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Ole Miss Rebel Football: Big Second Half Means a 49-27 Rebel Win

By The Ghost of Jay Cutler
Sep 1, 2012; Oxford, MS, USA; A general view of the Ole Miss Rebels Vaught-Hemingway Stadium prior to the game against the Central Arkansas Bears. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-US PRESSWIRE
Sep 1, 2012; Oxford, MS, USA; A general view of the Ole Miss Rebels Vaught-Hemingway Stadium prior to the game against the Central Arkansas Bears. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-US PRESSWIRE

Consider this an immediate reaction - or rather an immediate regurgitation of the facts. We will have analysis and so forth tomorrow or maybe the day after. It's a holiday weekend y'all.

The first game of the Hugh Freeze era at Ole Miss began with a win, as the Ole Miss Rebels defeated the Central Arkansas Bears 49 to 28. And while that score may suggest nothing unusual about a rebuilding FBS team taking on a talented FCS team, the game was anything but. This game wasn't normal for Ole Miss Rebel football teams as of late, something which gives Ole Miss fans cause for excitement for the future of Coach Freeze at Ole Miss.

Yes, it may seem bizarre to suggest that a game which saw Ole Miss trail by six points at the half to an FCS team would be an exciting development, but seeing the way this team played in the second half in face of an embarrassing defeat is legitimate cause for excitement amongst Rebel fans, and for a few short reasons.

First, Ole Miss, in the second half, scored five unanswered touchdowns. Five. I'm fairly certain that the last time Ole Miss did that was against Mississippi State in 2008. It has been a long while since Ole Miss has had their way against a less talented team, regardless of division.

Second, Ole Miss had 567 yards of offense. The team was balanced in playcalling as far as we could tell, with 334 of the team's offensive yards coming through the air and 223 coming on the ground. Bo Wallace, in his first ever game at this level of football, had 350 yards of total offense. Yes, I completely get that the opposition wasn't great, but then again when was the last time Ole Miss put these types of numbers of anybody regardless of competition?

And finally, the team won a come-from-behind victory. Aside from it just being a simple victory, the fact that the Rebels came from behind and then opened a flood gate's worth of offense in the third quarter was reason enough for excitement.

Okay, that's enough out of me. There's booze to drink. Hotty Toddy, y'all.