Ole Miss Rebels Ground Game, Strong Defense Earn Win vs. Auburn Tigers

The No. 13 Ole Miss Rebels picked up a road conference win over the Auburn Tigers on Saturday night.

It took a stout defensive performance and some sporadic offense, but the No. 13 Ole Miss Rebels exorcised some demons on Saturday night, knocking off the Auburn Tigers at Jordan-Hare Stadium 28-21, their first win on The Plains since 2015.

Ole Miss (6-1, 3-1 SEC) drew first blood in the first quarter, but a 53-yard touchdown run by Tigers running back Jarquez Hunter tied the game at seven. Jaxson Dart broke the tie with a touchdown run of his own in the first quarter, but the Rebels were held scoreless in the second frame, carrying a 14-14 game into halftime.

For most of the third quarter, the score remained the same as both offenses sputtered and failed to produce anything of substance. As time expired in the third, however, Dart found the end zone on the ground from one yard out, giving Ole Miss a 21-14 lead, an advantage it never relinquished.

Quinshon Judkins was responsible for a rushing score in the fourth quarter, giving the Rebels a lead of 28-14. Auburn found the end zone with less than a minute left in the game after the contest was decided to push the tally to the final score.

Oct 21, 2023; Auburn, Alabama, USA; Auburn defenders try to tackle Mississippi Rebels running back Quinshon Judkins (4) during the second quarter at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports / © John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

Pete Golding's defense proved to be the star on Saturday, however, keeping a stagnant Auburn (3-4, 0-4 SEC) offense at bay while Lane Kiffin and Charlie Weis Jr.'s offense attempted to regain some momentum. It took time for the offense to regain its footing in the second half, but it eventually took advantage of the stops provided by the defense, pushing the Rebels to the road win.

The Ole Miss defense held Auburn to 275 yards of total offense on the night, and before the final last-ditch effort by the Tigers in the fourth quarter, they had fewer than 100 passing yards.

Statistically speaking, Ole Miss largely relied on the ground game on Saturday night, seeing the reemergence of running back Quinshon Judkins who began to look like the 2022 version of himself. Judkins finished the night with over 100 yards on the ground, and Ulysses Bentley IV relieved him in carries, putting up over 50.

In the passing department, Jaxson Dart went 10-for-17 for 202 yards, paired with a touchdown and an interception. These performances together gave Ole Miss its first back-to-back wins over Auburn since the 1951-52 seasons.

The Rebels now have officially punched their ticket to bowl eligibility with the win, and they will return home to host the Vanderbilt Commodores next week at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 6:30 p.m. CT on SEC Network.