OXFORD | Harrison Wallace had a good situation.

He was Penn State’s most gifted receiver, and the Nittany Lions made the College Football Playoff, losing to Notre Dame, 27-24, in the national semifinals.

Ten days after falling to the Irish, Wallace committed to Ole Miss in the search of a more aerial offense compared to Penn State, where receiving targets severely dwindled at times.

"Just seeing how their receiver room has thrived over the years and offense is a pass-focused offense,” Wallace said about why Ole Miss. “Something I could see myself be a part of.

“It’s always hard, especially leaving a great team like Penn State, but I want to take a chance on myself and find a passing offense and be their No. 1 focus in that sense.”

Wallace caught 46 passes for 720 yards and four touchdowns for the Nittany Lions in 2024. The 6-foot-1, 194-pounder has one year of eligibility remaining after playing three seasons and 39 career games for the Nittany Lions. He redshirted in 2021.

Wallace's best game was a five-catch, 117-yard effort at West Virginia. Two of the catches went for touchdowns. He caught at least four passes in six games this season for the No. 66 passing offense nationally. Ole Miss was the No. 2 passing offense nationally.

In the season -ending loss to Notre Dame, Penn State had zero receptions to a wide receiver and fewer receiver targets than halfback targets and tight end targets.

The Montgomery (Pike Road), Alabama, product joins a revamped receiver room that includes veteran Cayden Lee and a batch of newcomers, led by Wallace and Oklahoma State transfer De’Zhaun Stribling.

“I’m pretty confident,” Wallace said. “I’m an explosive receiver who can make plays at all three levels and get it done in the run game… Everything in my time here so far has worked out well.”

Wallace said Lee has been a valuable leader and welcoming to the new players, something he’s failed to see at times elsewhere. The passing game now features third-year quarterback Austin Simmons instead of Jaxson Dart.

“(Simmons) has been great and is being that leader that the team needs – especially from the quarterback position,” Wallace said. “Mandating meetings and walk throughs. He’s stepped into the roles and has done a great job.”

Wallace had four drops out of 77 targets in 2024, and the eight percent drop rate was slightly more than Ole Miss receiver Tre Harris' 7.7 percent. Other notable Ole Miss receivers' drop rates were Lee (0.0), Jordan Watkins (3.9) and Juice Wells (15.2).

Wallace's PFF receiving grade most closely resembles Watkins at 76.9 and Lee at 76.3.

Penn State thrived with Wallace over the middle in intermediate yardages. He caught 31 of 40 passes and had a PFF grade over 90 in passes that traveled between 1-20 yards between the hashes.

Wallace's 720 receiving yards were the second most for Penn State and top number for a wide receiver. Tight end Tyler Warren led the Nittany Lions with 1,233 receiving yards.

In the Peach Bowl loss to Ole Miss to close the 2023 season, Wallace had four catches out of five targets for 67 yards.The Rebels have won 10 or more games in three of the last four seasons.

“I know what it takes, and we just have to focus on the little things,” Wallace said. “The little things can get us beat.”