Thumbs Up
John Rhys Plumlee, Jerrion Ealy and their teammates dazzled in the run game with 402 rushing yards, the most for the Rebels against LSU since at least the 1960s.
Thumbs Down
The Rebels struggled to slow LSU quarterback Joe Burrow.
Keys to Victory
(Reviewing the scouting report from our GameDay edition)
Win strength against strength
The Ole Miss strength is the run game, and when it clicked the Rebels were able to outscore LSU in the second half.
The Rebels, though, accomplished very little in the first half, and the Tigers’ passing game was potent in both halves.
Get in somebody’s way
Young Ole Miss cornerbacks Keidron Smith and Deantre Prince each had an interception as the Rebels totaled one-third of the picks thrown by Joe Burrow this season, but too many times LSU receivers were wide open.
Strike first but not first only
LSU struck first, and Ole Miss fell behind 31-7 at halftime. Game, set, match.
MVP
John Rhys Plumlee, the freshman quarterback, rushed for 212 yards and four touchdowns and passed for 223.
Bottom Line
Plumlee made the game entertaining in the second half – and in the big picture allowed the final margin to be more digestible – but even when the Rebels had a chance to make it a one-possession game in the fourth quarter the outcome never felt in doubt.
You can’t make the first-half mistakes Ole Miss made and really be in the game with the nation’s No. 1 team.
Parrish Alford
