The Sports Xchange
Sep 9, 2017
Sophomore quarterback Shea Patterson set a school record with 489 passing yards and threw a career-high five touchdown passes as Ole Miss pulled away from FCS member Tennessee Martin 45-23 on Saturday in Oxford, Miss.
Patterson, who completed 32 of 43 passes, orchestrated touchdown drives on the Rebels' first four possessions of the second half to break open a 17-16 game at halftime.
Sophomore wide receiver A.J. Brown recorded eight receptions for 156 yards and two touchdowns, while junior wide receiver DaMarkus Lodge caught six passes for 133 yards and a score for Ole Miss (2-0). Rebels senior running back Jordan Wilkins scored two touchdowns -- one rushing and one receiving.
Junior running back Ladarius Galloway rushed for 188 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries for the Skyhawks (1-1), who fell to 1-24 versus FBS teams, including a 76-3 loss in these teams' only previous meeting in 2015. UT Martin senior quarterback Troy Cook was 9 of 15 for 92 yards and an interception, also rushing for a touchdown.
Ole Miss trailed 9-0 before Patterson hit Brown in stride with a 58-yard touchdown pass 41 seconds before the end of the first quarter. The Rebels fell behind 16-7 but rallied to take a 17-16 lead at the half on Patterson's second TD pass to Brown -- a 2-yarder -- 24 seconds before the break. Patterson was 12 of 17 for 230 yards with two touchdowns and an interception in the first half.
Ole Miss pulled away when Wilkins capped a nine-play 80-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run on the opening possession of the second half and a 16-yard scoring reception from Patterson on the next drive.
Patterson's 28-yard TD pass to Lodge made it 38-16 with 5:28 left in the third quarter. His 2-yard scoring toss to freshman wide receiver D.K. Metcalf with 9:25 remaining finished the scoring.