OXFORD — Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin said this past Monday Tulsa would be the best team his Rebels had played so far this season.
Kiffin quickly corrected himself, saying the Golden Hurricane would be the most challenging opponent thus far.
He was right on both counts.
Tulsa gave the 16th-ranked Rebels quite the scare Saturday before Ole Miss prevailed, 35-27, on a hot day at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
Ole Miss improved to 4-0 on the season, setting the stage for next Saturday's 11 a.m. showdown versus Kentucky in Oxford. Tulsa fell to 2-2.
Ole Miss trailed for the first time this season with 3:17 left in the first quarter. Tulsa got a 20-yard touchdown pass from Davis Brin to Isaiah Epps, capping an eight-play, 75-yard drive to give the Golden Hurricanes a 14-7 lead.
The Rebels responded quickly, putting together a 12-play, 75-yard scoring drive, one that included a fourth-down conversion in which Jaxson Dart tail over teakettle near midfield. Quinshon Judkins scored from four yards out on the second play of the second quarter to tie the score at 14-14.
After getting a stop, Ole Miss quickly took its first lead of the game, getting a 31-yard pass from Dart to Malik Heath with 10:31 left in the second quarter.
Ole Miss added to its lead on its next possession, getting a 1-yard TD run from Judkins with 5:01 left in the second quarter to go up 28-14.
Ole Miss basically put the game away late in the second quarter. After AJ Finley intercepted Tulsa backup quarterback Braylon Braxton, who was in for injured starter Davis Brin, and returned it to the Golden Hurricane’s 46, the Rebels needed just two plays to score.
After a 15-yard run by Dart, the USC transfer quarterback connected with Jonathan Mingo on a 31-yard pass to extend the Rebels’ lead to 35-14 with 1:25 left before halftime.
Tulsa got a 28-yard field goal from Zack Long on the final play of the half to cut Ole Miss’ lead to 35-17.
Tulsa opened the second half with a drive that reached the Ole Miss 1-yard line before eventually settling for a 20-yard field goal from Long to pull within 35-20.
Tulsa scored on a fourth-and-7 from the Ole Miss 17, getting a 17-yard pass from Braxton to Epps to pull within 35-27 with 14:38 left.
Ole Miss needed just 99 seconds to score Saturday. Zach Evans’ 20-yard run capped a six-play, 75-yard drive, one that completely overmatched Tulsa.
The Golden Hurricane responded immediately, driving 87 yards on 12 plays, capped by Brin’s 1-yard TD run.
Notes:
— Ole Miss opened the game in a 4-1 defensive front. The Rebels started Jamond Gordon, Tavius Robinson, Jared Ivey and Cedric Johnson up front with Troy Brown as the lone linebacker. The six defensive backs were cornerbacks Davison Igbinosun and Deantre Prince and safeties Tysheem Johnson, AJ Finley, Ladarius Tennison and Otis Reese.
— Freshman defensive tackle Zxavian Harris drew very early playing time Saturday, coming in on Tulsa’s first third down of the game when the Rebels switched to a three-man front.
— Ole Miss center Caleb Warren appeared to suffer an injury in the third quarter Saturday. He limped off the field, forcing the Rebels to move right guard Eli Acker to center. Mason Brooks, who has played several spots so far this season, was inserted at right guard.
-- Reese was called for targeting with 1:12 left in the third quarter Saturday. The call was upheld, leading to Reese's elimination from the game. Because the infraction occurred in the second half, Reese will be ineligible for the first half of next Saturday's game against Kentucky.
