@jayRecher
Even with this year's Outback Bowl being a little different than year's past, you knew that it was going to be a good game.
And it was.
It always is, isn't it?
Ole Miss held off a late rally from Indiana as the Rebels prevailed 26-20 in the Outback Bowl on Saturday afternoon at Raymond James Stadium.
Ole Miss QB Matt Corral was 30 for 44 on the day, throwing for 342 yards, two touchdowns and was named MVP.
Indiana trailed 20-6 going into the 4th quarter, but a pair of Stevie Scott III TD runs tied the game at 20 apiece.
The Rebels responded after the Hoosiers last score as Corral found Dontario Drummond for a 3 yard TD to put Ole Miss in front for good.
Indiana tried to find an answer on their final drive, but the Rebels D-Line was all over Hoosiers QB Jack Tuttle & Indiana turned the football over on downs.
Tuttle finished the day 26 of 45 for 201 yards and an interception.
The Rebels moved the ball extremely well on the opening drive, picking up 64 yards on the first four plays, but a Nick Broeker unsportsmanlike conduct penalty pushed them back & they had to settle for a field goal and a 3-0 lead.
The teams traded field goals before Ole Miss culminated an 18-play, 76-yard drive with a 5 yard TD pass from Corral to TE Casey Kelly to give the Rebels a 13-3 lead.
Indiana looked to be driving for a score before halftime, but Tuttle threw an ill-advised pass to the left sideline and was promptly intercepted by Ole Miss DB Otis Reese.
The Rebels looked to extend their lead even further, but Luke Logan's 49 yard field goal attempt was blocked at the end of the first half by Hoosiers DL Jerome Johnson.
Following a 53 yard field goal from Hoosiers kicker Charles Campbell to start the second half -- a new Outback Bowl record -- Rebels RB Snoop Conner went to work.
After a 33 yard reception by Conner on 3rd and 7 to bring the ball inside the Indiana 5, the Ole Miss tailback punched it in from four yards out to extend the Ole Miss lead to 20-6.
KING WHOP : With a catch early in the 1st quarter, former Plant Panthers standout Whop Philyor became just the 10th Indiana Hoosier to reach the 2,000 career receiving yard mark. Philyor also set an Outback Bowl AND an Indiana record with an incredible 18 catches on the day.