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Football
Football Game Notes
Dec. 17, 2002
TV: ESPN
RADIO: Ole Miss Radio Network (David Kellum, play-by-play; Harry Harrison, color analyst; Stan Sandroni, sideline reporter; Gary Darby, Pregame host).
SERIES INFO: The 2002 MainStay Independence Bowl will mark the first-ever meeting between Ole Miss and Nebraska.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Junior QB Eli Manning (New Orleans, La.) is 105 passing yards shy of tying Romaro Miller's (1997-2000) Ole Miss career record of 6,311 yards ... Ole Miss is looking to record its sixth straight winning season for the first time since having seven consecutive from 1965-1971 ... Sophomore PK Jonathan Nichols (Greenwood, Miss.) is two points shy of tying the Ole Miss season record for points by a kicker with 78 ... Junior WR Chris Collins (Gloster, Miss.) needs 62 yards receiving to tie the school season record of 816 set by Willie Green (1986-1989) in 1989 ... Collins also has a reception in 21 consecutive games.
OLE MISS HEAD COACH DAVID CUTCLIFFE: David Cutcliffe (Alabama, 1976) is in his fourth full season as the head coach of the Rebels. He was named the 34th head coach at The University of Mississippi on Dec. 2, 1998, after 17 seasons as an assistant at Tennessee. He coached his first game four weeks later in the 1998 Independence Bowl and guided the Rebels to a 35-18 win over heavily-favored Texas Tech. Cutcliffe has a 29-19 record at Ole Miss. The 2002 MainStay Independence Bowl will mark the third bowl game Cutcliffe has led the Rebels to in his four full seasons at the school.
NEBRASKA HEAD COACH FRANK SOLICH: Frank Solich is in his fifth season as the head coach of the Cornhuskers. He has compiled a 49-15 season at Nebraska and has guided Nebraska to the postseason in each of his five seasons since replacing the legendary Tom Osborne in December of 1997. This is also Solich's 24th season overall on the Nebraska staff. He served 15 years as the Cornhuskers' running back coach for Osborne from 1983-1997, after serving four seasons as the Husker head freshman coach. In 1991, he was promoted to assistant head coach and held that position until being named the school's head coach.
OLE MISS BOWL HISTORY: Ole Miss is making its 30th all-time bowl appearance ... The Rebels are tied with Florida for 15th all-time on the NCAA Division I-A's list for bowl games ... This will be Ole Miss' fifth bowl game in the last six years ... The Rebels' last bowl appearance came in the 2000 Music City Bowl, losing 49-38 to West Virginia ... The Rebels are 17-12 all-time in bowl games, with the 17 bowl victories tied with Michigan for 11th best all-time ... Ole Miss will be making its Independence Bowl record fifth trip to the game ... Ole Miss is 3-1 all-time in the Independence Bowl, losing 9-3 to Air Force in the 1983 contest, defeating Texas Tech 20-17 in 1986 and 35-18 in 1998, and beating Oklahoma 27-25 in the 1999 game ... Ole Miss is 2-1 in bowl games under head coach David Cutcliffe.
NEBRASKA BOWL HISTORY: The Cornhuskers are making their 41st all-time bowl appearance, tying them with Southern California for the fourth most in NCAA history ... This is also Nebraska's NCAA record 34th straight year in a bowl game ... The Cornhuskers have a 20-20 record in bowl games, however, they have won six of their last eight bowl games dating back to a 24-17 win over Miami (FL) in the 1995 Orange Bowl ... Nebraska lost to the Hurricanes 37-14 in last year's Rose Bowl, which was also the BCS' national championship game ... The 20 bowl wins is tied with Georgia Tech for the sixth most in NCAA history ... Nebraska is 2-2 in bowl games under head coach Frank Solich ... This is the Cornhuskers' first-ever appearance in the MainStay Independence Bowl.
