How Did Ole Miss Rebels Running Backs Perform in Win Over Wake Forest?

Henry Parrish Jr. and Matt Jones led the way for the Rebels on the ground in a 40-6 win over Wake Forest.

Sep 14, 2024; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons defensive back Evan Slocum (7) tackles Mississippi Rebels running back Henry Parrish Jr. (21) during the first half at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The Ole Miss Rebels took care of business in a sloppy game where they committed 11 penalties for 114 yards, and an excellent performance from the red-zone defense led to a 40-6 win over Wake Forest.

As they do, the Rebels scripted up an almost perfect opening drive, capped off by a 25-yard touchdown run from Henry Parrish Jr. The Demon Deacons were doing a pretty solid job of stuffing the run to begin the game, but as the Rebels opened it up through the air, they leaned on the run.

Henry Parrish Jr has emerged as the No. 1 back so far in 2024, but Matt Jones has also been an excellent complimentary back to Parrish. Jones flashed a nice mix of power and vision throughout Saturday's night contest.

When the Rebels get their tackles and guards out front on the power, counter and trap concepts, they are at their best. Guys like Micah Pettus stood out from his right tackle spot, and defenders have to make business decisions when he is moving to the second level.

The Rebels ran for over 270 yards with Parrish leading the way with 20 carries for 148 yards, an average of 6.4 yards a carry. Matt Jones also had a very productive night with seven carries for 50 yards for an average of 7.1 yards a carry.

At the end of the day, Ole Miss handled business, but the penalties kept this game from being a complete blowout early in Winston-Salem. Most of these are mental errors, but for this team to take that next step and be a complete team, these mistakes need to be fixed.

The Rebels return home next week to take on Georgia Southern at 6:45 pm CT in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, and the game will be televised on SEC Network.