By Billy Watkins
There were 142 plays in Ole Miss’ 26-14 victory over Oklahoma last Saturday in Oxford.
And like in most games, a handful determined the winner. Some we remember. Some we don’t.
I went back and watched a replay of the game twice to pick out important plays that were probably forgotten by most fans. (Count me in the ‘I forgot that one’ bunch.) But it was fun to see the puzzle pieces of the game that painted the final picture.
Here are five plays that certainly impacted the final outcome. Do you remember them?
Trailing 14-10, the Rebels’ first play of the second half was nothing fancy.
Photo by Hays Collins
Cayden Lee ran a deep out to the right from the slot position, and Jaxson Dart hit him perfectly for a 20-yard gain to the Oklahoma 45.
Seven plays later, Dart threw to tight end Caden Prieskorn on a seam route for a 24-yard touchdown pass to give Ole Miss the lead.
Coach Lane Kiffin preaches rhythm on offense, and one play can sometimes set the tone for good things to come — especially when it comes on the opening play of a drive. The Dart-to-Lee pass seemed to allow the offense to exhale and right itself after a not so memorable first half.
Seven plays later, Dart threw to tight end Caden Prieskorn on a seam route for a 24-yard touchdown pass to give Ole Miss the lead.
Lee, a sophomore, has become one of Dart’s favorite targets the past two games, especially with star receiver Tre Harris battling a lower leg injury.
In the past two games, Lee has caught 13 passes for 191 yards. The four-star prospect out of Kennesaw, Ga. went four for 59 vs. Oklahoma and now ranks second to Harris on the team with 31 receptions for 488 yards and one TD. He chose Ole Miss over Oklahoma, Auburn, Georgia, Southern Cal, Texas and Oregon
On Oklahoma’s ensuing possession, the Sooners faced third and 3 from its own 18.
Former 5-star recruit Jackson Arnold delivered a perfect pass to tight end Bauer Sharp, who ran a crossing route. A split second after the ball arrived, so did senior safety Trey Washington.
Sharp had Washington by 40 pounds, but Washington knocked the ball free with a jarring hit. Oklahoma had no choice but to punt, and the Rebels’ offense took full advantage.
Washington is one of the Rebels’ most underrated players. He quietly led the team in tackles last year with 83. The former three-star prospect out of Trussville, Ala. ranks fifth this year with 33 stops. His tackles have dropped only because the defense is much improved on the line and at linebacker.
On the Rebels’ second possession of the second half, they faced third and 14 at their own 25.
Dart was pressured and scrambled right. Kick return specialist and little-used wide receiver Micah Davis was running a crossing route to the right. He mirrored Dart and when he reached the numbers, he turned upfield. Dart read Davis’ adjustment and lofted a 27-yard completion.
Dart said postgame it was perhaps the turning point in the game. It led to Ole Miss’ second touchdown of the half to take a 23-14 lead.
A senior, Davis previously played at Air Force and Utah State before transferring to Oxford. His catch against Oklahoma was only his second of the season.
On the final play of the third quarter, Ole Miss was again behind the sticks — second and 12 at the Oklahoma 34.
Dart faked a handoff left, rolled right, and then threw back to the middle of the field to a wide open Prieskorn for 10 yards. It set up a 42-yard field goal by Caden Davis to push the lead to 26-14.
The play was big in more ways than one. Ole Miss hasn’t used the tight ends as much as expected during the preseason. But on this day, Prieskorn caught five passes for 71 yards and a score. Dae’Quan Wright snagged three for 51. Entering Saturday’s game, tight ends had caught just 17 passes for 277 yards.
They were a huge part of the win Saturday, often on the field at the same time, which gives Dart more options and stresses a defense in the middle of the field. Expect to see more of it.
Midway of the final quarter, Oklahoma put up its first solid drive — with the help of a personal foul penalty.
Photo by Hays Collins
The Sooners moved from their two-yard line to a first down at the Ole Miss 13.
Arnold threw a backward pass to the tight end Bauer, who was looking to pass to a running back streaking toward the end zone. The Rebel safeties didn’t bite and Bauer had to tuck it and run. Suntarine Perkins came all the way from his rush end position on the other side of the field to knock Bauer off his feet for a one-yard loss. Oklahoma failed to score in three more plays.
Perkins, a sophomore, has shed the “potential” tag and is now a huge force on the defense. He leads the team with 8.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss, ranks third with 41 tackles and has one interception.
His closing speed is elite, and defensive coordinator Pete Golding uses him to rush the QB and also drop into coverage or spy certain offensive threats.
It was a tense recruiting battle two years ago between Alabama and Ole Miss for the No. 2-rated linebacker prospect in the nation. When Raleigh played MRA during Perkins’ senior season, just about everybody I talked to from Raleigh said they expected him to wind up playing for Nick Saban.
Perkins stayed true to his commitment, and the Rebel defense is reaping the rewards.
A bonus: I’m duty bound to mention punter Fraser Masin, the Aussie, who boomed a 64-yarder that bounced out of bounds at the Sooners’ two-yard line in the fourth quarter. He is averaging 46.6 yards per punt with eight punts traveling 50 yards or more. Nine have pinned opponents inside the 20.
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