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Universal Studios couldn’t have taken Ole Miss fans on the ride the Rebels took them on Monday night in Orlando. Up 28-6 late in the second quarter, a furious rally that saw 33 unanswered points from Florida State led the No. 4 Seminoles to a 45-34 win over No. 11 Ole Miss.
It was a historic collapse for the Rebels, who headed back home with a few limps.
5 TAKEAWAYS
- It’s early and that was no Sun Belt team: No. 4 Florida State may well go on to win a national championship. In the first half, it was No. 11 Ole Miss that looked like a national title contender. It’s opening week, so who knows what the rest of the season holds, but Ole Miss fans should rest easy knowing what the Rebels are capable of – and that is winning the SEC West. Alabama in two weeks is a huge game. The Tide sure looked good Saturday in routing USC – for four quarters.
- Heartbreaking cart off for Webster: Ole Miss’ top cover corner Kendarius Webster left the game with what looked like a gruesome left leg injury on the first defensive series of the game. The junior was set to lead a young secondary of freshmen and sophomores. He was the only guy the Rebels fully trusted in one-on-one coverage against the ‘Noles and his absence made a difference. They’ll have to grow up faster now. With senior Tony Bridges getting picked on in one-on-one, freshmen Myles Hartsfield, Deontay Anderson, Montrell Custis, Jaylon Jones and Jalen Julius all saw action as the Rebels had to completely abandon the two-deep.
- Running game still a mess: Ole Miss hasn’t had a big running back in Hugh Freeze’s tenure. That was supposed to change with senior Akeem Judd. Judd was escorted off the field by medical staff. So was redshirt freshman Eric Swinney, rumored in the wee hours Monday to have a torn ACL. He missed all of last season after surgery to repair a stress fracture. Ole Miss was down to fourth string at running back by halftime and maybe for the foreseeable future. It rushed for only 67 yards on 25 carries.
- The catch D.K. Metcalf made: The freshman receiver from Oxford caught one pass, a 3-yard touchdown for his first collegiate reception. The 6-foot-4 Metcalf had to play defensive back in the air and tip the ball from Tarvarus McFadden before holding his concentration to make the catch. Unbelievable hands and the spotlight definitely wasn’t too big for D.K. there.
- Both lines deserve some credit: It will be remembered for the second-half collapse, but for the first half, the Ole Miss offensive line had its way with Florida State’s talented front. The defensive line allowed next to nothing on the ground in the first half, delivering shot after shot to Deondre Francois. Four quarters of that on each side and the Rebels are as scary as they looked Monday for a half.
REPORT CARD
Offense: B – The third quarter could have made it a C, but the first half was explosively good. Chad Kelly had 215 passing yards at halftime and only 98 in the second half. The offense scored on drives of 1:46, 2:19, 1:56 and 1:45 from at least 72 yards away. Until he got hurt, Judd looked good. He had an 11-yard touchdown run with a stutter. The Rebels last touchdown was a 47-second drive that went 75 yards. When he shut down, it shut down. Kelly was sacked five times.
Defense: B – Maybe an unfair B. Had it had time to breathe, the Landsharks were swirling. Heisman hopeful Dalvin Cook had 11 rushes for 31 yards at the half. But the defense had been on the field more than 30 minutes when the third quarter ended and more than 42 for the game. Huskie Tony Conner did not look like the fierce Tony Conner he was before injuring his knee last season, and senior corner Tony Bridges was thrown at and thrown at some more. The defense was out there a long time. That said, they didn’t handle adversity well and couldn’t get off the field on third down.
Special teams: B – Carlos Davis averaged 18.5 yards on four kick returns. Gary Wunderlich had three punts for 132 yards. Ole Miss did not attempt a field goal.
Coaching: C – The Rebels were on the way to a route. Then, Jimbo Fisher made his famous halftime adjustments and Ole Miss didn’t adjust to them. Francois found plenty underneath and even open men in the middle of the field on 3rd-and-long. Elder corners were shaken and/or carted off the field, but the Rebels failed a next-man-up test in a loss that luckily won’t hurt in the SEC standings.
Overall: C – That’s harsh, but that third quarter was woof. Minus-7 yards and no first down. That was mood swing city, and it will also be worth a loss to Georgia and Alabama if it happens again in September.
GAME PLAN
Jump on the Seminoles early in a de facto home game in Orlando. That happened, but the pace slowed to three-and-outs, which kept the defense on the field way too long. The inexperienced secondary was burned out, and the front had to chase Francois and Cook way too much.
GAME BALLS
TE Evan Engram: Senior had 9 catches for 121 yards and a touchdown. He averaged 13.4 yards per catch. His presence also draws a lot of attention and opens doors for a talented receiving group.
LB DeMarquis Gates: Last season’s leading tackler picked right back up with 7 tackles, 2 for loss, 2 sacks and a breakup.
WR A.J. Brown: Brown had 2 catches for 48 yards, his first coming on the first drive of his collegiate career. Like with Metcalf, those two catches showed the spotlight isn’t too bright. His highlight reel will be long before the season is through.
