WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Ole Miss football is good against major conference teams, too.
No. 5 Ole Miss beat Wake Forest 40-6 on Saturday night at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. Ole Miss (3-0) took a comfortable lead with a 20-point first quarter and never let the Demon Deacons (1-2) build momentum to mount a comeback.
Here are some overreactions from the game:
Jaxson Dart is solidifying himself as a Heisman Trophy threat
Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart made a couple mistakes Saturday, but he made enough big plays to remain a strong contender for college football’s top prize.
He threw his first interception of the season with 11:44 in the third quarter. Running to his left, he attempted to thread a pass to Henry Parrish. Dart didn’t lead his running back far enough, allowing linebacker Dylan Hazen to pick the pass.
Dart’s other mistake came in the second quarter. He scrambled out of the pocket at the Wake Forest 4-yard line and charged toward the front right end zone pylon. He was stopped just short, but popped up quickly and removed his helmet to jaw with Quincy Bryant, the player who tackled him. It drew a 15-yard penalty.
With his helmet on, Dart was incredible. He threw for 377 yards on 26-for-34 passing. He threw for two touchdowns and also rushed for 36 yards and a score.
Ole Miss may have the best defense in the country
Three offenses have had a chance to score a touchdown on Ole Miss. The Demon Deacons, by far the best challenger of the three, came up empty.
Ole Miss gave up just 311 total yards and forced two stops on fourth down. Entering the game, Wake Forest was averaging 167 rushing yards per game. The Demon Deacons mustered 46 rushing yards against Ole Miss.
The Rebels’ defense already ranked among the nation’s best entering Week 3. Another shutdown performance, this time against an ACC team, only solidifies the notion that Ole Miss’ defense is elite.
Tre Harris should be in the mix for the Biletnikoff trophy
The Rebels’ star receiver just keeps producing.
Tre Harris, who entered the week with Pro Football Focus’ top receiving grade among all players, showed why the analytics say he is great. Harris caught 11 passes for 127 yards.
He was a dependable option for Dart and drew 13 targets. Extrapolate Harris’ production over a whole season and he could in the mix for the Biletnikoff Trophy, awarded to the nation’s best wide receiver.
REBELS ROLL Ole Miss football vs Wake Forest: Final score, highlights from Week 3 game
Good luck stopping the Rebels in short-yardage situations
Ole Miss’ jumbo package is no gimmick. It’s a weapon.
Senior defensive tackle JJ Pegues got more work running the football against Wake Forest. Again, he made the most of it. Pegues, a 325-pounder with incredible agility, carried the ball twice for four yards.
He converted a 4th-and-1 on the Wake Forest 26-yard line in the first quarter and picked up two yards in an identical down and distance in the second play of the second quarter.
Pegues now has four carries this season, all in short-yardage situations. He has succeeded on every attempt, and even scored a touchdown.
Sam Hutchens covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at [email protected] or reach him on X at @Sam_Hutchens_
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Publish date : 2024-09-18 11:57:00
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