
Content provided by The Ole Miss Blog.
Ole Miss fans finally saw the Rebel team they’d been waiting for since the beginning of the season, as Jevan Snead, Dexter McCluster and the Landsharks served up a veritable feast of barbecued hog in a 30-17 win over Arkansas.
McCluster was a McStud, having career days rushing and receiving (260 yards), the main highlight being a 64-yard touchdown run midway through the 3rd quarter. McCluster’s big play came at a key time for Ole Miss, as the series before Snead had thrown several errant passes on three straight plays, seeming to shift momentum back to Arkansas, then only down by one score.
Perhaps as a result of that big play Snead got his mojo back and went on to have his best game of the season, throwing for more than 300 yards and two touchdowns (22 of 33, 332 yards, 2 TD, 2 Int). Snead did have two more interceptions, but one was a hail mary toss up to end the first half. Thanks in part to a good performance by his offensive line, Snead more closely resembled the quarterback who graced the cover of Sports Illustrated in August, throwing precision passes and mostly keeping the ball out of reach of Arkansas defenders.
The win allows Ole Miss (5-2, 2-2) to stay in the running for a good bowl game and was no doubt a breath of fresh air for the many Rebel fans who had been waiting for a complete performance against an SEC team. The win took on even more meaning coming against Houston Nutt’s former school and against a team that went toe to toe with Florida last week.
Highly touted Hog quarterback Ryan Mallet was on the run for most of the day as the Landsharks feasted on yet another offensive line. When Mallet was able to make a good pass his receivers failed to do their part and had countless drops throughout the game. By game’s end it was apparent that Mallet had taken about all the hits he could withstand.
Ole Miss now prepares to take on Auburn next Saturday in another SEC Network morning game.