Ole Miss WR Tre Harris Sets Standard For New Season With Two TDs In Win Over Furman

Ole Miss Rebels star Tre Harris picked up where he left off as Jaxson Dart's No. 1 target in a 76-0 win over the Paladins.

Aug 31, 2024; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels wide receiver Tre Harris (9) runs after a catch against the Furman Paladins during the first quarter at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports / Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

Tre Harris and season openers against FCS opponents at Vaught-Hemingway seem to be a winning formula.

Harris, a former Louisiana Tech transfer, made sure Ole Miss fans knew his name before the fourth quarter after hauling in six passes for 133 yards and four touchdowns in a 73-7 win over FCS Mercer last season.

That was expected to be the starting point toward a Biletnikoff Award-caliber campaign, but an injury in Week 2's win over Tulane sidelined him for two weeks.

Barring a brief hiatus starting next week against Middle Tennessee State, things are starting off the same of Harris, though the end results should differ.

The No. 6 Rebels wasted little time setting a standard in Oxford for the 2024 season, totaling 52 points in the first half ‒ the most for the program in at least six decades - en route to a 76-0 victory over FCS Furman.

Jaxson Dart kickstarted his Heisman campaign with a career-high 418 yards and five passing touchdowns, two of which went to Harris. As for the No. 1 target in Lane Kiffin's up-tempo passing attack, he finished with eight catches for 179 yards.

Big Play Tre 🗣️@_treharris | #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/vnAqGDdrJK

— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) September 1, 2024

"We're not playing around," Harris said. "We just want to go out there, play hard, play with as much effort as possible. That's the main focus today, just take each play by play. That was another main focus that our coaches were telling us."

Finding the end zone isn't uncommon for Harris after he finished with a team-leading eight scores last season on the way to the best finish in school history. Winning one-on-one battles has become a common stay on The Grove, too.

Dart, who finished with six total touchdowns before being pulled for Austin Simmons, connected with Harris for a 61-yard score to extend Ole Miss' lead by 45. Seven plays later, the duo pushed their way into the end zone on a 22-yard catch-and-run.

Aug 31, 2024; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels wide receiver Tre Harris (9) runs after a catch against Furman Paladins defensive back Tre' McLeod (17) during the first half at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports / Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

“I’m really pleased with the points, the yards and zero turnovers,” Kiffin said. “We didn’t have to play a starter in the second half. Normally I’m critical about what we could do better, but not so much tonight.”

Ole Miss' offense is expected to remain one of the conference's finest. Dart, who now ranks fifth all-time in program history for touchdown passes, has ample to work with outside of Harris in the passing game.

South Carolina transfer Juice Wells made himself known with a 61-yard score on the second drive. Virginia Tech transfer Dae'Quan Wright caught two passes, including a four-yard score in the second quarter.

Caden Prieskorn, who frequently last season was sidelined with injuries, looked poised for a year to remember with three catches for 77 yards and a touchdown reception. Harris mentioned that last season the tight end position was the forgotten role but soon will be a strength across the middle of the field.

🗣️ ANOTHER. ONE. @_treharris | #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/wwuO0QODHd

— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) September 1, 2024

"There's no possibility of anybody being able to double anybody," Harris said. "It really opens up things for the run game as well."

Harris, who finished with 985 receiving yards in 2023, remains No. 1. His targets, receiving yards and team-leading touchdowns heading into Saturday's matchup against the Blue Raiders prove that.

Dart is a favorite to take home college football's highest honor. Harris could seal up the title of top pass-catcher before the competition begins on Oct. 12 with a road trip across state lines to Baton Rouge.

If anything, Harris needs to score just to redeem himself on the missed dunk when running back to the sidelines. Exhaustion kicked in before he hit the rim.

"I was tired," Harris laughed. "That's the best way to put it, man."