 career games for UTSA, Franklin rewrote their record books en route to two first team All-Conference USA selections and an Honorable Mention All-America nod by Phil Steele in 2022. Franklin has notched 13 career 100-yard receiving games, and in 2022 was tied for second nationally in receiving touchdowns with 15. Franklin was also part of the Biletnikoff watch list in 2022.
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 (39 rec., 580 yards, 2 TD), Dayton Wade (36 rec., 522 yards, 3 TD) and Tre Harris (27 rec., 536 yards, 6 TD). The Rebels stand alongside Colorado State as the lone teams nationally this season with three 500-yard receivers.
PORTAL PRODUCTION
Ole Miss has been no stranger to the transfer portal, and it has paid huge dividends this season, with 2,698 of its 3,792 yards (71.1%) of total offense coming from transfer players. That doesn't include all 2,292 passing yards from all three of Ole Miss' three transfer quarterbacks, but it does include 747 of 1,500 rushing yards (49.8%), and 1,951 of 2,292 receiving yards (85.1%), as well as 26 of all 39 Rebel touchdowns (66.7%) 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 19 plays of at least 10 yards, including nine of at least 20 yards, four 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 third longest in the SEC (No. 13 FBS), and he is one of three nationally to have both a 70-yard punt return TD and a reception of at least 59 yards.
QUADRUPLE THREAT
Louisiana native Tre Harris has had a nose for the endzone in just two games as a Rebel, highlighted by the game of his life against Mercer on Sept. 2. Against the Bears, Harris wowed the Vaught-Hemingway faithful by finding the endzone on each of his first three catches as a Rebel, which tied the school record and helped the lightning-quick Ole Miss offense get up early in its eventual 73-7 blowout win. Harris tacked on a fourth touchdown reception in the fourth quarter, in the process breaking the school record and becoming just the 22nd player in SEC history to haul in at least four touchdown receptions in a single game. Harris ended the day as Ole Miss' top receiver, nabbing six catches for 133 yards and his record-breaking four trips to the endzone. Harris is no stranger to the multi-TD effort, having caught three touchdown passes against Rice last October while a member of the Louisiana Tech football team. Harris -- a preseason Biletnikoff Award watch list member -- owns a career line of 133 receptions, 2,053 yards and 20 touchdowns -- 16 of which have come within the last calendar year after a 10 TD season with the Bulldogs in 2022. In 2023, Harris is still the only receiver in the SEC and one of just two in the FBS with four touchdown receptions in a single game.
DEADLY DUO
Wideouts Zakhari Franklin and Tre Harris, both Biletnikoff Award watch list members this preseason, are the lone teammates in the FBS to rank within the active career receiving touchdowns top-15 list, with Franklin's 38 career scores leading all active FBS receivers, and Harris' 20 ranking tied for 13th. Combined, they own a dazzling career line of 399 receptions for 5,439 yards and 58 touchdowns.
DAYLIGHT FOR DAYTON
Senior WR Dayton Wade is off to a career-best start in 2023 as one of Ole Miss' top deep-play threats. At 522 yards on 36 receptions, Wade has already passed 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 five 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 five SEC receivers with five receptions of at least 40 yards.
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