NEBRASKA SCOUTING REPORT: The Cornhuskers enter the 2002 MainStay Independence Bowl, having dropped their last two games to Kansas State (13-49) and Colorado (13-28). Offensively, Nebraska is averaging 27.7 points and 374.2 yards per game. The Cornhuskers are averaging 5.2 yards rushing per attempt and 268.9 yards per game. Junior QB Jammal Lord has totaled 2,598 yards of total offense, including a team-high 1,329 yards rushing in his first season since replacing last year's Heisman Trophy winner Eric Crouch. Lord has also scored a team-best eight TDs on the ground and has passed for 1,269 yards on 88-of-188 passing with 11 TDs and 10 INTs. Senior I-back Dahrran Diedrick has added 839 yards rushing and six scores, and freshman I-back David Horne has rushed for 586 yard and seven TDs. Senior SE Wilson Thomas has caught 27 passes for 319 yards and three TDs. Defensively, Nebraska is allowing an average of 23.7 points and 361.7 yards per game. Sophomore safety Philip Bland and junior WLB Demorrio Williams lead the team in tackles with 84 and 83, respectively. Sophomore MLB Barrett Rudd has 82 stops, including a team-high 12 TFLs. Senior DE Chris Kelsay has recorded a team best 5.5 QB sacks. Senior CB DeJuan Groce and freshman CB Fabian Washington have intercepted four passes each to account for eight of the Cornhuskers' 13 picks. Senior PK Josh Brown leads the team with 77 points, having made all 44 PAT attempts and 11-of-15 field goals.
2002 NEBRASKA SCHEDULE/RESULTS (7-6, 3-5 BIG XII)
SCHOOL CAREER PASSING MARK IN REACH: Under a new NCAA rule that will count statistics in bowl games towards a player's season and career totals, beginning with this year, Manning will enter the 2002 MainStay Independence Bowl needing 115 passing yards to tie the Ole Miss career record held by Romaro Miller (1997-2000) with 6,311 yards. He is currently second on the list with 6,206 career passing yards.
MANNING TOPS 3,000-YARD MARK: With 207 yards passing against Mississippi State on Thanksgiving Night, junior QB Eli Manning (New Orleans, La.) became the first passer in school history to break the 3,000-yard barrier. His total of 3,088 passing yards this season breaks his own record of 2,948 set last year.
MANNING REWRITES OWN RECORDS: In addition to breaking his own school season record for passing yards, Manning also broke his own school season records for passing attempts (437), total offensive plays (470) and total offense (2,992) against Mississippi State. Last season, Manning recorded 408 passing attempts, 442 offensive plays and 2,957 yards of total offense.
MORE RECORDS CAN FALL FOR ELI DURING INDEPENDENCE BOWL: Manning will enter the 2002 MainStay Independence Bowl match-up with Nebraska with a chance of breaking and/or tying the following Ole Miss season and career records:
ELI JOINS SEC'S 50-TD PASSES CLUB: With his two TD passes against Mississippi State, Manning became the 17th player in SEC history -- and the first in school history -- to throw at least 50 TD passes in a career. He threw his 50th career TD pass on a 28-yard scoring strike to junior WR Chris Collins (Gloster, Miss.) in the second quarter of the Rebels' 24-12 win. He later added his 51st career TD pass on a 77-yard scoring play to Collins in the third quarter. Manning enters the bowl game currently 16th on the SEC's career list for TD passes.
