OXFORD — Mississippi State’s pass protection was holding up far better than expected against the best pass rush in college football until the middle portion of the second quarter.
Star Ole Miss defensive end Princely Umanmielen had hurried Bulldogs quarterback Michael Van Buren three times, but the No. 14 Rebels, who came in leading the country in sacks and sack rate, took more than 20 minutes to record one in Friday’s Egg Bowl. When they did, though, it helped set up the biggest play of the game.
MSU led by four and faced a third-and-8 on the outskirts of field goal range at the Ole Miss 31-yard line. The Rebels showed blitz and brought six players after the quarterback, and linebacker Chris Paul Jr. was unblocked and nailed Van Buren for an 11-yard loss that left Bulldogs head coach Jeff Lebby with no choice but to punt.
Nick Barr-Mira’s kick pinned Ole Miss at its own 11, but on the first play of the Rebels’ possession, running back Ulysses Bentley IV followed his blockers until a huge hole opened up for him. With both guards pulling, Bentley sprinted through the wide hole, put a move on safety Isaac Smith and was off to the races for an 89-yard touchdown that gave Ole Miss the lead for good because the Bulldogs never scored again in a 26-14 loss.
“We played really (well) defensively,” Smith said. “It just came down to a couple big plays where they executed better than we did.”
Early fake punt gives offense life
MSU (2-10, 0-8 Southeastern Conference) could not have started any worse offensively — Van Buren threw an interception straight to Paul on the third play of the game leading to a Rebels field goal. The Bulldogs appeared to have gone three and out on their second drive and were in punt formation when Lebby dipped into his bag of tricks.
Barr-Mira held the ball above his feet as if to punt, then suddenly pulled it back and lofted a quick pass to tight end Justin Ball, who had enough room to pick up the first down, MSU’s first of the game.
Van Buren, who was 0-for-4 at that point with the pick, took advantage of the new life. He found running back Davon Booth on a screen pass for his first completion of the day to convert a third down. Four plays later on fourth-and-7, Van Buren connected with Kevin Coleman over the middle on a crossing route, and Coleman raced to the sideline and went all the way for a 34-yard touchdown to put the Bulldogs in front.
“Our receivers, against any (defensive backs) in the conference, in the country, we feel like we have the upper hand,” receiver Jordan Mosley said. “It was just being able to create some space on the outside and (Van Buren) putting the ball there and making a play.”
MSU can’t punch it in on the goal line late
After Ole Miss (9-3, 5-3) went ahead by two scores for the first time in the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs were in position to answer right back when Van Buren went deep to Coleman, who beat safety Jadon in single coverage and took the ball to the 1.
On first-and-goal, Booth ran straight into the teeth of the defense and went nowhere. With an empty backfield on second down, the Rebels were ready for a designed Van Buren run and stopped him for a loss. Left guard Marlon Martinez flinched before the snap on third down, backing MSU up five yards, and quick pass from Van Buren to tight end Seydou Traore got the penalty yardage back to set up fourth-and-goal at the 2.
Van Buren remained in the shotgun with Booth next to him as Coleman came in motion to the right. Coleman found some space in the front of the end zone, but could not bring in Van Buren’s pass and the Bulldogs turned it over on downs.
They would never touch the ball again as Ole Miss ate up the remaining five minutes and 46 seconds, converting two third downs and a fourth down to ice the game.
“Our execution was not near what it needed to be,” Lebby said. “It was a lot of different things that went on that kept us from executing the way we needed to (in order to) score points. And then obviously down there first-and-goal at the 1, you have to score a touchdown.”
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