Ole Miss Narrowly Escapes Tennessee After Dodging Debris

Fans throwing debris at Lane Kiffin and the Ole Miss sideline resulted in a lengthy delay, ultimately icing the teams.

To think, Ole Miss-Tennessee came down to the final play after dodging golfballs and debris. 

Lane Kiffin, who returned to Neyland Stadium for the first time as an opposing coach, and the Rebels survived Knoxville with a 31–26 win. But it came with dangerous mayhem: a fourth-down review turned the ball back into their hands, a lengthy delay due to fans throwing debris at the sideline and a chaotic final drive by Tennessee. 

It all started with Volunteers quarterback Hendon Hooker throwing a pass to Jacob Warren on a fourth-and-24 with less than a minute left, but after further review, the tight end fell a yard short.

The Rebels got the ball back, but the game then went into a lengthy delay as fans started throwing golf balls at Kiffin and debris at the Ole Miss sideline. The head coach, staff and players started dodging the projectiles before moving out onto the field. 

Lane Kiffin got hit by a golf ball from the stands in Knoxvillepic.twitter.com/ZrNyqCPCRh

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) October 17, 2021

When the game was able to resume, the teams had been iced, and Ole Miss had to punt the ball away after a failed drive, leaving the ball in Tennessee's hands with 27 seconds to go. 

Caption this ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/tYtRL1WJAb

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) October 17, 2021

Lane Kiffin one-handed a water bottle like it was nothing

(via @LateKickJosh)pic.twitter.com/MTv6eLM4DE

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) October 17, 2021

The Volunteers powered its way back, finding its way to the Rebels's 21. But Hooker was injured and Joe Milton III stepped in. With just four seconds on the clock and no options open, the quarterback ran the ball for 13 yards as time expired.