THE MANNING FAMILY IN BOWL GAMES: Eli Manning's start at quarterback in the MainStay Indepen-dence Bowl will mark the eighth time a Manning has started a bowl game, including the second time against Nebraska. Eli's older brother, Peyton, was Tennessee's starting quarterback in the Volunteers' 42-17 loss to the Cornhuskers in the 1998 Orange Bowl. The 1998 Orange Bowl loss was Peyton's only career loss in bowl games at Tennessee, as he posted a 3-1 record as a starter. Archie went 2-1 for Ole Miss in bowl games, leading the Rebels to wins in the 1968 Liberty and 1970 Sugar Bowls. Eli played in the Rebels' 49-38 loss in the 2000 Music City Bowl against West Virginia, but did not start. All-time, the Manning family has a record of 5-2 as starters in bowl games. The chart on the following page shows the three Manning quarterback's game-by-game bowl statistics:
ARCHIE MANNING, Ole Miss
PEYTON MANNING, Tennessee
ELI MANNING, Ole Miss
NOTING ELI: Enters the MainStay Independence Bowl, leading the SEC in passing yards (257.3) and total offense (249.3) per game ... With his 3,088 passing yards this season, is the first quarterback in school history to have back-to-back seasons with at least 2,000 yards passing ... Joins John Fourcade (1978-81) as the only player in school history with back-to-back years of at least 2,000 yards of total offense ... In the regular-season finale against Mississippi State, became the third passer in Ole Miss history to surpass the 6,000-yard mark in career passing yards ... With his 77-yard TD pass to Chris Collins (Gloster, Miss.) against Mississippi State, Manning has three completions of over 75 yards this season, and is the only player in school history with three completions of over 75 yards in a career ... His 42 completions against Arkansas broke the Ole Miss single-game record of 37 set by Kent Austin (1981-85) against Tennessee in 1982 and ranks as the third-highest single-game total in SEC history ... Became Ole Miss' career leader in TD passes against Arkansas (10/26) when he threw the 44th of his career with a 12-yard pass to junior TE Justin Sawyer (Centreville, Miss.) in the second quarter to break Romaro Miller's (1997-2000) career record of 43 ... His 437 passing attempts ranks ninth on the SEC's single-season list.
MANNING IN THE NCAA RANKINGS MANNING IN THE SEC RANKINGS
SCHOOL RECORDS HELD BY MANNING SEASON CAREER MANNING'S GAME-BY-GAME STATISTICS -2001-
-2002-
BRINGING IT BACK INTO THE FAMILY: Entering the 2002 MainStay Independence Bowl, junior QB Eli Manning has broken 13 school records in his career that were either held by Archie Manning, who played at Ole Miss from 1968-1970, or were at one time. The following chart shows marks currently held by Eli, that were also set at one time by Archie:
COMPARING THE MANNINGS MANNING ON THE OLE MISS CAREER TOP 10 CHARTS PASSING ATTEMPTS
COMPLETIONS
PASSING YARDS PASSING TDs
COMPLETION PERCENTAGE PASS EFFICIENCY AVERAGE YDS/PASS ATTEMPT 200-YARD PASSING GAMES
250-YARD PASSING GAMES
300-YARD PASSING GAMES
TDs RESPONSIBLE FOR
TOTAL OFFENSE PER GAME TOTAL OFFENSE PER PLAY TOTAL OFFENSE
Fourth year at Ole Miss AT OLE MISS (1998-PRESENT) PRIOR TO OLE MISS CUTCLIFFE RECORD BREAKDOWN
BOWL APPEARANCES
BOWL VICTORIES
REBEL BOWL NOTES: OLE MISS AND THE BIG XII CONFERENCE IN BOWL GAMES: The 2002 MainStay Independence Bowl match-up with Nebraska will mark Ole Miss' seventh bowl game against a team that is currently a member of the Big XII Conference. The Rebels are 4-2 in bowl games against the Big XII -- including a perfect 3-0 in the Independence Bowl -- going 2-0 versus Texas Tech, 1-0 against Oklahoma and 1-2 versus Texas. The 1999 Independence Bowl against the Sooners marked the last time the Rebels faced a Big XII opponent in the bowl game. Ole Miss won that game 27-25 on Les Binkley's 39-yard field goal as time expired. The following chart shows the result's of Ole Miss' bowl games against teams currently in the Big XII:
REBELS ALL-TIME VERSUS BIG XII: Ole Miss is 5-14 (.263 winning percentage) all-time versus schools currently in the Big XII Conference entering the Dec. 27 MainStay Independence Bowl game with Nebraska. The Cornhuskers will be the second Big XII team the Rebels have faced this season. Ole Miss lost to Texas Tech 42-28 in Lubbock back on Sept. 14. The following chart shows Ole Miss' record versus schools currently in the Big 12:
FIVE REBELS EARN ALL-SEC HONORS: Ole Miss had five players named to either the Coaches or Associated Press All-SEC teams. Senior SS Matt Grier (Smithville, Miss.) and senior LB Eddie Strong (Batesville, Miss.) earned first team All-SEC honors by the conference's coaches, and senior C Ben Claxton (Dublin, Ga.) was named to the second team. Claxton and Grier also earned second team honors from the AP. Junior WR Chris Collins (Gloster, Miss.) and junior QB Eli Manning (New Orleans, La.) were also named to the AP's second team All-SEC squad. In addition, Grier was selected as an All-SEC performer by The Sporting News.
