Ole Miss football looks like playoff team again, other overreactions in Week 6 win vs South Carolina
COLUMBIA, S.C -- Ole Miss football responded to adversity in a big way Saturday.
After a poor showing last week at home against Kentucky dented the Rebels' impressive start to the season, the comfortable road win at South Carolina (3-2, 1-2 SEC) will assuage the pessimistic feeling around the immediate future of Ole Miss (5-1, 1-1 SEC) that started last week.
Time for overreactions:
Once again, Lane Kiffin's Ole Miss Rebels look like a College Football Playoff team
Ole Miss' decisive victory over a solid South Carolina team shows something important. The Rebels played bad last week, but they aren't bad.
Quarterback Jaxson Dart (285 passing yards, no interceptions) played largely mistake-free football. The defense was tenacious, forcing one fumble, one interception and racking up 10 tackles-for-loss. Ole Miss was clean in special teams, too. There was precision in all three phases, and it equated to smooth sailing in a tough road environment.
Saturday proved the version of Ole Miss that outscored its nonconference opponents 220-22 was not a fluke, and it can beat good teams, too. If Ole Miss keeps playing that type of game, it still can be in the mix for a playoff spot in December.
Ole Miss defensive tackle Walter Nolen is a one-man wrecking crew
Because injured Rebels edge rusher Princely Umanmielen could not play, the South Carolina offensive line could pay more attention to defensive tackle Walter Nolen. It didn't seem to matter much.
Nolen dominated on Saturday with two sacks and three tackles for loss, but the most important play the 305-pounder made was with his agility. With 9:04 left in the first quarter, South Carolina backup quarterback Robby Ashford came in for a snap.
Ashford tucked the ball and ran up the middle where there was a hole, but the ball squirted out of his hands and to the turf. Nolen sprang on it immediately and used his size to box Ashford out in the dogpile. Ole Miss took possession at its 45-yard line and scored a touchdown on the resulting possession.
Ole Miss receiver Juice Wells, a South Carolina transfer, will lose sleep tonight
Juice Wells had a chance at a highlight he would surely relish. Instead, it turned into a rare celebratory moment for the Gamecocks.
Wells, playing amid a chorus of boos whenever he caught a pass or was targeted, finished with three catches for 97 yards against the team he transferred from.
Not a bad day, but it could've been a bigger day for the man who was called "Judas Wells" by South Carolina fans who were frustrated that he left for an SEC rival.
With 8:15 left in the third quarter, Wells found some space after catching a pass on a short, inbreaking route. He turned on his jets but got shoved out at the 1-yard line. Wells lost possession of the ball, fumbling it out of the end zone, resulting in a touchback and South Carolina taking possession.
