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Rapid Reaction: QB Shea Patterson, WR A.J. Brown shine in Ole Miss’ win over South Alabama
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Life after Hugh Freeze has officially begun for Ole Miss and head coach Matt Luke.
The Ole Miss Rebels kicked off the 2017 season with a 47-27 victory over the South Alabama Jaguars, but the game was close at halftime. The Jaguars recorded two, red-zone stops in the first half to force the Rebels to settle for field goals and a 13-10 lead at the break.
The Rebels began to blow the game open after halftime with two quick, unanswered touchdown passes. Ole Miss outscored the Jaguars 27-3 in the third to effectively put the game out of reach.
What I Liked
Sophomore QB Shea Patterson showed what he can do in a big way. He completed 28 of 35 passes for 429 yards and 4 TDs. Patterson quickly showed that his favorite target, sophomore WR A.J. Brown, can be a big weapon. Brown had eight receptions for a school record 233 yards and 2 TDs. The two TDs went for 71 and 77 yards and helped Ole Miss pull away in the third.
The defense of Ole Miss looked the part against South Alabama. The Jaguars did put up 374 yards of total offense, but the majority of it came after the game was already put away. The key stat for the Rebels’ defense was third down efficiency. They held the jaguars to just one for 10 on third down conversions and never let the Jaguars find a rhythm until it was too late.
What Needs Work
Ole Miss did not need to run the ball in order to put away the Jaguars, but the final line is a bit troubling for a team that plays in the SEC West. The Rebels finished the game with 102 yards rushing and a 3.5 YPC. Those numbers were not an issue against South Alabama, but the Rebels will need to find a balance on offense to compete with SEC teams.
The Jaguars did give Ole Miss fans a scare with 10 first-half points, but the ending was never in doubt after halftime. The Rebels will play UT Martin on Sept. 9 before traveling to play the California Golden Bears for their first real test on Sept. 16.
Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.
