Field Level Media
Oct 6, 2018
Mississippi scored on its first nine possessions, with quarterback Jordan Ta'amu responsible for five of the seven first-half touchdowns, and the Rebels went on to demolish Louisiana-Monroe 70-21 on Saturday at Oxford, Miss.
The Rebels piled up 826 total yards on offense, with 517 coming in the air.
Ta'amu threw for three scores and ran for two more as Ole Miss (4-2) opened up a 49-7 halftime lead over the Warhawks (2-4).
Ta'amu completed 21 of 24 pass attempts for 374 yards. He rushed for 63 yards and two more scores. His day was over after the first half as Matt Corral took over and went 10 for 10 and two scores through the air and one on the ground.
The Rebels were coming off a 42-16 loss to No. 5 LSU with a banged-up secondary. ULM quarterback Caleb Evans had a rough day, completing 17 of 28 attempts for 206 yards.
He was replaced by Colby Suits, who went 6 for 10 and a meaningless score.
Mississippi opened the scoring with Scottie Phillips finding pay dirt from 2 yards out to cap a six-play, 78-yard drive. The key play in the drive was Ta'amu connecting on a 51-yard pass with DaMarkus Lodge.
The Rebels scored on their next possession when Ta'amu hit A.J. Brown on a 20-yard scoring strike.
The Warhawks were knocking on the door on their next possession, taking the ball 79 yards on 10 plays. But Evans fumbled on the Rebels' 3-yard line to end the threat.
Ta'amu took the Rebels 97 yards on 10 plays and capped the drive with a 1-yard touchdown plunge.
Louisiana-Monroe finally got on the board when Derrick Gore ran 11 yards for a touchdown at the 9:35 mark of the second quarter to make the score 28-7.
The Rebels answered with an eight-play, 72-yard drive, with Phillips scoring his second touchdown from 1 yard out to give Ole Miss a 35-7 lead.
Ole Miss didn't punt until 4:59 in the third quarter. Marcus Green returned the kick 71 yards, and the Warhawks trailed 63-14.
The Rebels had three receivers crack the 100-yard mark. Lodge had 179 yards on nine receptions and one score.Brown also had nine receptions for 133 yards and a touchdown. D.K. Metcalf caught four passes for 115 yards and another score.
--Field Level Media