Ole Miss edges past Vanderbilt

By Staff
PUTTING UP POINTS – Ole Miss's Vashon Pearson (24) scores during the third quarter in front of Vanderbilt's Eric Byrun (27) at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford. Photo AP
By Joey Vaughan / special to The Star
Sept. 22, 2002
OXFORD Eli Manning had another record-setting day, but Ole Miss couldn't breathe easy until late in a 45-38 shootout win over Vanderbilt Saturday at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
Manning threw for a career-high 386 yards and a pair of touchdowns, but not until Vanderbilt quarterback Jay Cutler fumbled with 15 seconds left was the win secured for the Rebels, 3-1 overall and 1-0 in the Southeastern Conference.
The game was a fairly ho-hum affair until midway through the third quarter, when both offenses exploded. Vanderbilt's Greg Johnson kicked a field goal with 8:11 to go in the third quarter to cut the Rebel lead to 16-10. By the start of the fourth quarter, the score was 38-17 Ole Miss.
Up 38-17, it looked like Ole Miss might come away with a big win, but Vandy came through with three touchdowns in eight minutes to tie the score.
Manning was 24 of 31 and didn't throw any interceptions, completing passes to 10 different receivers. The highlight of his day was touchdown tosses of 79 and 78 yards on back-to-back plays in the third quarter.
The Rebels had their best first quarter of the year, gaining a 10-0 lead. Ole Miss hadn't scored in the first quarter of its first three games, but drove 58 yards on 12 plays on the opening drive for a 40-yard field goal by Jonathan Nichols.
Vashon Pearson powered up the middle for a 3-yard touchdown with 32 seconds left in the first quarter to put Ole Miss up 10-0.
After a 42-yard field goal by Nichols, Vandy responded with a quick 65-yard drive. Cutler hit M.J. Garrett for 35 yards and Kwane Doster broke a 24-yard touchdown run off the left side to cut the Rebel lead to 13-7.
Vandy rolled over the Rebel defense for 257 rushing yards. Doster and Norval McKenzie had 104 yards apiece.
Ole Miss answered with a 17-play, 70-yard drive that ended with a 28-yard Nichols field goal just before halftime.
Greg Johnson hit a 19-yard field goal with 8:11 left in the third quarter to get Vandy within six points before the offensive onslaught began.
Manning hit Chris Collins deep behind the Dore defense on the next drive for a 79-yard touchdown pass, the sixth-longest pass play in Ole Miss history. Vandy came back with a 49-yard TD pass from Cutler to Garrett on the next possession to make the score 23-17. Then Manning came back with another long TD toss on the very next play, hitting Mike Espy deep over the middle for a 78-yard score.
After forcing a Commodore punt, Ole Miss went 80 yards on five plays, capping the drive with a 5-yard Pearson TD run and a Manning to Pearson pass for a two-point conversion to make the score 38-17.
Thats when Vandy staged its comeback. Doster returned the ensuing kickoff 95 yards to the Ole Miss 5, setting up a 7-yard TD pass from Cutler to Dan Stricker.
Doster had eight kickoff returns for 243 yards, a Vanderbilt single-game record.
Vanderbilt made it a one-touchdown game at 38-31 on a 1-yard sneak by Cutler with 9:13 to go. After another Rebel three and out followed by a shabby punt, Matthew Tant scored on a 3-yard run to tie the game at 38.
The Rebel offense responded with a nine-play, 80-yard drive to score and win. Ronald McClendon's winning touchdown came on a spinning 23-yard run with 3:12 left.
Ole Miss managed only 107 rushing yards, led by McClendon's 39. Bill Flowers led Ole Miss in receptions with seven catches for 63 yards, and Espy led with 94 yards receiving.
The Rebels didn't turn the ball over. Vandy fumbled three times.
Ole Miss has next week off before hosting Florida Oct. 5.