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Matt Corral played his final game at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium Saturday.
His performance in No. 10 Ole Miss' 31-17 win over Vanderbilt -- 26-for-35 passing, 326 yards, two touchdowns and one interception -- wasn't anything close to his best, but Corral's story is remarkable. From heralded recruit to the Egg Bowl brawl to losing his job to John Rhys Plumlee to his renaissance under the direction of Lane Kiffin and Jeff Lebby, Corral’s path to a Heisman Trophy candidacy and an almost certain selection in the first few picks of next spring’s NFL Draft, Corral’s career in Oxford has been more of a Hollywood drama than it has been a storybook.
Of course, it’s probably fitting that Corral still has a final chapter to write. Before he can make a reservation in New York for the Heisman ceremony, Corral must take care of one final piece of business in Starkville.
That’s fitting, also. Corral’s Egg Bowl career has been noteworthy. He had the brawl in 2018, throwing punches in the end zone after being pressed into action with Jordan Ta’amu was sidelined with an injury.
In 2019, it was Corral who came off the bench to direct a potential game-tying drive. It was Corral who connected with Elijah Moore late in the fourth quarter of that game in Starkville. You likely remember what happened moments later — the unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that led to oh so much change in the Ole Miss program.
Last season, Corral led Ole Miss to an Egg Bowl win in Oxford, but in a Covid-impacted year, Ole Miss still had a regular season game at LSU to play after the Rebels paraded the Golden Egg around Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
A win Thursday night in Starkville would wrap up a 10-2 season, Ole Miss’ first 10-win regular season in program history. A victory over Mississippi State would guarantee a New Year’s Six bowl appearance, likely either in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans or the Peach Bowl in Atlanta.
Corral has carried this team to this spot. He was fantastic in the season opener versus Louisville. He was perfect against Arkansas, overcoming a Razorbacks offense that rolled up 676 yards and 51 points in Oxford. Then injuries began to take a toll on the Ole Miss offense. Braylon Sanders got injured late in the win over Arkansas. Jonathan Mingo broke his foot during the week leading up to Ole Miss’ trip to Alabama. Dontario Drummond injured a hamstring in the second quarter at Auburn. Chase Rogers got hurt early in the season and never returned. Ben Brown suffered a season-ending biceps injury. Caleb Warren has fought an injury that sidelined and/or limited him during the middle of the season.
At times, Corral has worked with walk-ons, deep backups, a former quarterback (Plumlee) and a tight end who tore up his knee snow skiing back in January (Casey Kelly). He played behind a makeshift interior offensive line, one that kept trying players at guard before settling recently on freshman Eli Acker.
Corral hasn’t exactly escaped unscathed. I spoke to someone this week who talked to Corral as he exited Neyland Stadium following Ole Miss’ dramatic win over Tennessee last month. Corral, he said, could barely walk. He was hunched over, in evident pain. Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin said as much two days after that Tennessee game, indicating it wasn’t a certainty Corral would play that Saturday against LSU.
But he did. Corral might make a mistake here and there, but he’s a warrior. He’s become a leader, as well. He became the voice in the Rebels’ locker room, a role that he wasn’t comfortable with at first. However, it was a necessity the past two seasons. Corral had to make this team his, and he did brilliantly, genuinely.
So he heads to Starkville to face a hot Mississippi State team Saturday. The Bulldogs are 7-4 after consecutive wins at Auburn and then earlier Saturday over Tennessee State. Will Rogers has become a master operating Mike Leach’s air raid offense.
Conversely, Corral looked healthier Saturday against Vanderbilt than he has in weeks. Sanders did, also. Drummond looked like he’s close to 100 percent, the durable, dependable receiver he’s been all season. Mingo wasn’t necessarily impactful against the Commodores, but his presence alone is something Mississippi State will have to prepare for this week. In the interim, Jahcour Pearson has emerged as a reliable target, Plumlee has found his role and Kelly has become a favorite target in short-yardage situations. Dannis Jackson has been a target at times, and Corral has used his running backs as weapons out of the backfield when necessary.
None of it happens, of course, without Corral’s brilliance. One can argue whether Corral should win the Heisman, knowing at this point he will have a very difficult -- likely impossible -- time overcoming Alabama’s Bryce Young and/or Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud. What isn’t debatable is no player has been more valuable to his team and to his program than Corral.
No one would’ve believed two years ago when Ole Miss’ buses pulled out of Starkville that the next time the Rebels took that field, they would do so with a 9-2 record and a top-10 national ranking. No way. For that matter, and I doubt Corral would ever admit it, but I suspect when he took off his white jersey that night at Scott Field, he doubted he’d ever wear it again.
He and Kiffin were perfect for one another. That was obvious from the very beginning, just like it was obvious at times Saturday night against Vanderbilt. Corral spread the football to multiple targets, made one good read after another — both pre-snap and at the mesh point — and used his feet smartly. Over two seasons, he’s become a complete quarterback, so much so that he eliminated any need for a decision after this season. Corral will likely be a top-10 selection when the NFL Draft begins on April 28.
"He's a competitor," Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin said. "He gave everything to his team. He's awesome. I really love him."
Corral made what everyone already knew official Friday on social media. It was more of a goodbye than it was an announcement. Ole Miss fans got a chance to return the love Saturday night. The face of the program has become an all-time fan favorite over the past two years, handling himself with total class while leading Ole Miss to national relevancy and beyond.
All that’s left now is Thanksgiving night. A loss wouldn’t ruin Corral’s legacy or anything like that, but goodness gracious, a win on that field, with all that’s at stake, would cement legendary status.
A win would certainly be the perfect ending to an amazing story. It won’t come easily, of course, but given all of the twists and turns Corral’s career has taken, that’s more than apropos.