OLE MISS PLACES FOUR ON ALL-SEC FRESHMAN TEAM: DL McKinley Boykin (Bessemer, Ala.), WR Mike Espy (Madison, Miss.), DB Travis Johnson (Shannon, Miss.), and OL Tre' Stallings (Magnolia, Miss.) were all named to the Coaches All-SEC Freshman team. Espy, Johnson and Stallings also garnered All-SEC Freshman accolades from The Sporting News.
REBEL RAMBLINGS: OLE MISS FACED SIX BOWL TEAMS IN 2002: Ole Miss faced six teams during the regular season that went on to earn trips postseason bowl games, including four that will be playing on New Year's Day. Ole Miss also faced an Alabama team that finished 10-3 but was ineligible for a bowl game due to NCAA sanctions. The following chart shows the Rebels' bowl-bound opponents in 2002 and how they fared in those games:
NEBRASKA TO GIVE REBELS ONE FINAL STERN TEST: Heading into the 2002 season, many around the Ole Miss program considered the Rebels' second half of the schedule to be one of the toughest six-game stretches in school history. Starting with the Oct. 19 game at Alabama, Ole Miss played four of its final six games on the road against some of the top teams in the SEC. Those final six opponents finished the regular season with a combined record of 50-25 (.667 winning percentage), with four teams advancing to bowl games. The Crimson Tide finished with a 10-3 record but were ineligible for postseason due to NCAA sanctions. Add Nebraska to the mix, and the Rebels' final seven opponents have a combined mark of 57-31 (.648 winning percentage) entering the bowl season, and the Cornhuskers will be the sixth opponent Ole Miss has faced with at least a .500 record in its last seven games. The following chart shows the final regular season record of the Rebels' last seven opponents and how they fared in those games entering the 2002 MainStay Independence Bowl match-up with Nebraska:
REBELS' SEASON A TALE OF THE TURNOVER: If one stat can tell the story of a team's season, for Ole Miss in 2002, it would be turnovers. In the first six games of the year when the Rebels started 5-1, Ole Miss was a +7 in takeaway/giveaway ratio and had scored 56 points off 15 opponent turnovers. During Ole Miss' five-game losing skid, the Rebels were a -4 in the takeaway/giveaway column, with their 14 turnovers leading to 45 points for the opposition -- an average of nine points per game. In the regular-season finale against Mississippi State on Nov. 28, the Rebels regained their early season form by winning the turnover battle and capitalizing on the Bulldogs' miscues. Ole Miss converted three Mississippi State turnovers into 14 points in the 24-12 win that secured a bowl bid. The following chart breaksdown the Rebels' turnover story in 2002:
REBELS ON TV: REBELS LOSE ZEIGLER AND GOETHIE FOR MOST OF 2002 CAMPAIGN: Ole Miss was without two players, due to injuries, who figured to contribute significantly on both sides of the ball this season in senior TE Doug Zeigler (Wilmington, Ohio) and senior LB Lanier Goethie (Baxley, Ga.). Both suffered injuries during the first half of the Sept. 21 contest with Vanderbilt in Oxford. Zeigler sustained a broken tibia and fibula in his left leg and was forced to undergo surgery that night and will miss the bowl game, while Goethie broke a bone in his left foot and his status is doubtful. Zeigler was the Rebels' starting tight end the past three seasons and had 48 receptions and five TDs in 33 career games. Goethie was a returning starter at linebacker and was this year's recipient of the Chucky Mullins' Courage Award. Both Goethie and Zeigler were also two of four permanent team captains this season.
