Ole Miss keeps SEC West title hopes alive with upset over LSU

Lane Kiffin finally got a signature win as #20 Ole Miss won the Magnolia Bowl Saturday night in wild fashion, 55-49 over #13 LSU.

This is officially a Jaxson Dart fan blog now. The junior QB had the game of his career, throwing for 389 yards and four touchdowns, and adding 50 yards and a touchdown on the ground. The offensive line finally gave Dart time to throw and all he did was stake his claim as the best gunslinger in the SEC.

Ole Miss (4-1, 1-1 SEC) jumped out to a 14-0 lead which never felt like it was enough as LSU quickly responded. LSU scored in just under 3 minutes to kick off seven straight drives in which the two teams took turns scoring. Neither team was able to capitalize on their final drives of the half and for the second week in a row, the Rebels were up at the half, as underdogs.

LSU (3-2, 1-1 SEC) came out of the half just to prove that there was simply not going to be any defense played on the night, driving down the field to take their first lead of the game 35-31. Three drives later Ole Miss failed to convert a two point conversion to tie the game and Ole Miss was in a bad spot, down 42-40.

On LSU’s next possession, let’s be clear: it was not a touchdown. Yet, the SEC crew decided to award the LSU Tigers a free score, to give them a two possession lead 49-40 with 8:30 to play in the game. The “WAOM” comments began to fly just as quickly as the cups from the stands.

To hell with WAOM. Jaxson Dart led a 10 play 65 yard drive to bring the Rebs within 2 before the Rebel defense got the biggest stop of the season. Dart and the offense was then tasked with going 88 yards with 2:30 left for a touchdown to win it or get into field goal range to win it by a point.

With 39 seconds left in the contest, even while Lane Kiffin was not happy, Tre Harris found the endzone, which proved to be the winning score despite the cardiac arrest the defense provided on their last stand.

Geaux Rebs.