NEW ORLEANS — On a day where Ole Miss retired Eli Manning’s No. 10 jersey, the Rebels took down LSU, 31-17 at Vaught-Hemingway stadium.
Very little went right for LSU but they started off on the right foot stopping the Rebel's offense on their first two possessions.
"We didn't execute when we needed to execute. But I thought they came ready to play," Ed Orgeron said.
Max Johnson led a nine-play 90-yard touchdown drive on their first possession. A big chunk of that came on a 44-yard pass to Trey Palmer. Tyrion Davis-Price would score on a three-yard run to give LSU a 7-0 lead.
Davis-Price rushed for 48 yards in his first game since setting the LSU single-game rushing record.
At the end of the first quarter, the Tigers led 7-0.
On LSU's next drive they would drive into the red zone and on fourth and goal Johnson was picked off by Tysheem Johnson.
Ole Miss would take advantage of the turnover and get their first points of the day to cut the LSU lead to 7-3.
LSU responded with one more promising drive in the first half but it ended with Cade York missing a 55-yard field goal.
"We couldn't capitalize when we needed to," Orgeron said.
Ole Miss scored 31 unanswered points.
The Rebels would score two more touchdowns before halftime one a Matt Corral touchdown pass and another on Corral run. Ole Miss led 17-7 after two quarters.
Corral a Heisman Trophy contender threw for 185 yards, rushed for 24, and caught one pass for 19 yards.
LSU started the second half with the ball but went three and out and on their next drive, Johnson fumbled. Ole Miss scored two touchdowns in the third to take a commanding 24-point lead.
Garrett Nussmeier replaced Johnson at quarterback in the fourth quarter and led two scoring drives. The first ended with York making a 47-yard field goal and the second ended with Nussmeier throwing a nine-yard touchdown pass to Malik Nabers.
"I thought he (Nussmeier) gave us a little spark. I don't think Max was doing poorly, I just think he didn't have the time," Orgeron said.
Nussmeier's touchdown pass cut the Rebels lead to 31-17 but the Tigers failed to get the ball back on an onside kick. Ole Miss would recover the kick and run the clock out.