OFFENSIVE NOTES: FLOWERS, COLLINS FORM ONE OF TOP RECEIVING DUOS IN SCHOOL HISTORY: Junior WR Chris Collins (Gloster, Miss.) and sophomore WR Bill Flowers (Pelham, Ala.) have combined to catch 96 passes for 1,266 yards and 13 TDs this season to form one of the top receiving duos in Ole Miss history. They need five catches between them in the MainStay Independence Bowl to tie the school record for the most combined catches by two receivers in a season, currently held by the 1995 pair of LeMay Thomas (56 rec., 801 yards, 3 TDs) and Ta'Boris Fisher (45-493-4) with 101. Collins leads the Rebels in receptions (49), receiving yards (754) and TD receptions (10). Flowers has caught 47 passes this season for 512 yards and three scores. Against Arkansas on Oct. 26, Flowers and Collins combined to become first Rebel receivers to each catch at least 10 passes in a game. The following chart shows the top receiving tandems in school history, in terms of receptions:
REBEL RECEIVING DUO LOOKING TO RECORD A FIRST: With three receptions by sophomore WR Bill Flowers (Pelham, Ala.) and one by junior WR Chris Collins (Gloster, Miss.) in the 2002 MainStay Independence Bowl against Nebraska, the two can give Ole Miss its first pair of 50-reception receivers in the same year. Currently, there have been only four seasons in which Ole Miss has had one receiver catch 50 passes in a season, including Collins with 54 last year. If Collins should reach the 50-reception mark, he would be the first player in school history to have two seasons with at least 50 catches.
COLLINS SETS OLE MISS SEASON AND CAREER MARKS FOR TD RECEPTIONS: With two TD receptions against Mississippi State in the regular-season finale on Nov. 28, junior WR Chris Collins (Gloster, Miss.) set an Ole Miss season record for TD receptions and became the school's career leader in that category. Collins has 10 TD catches this season to break the season mark of nine, set by Ken Toler (1977-80) in 1980 and later tied by Grant Heard (1996-2000) in 2000. His 17 career TD receptions is one better than Heard's mark of 16. Collins broke both marks taking a slant pass from junior QB Eli Manning (New Orleans, La.) and racing 77 yards in the third quarter of the 24-12 win over the Bulldogs.
COLLINS TIES SINGLE-GAME MARK VERSUS AUBURN: With three TD receptions against Auburn on Nov. 2 in Oxford, junior WR Chris Collins (Gloster, Miss.) tied the Ole Miss single-game record, set five times previously, including once by Collins in last year's season opener versus Murray State. Prior to the Auburn game, current senior Jason Armstead (Moss Point, Miss.), against Arkansas last season, was the last player to have three TD receptions in a game. The others to catch three TD passes in a game were Johnny Brewer (1960 vs. Tulane), Louis Guy (1962 vs. Houston) and Pat Coleman (1989 vs. Arkansas State).
HANDS OFF!: Since the start of the 1999 season, Ole Miss has allowed the fewest sacks in the SEC during that span with 46, 25 fewer than LSU with 71. The Rebels are also leading the SEC in the fewest sacks allowed for the third straight season, having given up 13 in 12 games this season. The following charts show the top five teams for the fewest sacks allowed in the SEC since 1999 and for the 2002 season:
FEWEST SACKS ALLOWED SINCE 1999 FEWEST SACKS ALLOWED IN 2002 FLOWERS IN ELITE COMPANY AMONG REBEL RECEIVERS: Entering the 2002 MainStay Independence Bowl, sophomore WR Bill Flowers (Pelham, Ala.) has totaled the most receptions of any player in Ole Miss history through their sophomore season with 75. Previously, current junior Chris Collins (Gloster, Miss.) held that distinction with 67 career receptions following the completion of last year. Flowers' 827 career receiving yards ranks second among Ole Miss players after their sophomore season, trailing only Colllins, who had 860 yards receiving after his sophomore season. Flowers' seven TD receptions is also one shy of the record for most TD receptions after a sophomore season, set by J.R. Ambrose (1984-1987) and Barney Poole (1942; 1946-1947). The following charts shows the top five Rebel receivers -- following their sophomore seasons -- for receptions, receiving yards and TD receptions, and where Flowers stands entering the 2002 MainStay Independence Bowl on Dec. 27:
