Matt Corral, No. 12 Ole Miss Rout LSU Behind Dominant Rushing Performance
The No. 12 Ole Miss Rebels are on a three-game winning streak following a 31-17 victory over the LSU Tigers at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Saturday.
Despite a slow start, quarterback Matt Corral was impressive in the Rebels victory, finishing with 209 total yards and two total touchdowns to help push Ole Miss to 6-1. The team hasn't lost since an Oct. 2 defeat at No. 4 Alabama. LSU is 4-4.
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Notable Stats
Matt Corral, QB, OLE MISS: 18/23 for 185 YDS, 1 TD, 0 INT; 12 CAR for 24 YDS, 1 TD
Max Johnson, QB, LSU: 13/21 for 146 YDS, 0 TD, 1 INT; 6 CAR for -8 YDS, 0 TD
Snoop Conner, RB, OLE MISS: 14 CAR for 117 YDS, 0 TD
Tyrion Davis-Price, RB, LSU: 17 CAR for 53 YDS, 1 TD
Jerrion Ealy, RB, OLE MISS: 12 CAR for 97 YDS, 1 TD
Matt Corral, Ole Miss Offense Bounces Back After Slow Start
Corral and the Ole Miss offense got out to an incredibly slow start. The Rebels punted on their first two offensive possessions and could only muster a field goal on their third possession after Tysheem Johnson intercepted Max Johnson in the first quarter.
Corral didn't put up a touchdown until late in the second quarter when he hit tight end Casey Kelly for a two-yard score to help give the Rebels a 10-7 lead.
Things appeared to be much easier for Corral following his first touchdown of the day. After the Ole Miss defense got a stop on the Tigers, the Heisman Trophy favorite led the Rebels on a nine-play, 80-yard touchdown drive to close out the first half.
Entering halftime, the Rebels held a 17-7 lead over the Tigers. Corral had completed 11-of-14 passes for 101 yards and a score. He also had a rushing touchdown.
Many took note of how Corral closed out the first half:
The 22-year-old had a much better second half. He led the Rebels on a 10-play, 66-yard touchdown drive on their opening possession of the third quarter. Running back Henry Parrish Jr.'s 5-yard score helped put Ole Miss up 24-7.
Corral's solid play continued throughout the second half as he led the Rebels on another touchdown drive to really put things out of reach for the Tigers late in the third quarter.
Corral has arguably been the best quarterback in college football this season, so it's no surprise he was able to bounce back with an impressive second half against LSU.
We can't talk about Corral without bringing up how well Ole Miss played on the ground, though. The Rebels offense rushed for 266 yards and three touchdowns on 50 carries.
Success in the running game isn't new for Ole Miss, though. Entering this weekend, the Rebels were leading the SEC with 262.8 rushing yards per game.
Max Johnson Unable to Match Corral as Rebels Defense Stands Strong
Johnson entered halftime with just 97 yards and an interception on 8-of-14 passing. He led LSU to a score on the team's opening drive of the game but then threw a pick on the Tigers' second possession.
Things went from bad to worse for Johnson in the second half. After LSU was forced to punt on its opening drive, the Ole Miss defense forced a Johnson fumble on the Tigers' second possession of the third quarter.
NOLA.com's Wilson Alexander and The Advocate's Scott Rabalais noted how things got much worse for Johnson and the LSU offense as the evening went on:
Though Johnson struggled Saturday, it's impossible not to emphasize how well the Ole Miss defense played.
The Rebels limited the Tigers offense to 326 total yards and two total touchdowns. They also forced three turnovers, while the Ole Miss offense had one.
Before Saturday's game, the Ole Miss defense had allowed 436 yards and 30.2 points per game, third-worst in the SEC.
The Tigers ended up taking Johnson out in the fourth quarter, replacing him with freshman Garrett Nussmeier, who had appeared in just two games before Saturday. Nussmeier completed 7-of-12 passes for 103 yards and a touchdown.
What's Next?
Ole Miss will be in action again next weekend at No. 19 Auburn, which was off this weekend after a 38-23 win at Arkansas on Oct. 16.
LSU will be off next weekend before going on the road to face the Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Nov. 6.
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