Despite Adversity, Ole Miss Rebels Kept Coming in Clutch Win vs. Texas A&M
First, it was Quinshon Judkins' late score. Then, it was the interception that wasn't. Finally, it was a slightly-blocked field goal as time expired.
The No. 10 Ole Miss Rebels did not relent on Saturday.
It would have been easy for Lane Kiffin's team to deflate after Texas A&M quarterback Max Johnson found the end zone on a quarterback sneak late in the fourth quarter, giving the Aggies their first lead of the day. Instead, they methodically marched down the field, got to the one-yard line themselves, and punched it in the end zone.
As Pete Golding's Ole Miss defense struggled in the second half, the game was far from over when Quinshon Judkins scored. Texas A&M had both time and timeouts, and it was able to get down the field in its own right. It seemed that the Rebels had won the game when DeShawn Gaddie hauled in an interception on the sideline with less than a minute to play, but that call was overturned, ruling the pass simply incomplete.
A&M then got into field goal range, drained the clock and burned a timeout for one last shot to send the game to overtime.
Seems like a lot of adversity, right? You think you've won the game multiple times, but Texas A&M keeps prodding back, and now, it has an opportunity to send the game to overtime and pull out a win.
Instead of fold, the Rebels came through again as time expired.
A fingertip by Zxavian Harris was just enough to alter the trajectory of A&M's kick, making it fall short of the goal posts, and Ole Miss continued its 2023 trend: it wins games.
It doesn't panic. It doesn't melt under pressure. It wins, at least so far.
Nov 4, 2023; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart (2) reacts as he walks off the field after defeating the Texas A&M Aggies at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
Petre Thomas - USA Today Sports
Jaxson Dart and Tre Harris had a huge day as a pass-catching duo, but if it's not these two players, someone seems to step up week-in and week-out.
Next week is as big a test as a team can have. The Rebels came into today ranked No. 10 in the College Football Playoff Poll, and that position will likely be some better as they travel to face the No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday.
Georgia is a different animal as far as talent is concerned, but this resiliency has proven vital in key moments this season, and it did again on Saturday. Ole Miss is 8-1 as a result. It gets harder next weekend, but this team hasn't shied away from challenges.
In fact, it's embraced them.
