The 4-2-5 Report: Rebels hang on to cause Texas A&M agony

This season, following each game the 4-2-5 report will give an in depth look at the game, laying out the 4 best plays, the 2 players of the game and 5 interesting stats.

Eight and one has a nice ring to it. Even nicer when win number eight is a result of sending Jimbo to loss number four on the season. I suppose money really can’t buy happiness.

Homefield advantage is becoming a thing inside Vaught-Hemingway Stadium as this felt like the loudest 11 am crowd ever in Oxford, which would make sense considering it was the 9th largest crowd in school history.

The Rebels bid for a New Year’s Six bowl and even an outside shot at the College Football Playoffs is very much alive after squeaking out a dub against the sub-par Aggies.

4 Plays of the Game

3rd and 9, 32 yard pass to Tre Harris

Not sure where to rank Tre Harris among the great Ole Miss receivers, but he is sky-rocketing to the top of the list. He’s not the best receiver in the country because that honor belongs to Marvin Harrison Jr., but he is submitting his name for second best. This catch came after defensive pass interference was called and words just can’t describe this OBJ-esque snag.

1st and goal, pass intercepted by John Saunders Jr.

Things were getting dicy. The 10 point swing on the block field goal returned for a touchdown by A&M took what looked to be a runaway game to a contest in which the Aggies were looking at taking the lead to open the second half. Max Johnson drove the Aggies down the field, draining the clock only to throw an interception in the endzone to John Saunders Jr.

2nd and 9, 29 yard touchdown pass to Jordan Watkins

Part of me wishes Kiffin saved this for Georgia this week, but if you don’t win this game the Georgia game doesn’t ultimately matter. This was just flat out fun. Jordan Watkins sprints to the home sideline as if he is being subbed out, but stops just inside the boundary line. The Aggies assume he ran off the field and he is left wide open for a touchdown.

Game winning blocked field goal

How often are two field goals blocked in the same game? I would dare say not often. I am also willing to admit that I had the same mindset as Jaxson Dart. We scored too fast and dude was going to make the kick... until he didn’t. A fingertip on the football ended up being the difference between Ole Miss fighting it out in overtime or not.

2 Players of the Game

How on earth do you pick between Jaxson Dart, Tre Harris and Quinshon Judkins?

You don’t.

We will cheat this week and give out three game balls.

Jaxson Dart went 24-33 for 387 yards and two touchdowns through the air. Tre Harris was on the receiving end of 11 of those passes for 213 yards and a touchdown.

Quinshon Judkins was his usual Heisman-worthy self rushing the ball 23 times for 102 yards and three touchdowns.

The three Rebel stars on the offensive side of the ball showed up when they were needed most.

5 Interesting Stats

2 - Quinshon Judkins stands alone in 2nd place in Ole Miss history with his 28th career rushing touchdown (He’s not even finished sophomore year). He is now tied for 2nd with his 12th 100 yard rushing game.

4 - This was Tre Harris’ 4th 100 yard receiving game this season. Trey Washington led the Rebels in tackles for the 4th time this season as well. For the real sickos out there, Fraser Masin punted 4 times in this game.

6 - Tre Harris’ 213 receiving yards places him 6th in Ole Miss history for yards in one game. It also makes him one of 6 players in Rebel history to surpass 200 yards in a contest.

8 - Lane Kiffin has led the Rebels to at least 8 wins for the third straight season. Only Hugh Freeze, Billy Brewer and John Vaught have had at least three seasons with 8 wins. Vaught had six seasons in a row of 8+.

16 - Ole Miss had 16 first downs via passing on Saturday. Last week it was an 11-11 split between passing and rushing. The offense continues to prove it can play whatever style it needs to play in order to win.