Curtain Call: Ole Miss Football's Jaxson Dart Has Memorable Finale in Gator Bowl

Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart had a memorable finish to his Ole Miss career on Thursday.

Jan 2, 2025; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Mississippi Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart (2) drops back to pass against the Duke Blue Devils in the second quarter during the Gator Bowl at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Ole Miss football concluded its 2024 campaign with a dominant win over Duke in the Gator Bowl on Thursday, beating the Blue Devils 52-20 in Jacksonville. For the seniors, it was their last time ever wearing an Ole Miss jersey.

Quarterback Jaxson Dart was among them.

The senior signal caller from Kaysville, Utah, threw for 4,279 yards, completed 69.3 percent of his passes, and threw 29 touchdowns to only 6 interceptions on the year. Along the way, Dart became the all-time passing leader, the single-season passing yard record holder, and the winningest quarterback in school history. To say that he had a good season would be a vast understatement.

Dart capped off his illustrious Rebel career with a bang, throwing for 404 yards and four touchdowns in the Gator Bowl while completing 77.1 percent of his passes against the Blue Devils in the season finale. Dart also carried the ball 12 times for 43 yards, helping him to earn the record for most total yards from a single player in Gator Bowl history.

"It's pretty cool, I didn't know that," Dart said in an interview postgame. "I'm blessed to have the players around me I do, the best teammates in the country, and the best coaching staff who put us all in position to go execute and make plays. I feel like we were in rhythm all night tonight, and it was a lot of fun. It was a great event, it was an awesome bowl game and we had a great time."

Dart not even being cognizant of the fact he broke the all-time yardage record for one of the oldest bowl games in the sport is humorous, but also shows Dart's disregard for personal accolades, instead preferring to focus on the team's effort.

"You don't really think of that stuff before the game" Dart said. "You just want to go out there and win, that's what it all comes down to.

Casually amassing over 440 yards of offense is a feat very few quarterbacks can accomplish, and Dart did it with ease, certainly providing a memorable finish to an already historic career.

The Rebels are finished on the 2024 campaign, but recruiting is still very much active as the trek towards the 2025 season starts. Make sure to follow along on Ole Miss On SI for any and all breaking news and updates.