SportsDirect Inc. staff
Sep 6, 2014
No. 17 Mississippi 41, Vanderbilt 3: Bo Wallace went 23-for-30 for 320 yards and a touchdown in less than three quarters as the Rebels crushed the host Commodores in the Southeastern Conference opener for each team.
Jaylen Walton, IกฏTavius Mathers and DeVante Kincade each ran for a touchdown for Mississippi (2-0, 1-0 SEC), which recorded 34 first downs and piled up 547 total yards. Cliff Coleman ran an interception back 39 yards for a score to highlight a Rebels defense that did not allow Vanderbilt (0-2, 0-1) past midfield until late in the third quarter.
Stephen Rivers got the start for the Commodores and went 6-of-25 for 60 yards and an interception. Ralph Webb ran for 95 yards on 18 carries as Vanderbilt remained winless under new coach Derek Mason.
Ole Miss did not punt in the contest and took an early lead when Walton broke for a 2-yard TD on the opening possession. Two field goals and Wallaceกฏs 20-yard scoring pass to Cody Core (four catches, 85 yards) sent the Rebels into the locker room with a 20-0 advantage.
Rivers picked off Rivers on the opening drive of the third quarter and Wallace led one more touchdown drive before calling it an afternoon. The Commodores were stopped on 4th-and-goal early in the fourth quarter but Vince Taylor recovered a fumble on the ensuing series and the offense managed to go backward four yards in three plays before settling for a 26-yard field goal that prevented the shutout.
GAME NOTEBOOK: The field goal with 10:23 left in the game marked the first offensive points of the season for Vanderbilt, which scored its only points on a fumble return in a 37-7 opening loss to Temple. กญ Evan Engram led the Ole Miss receiving corps with seven catches for 112 yards. กญ The Commodores have dropped five of their last six SEC openers.