--RECEPTIONS--
--RECEIVING YARDS--
--TOUCHDOWNS--
DEFENSE SEES IMPROVEMENT IN DRIESBACH'S FIRST YEAR: The Ole Miss defensive unit saw marked improvement in several statistical categories this season from 2001 during the first year of defensive coordinator Chuck Driesbach and his 4-2-5 scheme. Most notable is the Rebels' improvement in rushing defense and its increase in QB sacks. Last season, opponents averaged 5.0 yards per rushing attempt and an average of 214.2 yards per game on the ground. This season, Driesbach's unit shaved off 1.1 yards off the opponent's average per rushing attempt and 63 yards off its average of rushing yards allowed per game. The Rebels' 28 sacks this season is 12 more than their total of 16 last year. Ole Miss equaled its sack total from a year ago in the sixth game of the year against Arkansas State. The chart on the following page shows the statistical improvement by the Rebel defense in several areas in 2002 from 2001:
DEFENSIVE NOTES:
GRIER EARNS SEC AND BRONKO NAGURSKI NATIONAL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARDS AGAINST FLORIDA: Senior SS Matt Grier (Smithville, Miss.) earned SEC and Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance in the Rebels' 17-14 upset of No. 6 Florida on Oct. 5 in Oxford. Grier intercepted two passes in the third quarter to key the win. His first pick set up Vashon Pearson's four-yard TD run with 12:21 left in the third to pull Ole Miss to within 14-10. A series later, he intercepted another Rex Grossman pass and returned it 24 yards for what proved to be the game-winning TD. Grier also made a season-high nine stops (five solo), including 2.0 TFLs (-5 yards), and had one pass deflection in the contest.
GOETHIE WEARS CHUCKY MULLINS' NO. 38: Senior LB Lanier Goethie (Baxley, GA) was named this year's winner of the Chucky Mullins Courage Award in April, and as a result is wearing the late Mullins' No. 38 this season. He was No. 2 last season. Goethie has not seen action since suffering a broken bone in his left foot during the fourth game of the year against Vanderbilt on Sept. 21. In four games this season, he had recorded 22 tackles (14 solo) with two TFLs for -4 yards, and was credited with one pass deflection, one quarterback pressure and one forced fumble.
SPECIALTY NOTES NICHOLS EARNS SEC HONORS VERSUS VANDERBILT: Sophomore PK Jonathan Nichols (Greenwood, Miss.) was named the SEC Special Teams Player of the Week, following his career-high 13-point performance against Vanderbilt on Sept. 21. Nichols converted all four PAT attempts and all three of his field goals attempts on the afternoon. He made field goals of 40, 42 and 28 yards. The 13 points is tied for the fourth-highest single-game total by a kicker in school history.
REBELS RECORD RARE FEAT VERSUS ARKANSAS STATE: For only the third time in school history, Ole Miss did not attempt a punt in the 52-17 win over Arkansas State on Oct. 12. The previous two occasions came in a 45-0 win over North Texas in 1956 and during a 35-9 win over Mississippi State in 1960.
FIVE REBELS EARN VERIZON DISTRICT VI ALL-ACADEMIC HONORS: Ole Miss had five players named to the Verizon District VI All-Academic team on Nov. 14, marking the third straight year the Rebels have placed at least three players on the academic all-district squad. Junior QB Eli Manning (New Orleans, La.) and sophomore punter Cody Ridgeway (Jackson, Tenn.) were named to the first team and will be placed on the ballot for the 2002 Verizon Academic All-America team. Named to the second team were sophomore place kicker Jonathan Nichols (Greenwood, Miss.), sophomore linebacker Rob Robertson (Centreville, Miss.) and junior DB Wes Scott (Jackson, Tenn.).
OLE MISS NAMED TEAM OF THE WEEK: With its 17-14 upset of No. 6 Florida on Oct. 5, Ole Miss was named the Team of the Week by the FWAA.
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