SIDEBAR: Ole Miss Offense Stalls in 30-24 Loss to Alabama

After a promising first half, the Rebel offense struggled to find its footing after halftime.

OXFORD, Miss. — The No. 11 Ole Miss Rebels fought hard but came up short against the No. 9 Alabama Crimson Tide, losing 30-24 on Saturday.

The Rebels looked like they had control of the contest in the first half, but the offense sputtered after halftime, allowing Alabama to slowly take the lead. The Ole Miss defense made timely stops, and Vaught-Hemingway Stadium was rocking for four quarters; the offense just failed to finish the drill.

The Rebels totaled five offensive drives in the second half but only came away with a score on one of them.

Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins was making a case for his Heisman campaign prior to halftime, scoring the only two touchdowns of the half for Ole Miss, but the run game all but disappeared in the second half.

Judkins led Ole Miss on the ground once again on Saturday, rushing for 25 carries, 135 yards and two touchdowns. The true freshman even set the Ole Miss single-season rushing touchdown record with 15. 

Ultimately, Ole Miss unraveled thanks to costly penalties, poor pass protection, and an abandonment of the rushing attack when the game was on the line.

The Rebels had a chance to take the lead near the end of the fourth quarter after Judkins carried Ole Miss down to the Alabama 14-yard line, but the offense could not capitalize. With plenty of time left on the clock for a run play or two, Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin opted to put the ball in the hands of his sophomore quarterback, Jaxson Dart.

Dart took four shots at the end zone which resulted in two incomplete passes, a sack, and one rush for zero gain.

While Dart had a solid day versus Alabama, throwing for 212 yards and one touchdown, the lack of reliance on Judkins towards the end of the drive is head-scratching, and it could have made a difference in the final tally of the contest.

---

You can follow Ben King on Twitter at @BKing_2023.

Hey Rebel Fans! Want to see the Ole Miss Rebels in action? Get your Ole Miss game tickets from SI Tickets here!

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Rebels? Click Here.

Follow The Grove Report On Facebook and Twitter.