SportsDirect Inc. staff
Aug 30, 2013
Ole Miss 39, Vanderbilt 35: Jeff Scott’s 75-yard touchdown with 1:07 remaining capped a wild final two minutes and allowed the visiting Rebels to escape with the victory in the season opener for both teams.
Vanderbilt took a 35-32 lead with 1:30 remaining when Austyn Carta-Samuels tossed a 34-yard touchdown pass to an uncovered Steven Scheu. Ole Miss scored 29 points in the second half and snapped a nine-game losing streak in SEC openers.
Rebels quarterback Bo Wallace, who tied a career high with 31 pass completions and rushed 18 times for 48 yards and two touchdowns, capped an 11-play, 86-yard drive with a 1-yard TD run to put the Rebels ahead 32-28 with 9:05 remaining. Wallace threw for 283 yards with no interceptions.
Wesley Tate rushed for two scores and Jordan Matthews added 178 receiving yards and a touchdown for the Commodores, who ended last season with seven straight wins. Vanderbilt’s final drive ended when Carta-Samuels was intercepted by Cody Prewitt with 26 seconds to play.
Backup quarterback Barry Brunetti scored the first of his two touchdowns with 6:04 left in the first quarter to give Ole Miss a 10-0 lead before Vanderbilt reached the end zone on three consecutive possessions in the second quarter. Carta-Samuels threw a 55-yard touchdown pass to Matthews during the rally and finished 21-of-36 for 300 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Vanderbilt sold out its home opener for the first time since 1996, when the Commodores faced Notre Dame. … Mississippi outgained the Commodores 489-426. … Vanderbilt fell to 3-15 when facing an SEC opponent in its season opener.