By Michael Bradley
Special to The Dispatch
OXFORD — Ole Miss senior quarterback Bo Wallace completed his first 14 passes for three touchdowns and a stingy Ole Miss defense forced four turnovers, including an interception return for touchdown by senior defensive back Senquez Golson, to propel Ole Miss to a 56-15 non-conference victory over Louisiana-Lafayette in front of an announced crowd of 60,937 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
Ole Miss and Wallace came out with both barrels blazing early, putting to rest any ideas of an upset that the Ragin Cajuns might have come into the game harboring.
After a lackluster opening possession by the Rebel offense, the Rebel defense forced a punt by the Ragin Cajun offense and gave the ball back to the offense at their own 27. The Rebels quickly moved 73 yards in three plays with junior running back I’Tavius Mathers scoring on a sweep play to the left side from 56 yards out. A successful PAT by kicker Andrew Fletcher gave Ole Miss a 7-0 lead with 10:00 left in the 1st quarter.
Louisiana-Lafayette responded with a nice eight play drive to the Rebel 6-yard line behind the running of sophomore running back Elijah McGuire and the dual threat potential of senior quarterback Terrance Broadway. The drive ended with a fumble by senior running back Alonzo Harris at the Ole Miss 6-yard line that was recovered by Rebel junior defensive back Trae Elston.
The Ole Miss offense then put any thoughts of Cajun upset to bed with a 7-play, 94-yard drive that was culminated with a 40-yard touchdown pass from Wallace to senior running back Jaylen Walton on a wheel route out of the backfield to stretch the Rebel lead to 14-0 with 3:45 left in the 1st quarter.
Wallace completed all six passes he attempted in the drive, using five different receivers. The senior quarterback, who led the East Mississippi Community College Lions to a State and National Championship as a freshman, looked completely in control and had an answer for every coverage look the Ragin Cajuns threw at him. He also seemed to finally put to rest any questions about the status of his surgically repaired right shoulder with a couple of really strong throws to the outside from the far hash.
“It’s definitely 100 percent. It feels great. I definitely feel stronger than I did a year ago, said Wallace when questioned about his repaired throwing shoulder.
“Our system is designed to get the ball to a lot of different people,” said coach Hugh Freeze. “Bo really had a solid game today. Bo really did a good job spreading the ball around and making good reads, and that drive was a prime example of him being able to involve a lot of players. The more players you can get the ball to, the more difficult you are to defend.”
Statistically, Wallace was 23 of 28 for 316 yards with four touchdowns and an interception in basically two quarters of work. The easy victory enabled redshirt freshmen quarterbacks Ryan Buchanan and Devante Kincade to play most of the second half.
The 14 point swing seemed to completely deflate the Cajuns, and Ole Miss and Wallace took advantage and stretched the lead to 28-0 midway through the second quarter due to two Wallace touchdown passes to senior wide receiver Vince Sanders of Noxubee County High School. The first covered 14 yards and the second covered 24 yards.
“It just felt really good to be back in front of Rebel Nation. I just wanted to come out and give a good outing in front of the home fans,” said Sanders, who had a team high 8 receptions for 125 yards and two touchdowns.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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