Ole Miss Routs Vanderbilt 52-10 Behind Chambliss’s First-Half Masterclass
NASHVILLE — The Ole Miss Vanderbilt score will show a 52-10 blowout, but the story of Saturday afternoon at FirstBank Stadium was written almost entirely before halftime. The No. 9 Rebels scored on five of their first six possessions, put up a season-high 42 points in the opening half, and turned a road trip to Nashville into a laugher.
First Quarter: Rebels Take Control Early
Ole Miss won the coin toss, elected to receive, and needed only two drives to find the end zone. Chambliss capped the second possession with a 10-yard touchdown run. Vanderbilt answered with a 46-yard field goal after Suntarine Perkins sacked Jared Curtis, but the Commodores would not score again until the third quarter.
Before the first quarter ended, the Rebels struck again. Kewan Lacy, a game-time decision who had been listed questionable all week, scored on a 2-yard run following a pass interference call in the end zone. Lacy suited up, went through pregame warmups, and started, though he was used mostly as a decoy early. His 19-yard run helped set up his own short touchdown.
At the end of the first quarter, Ole Miss led 14-3.
Second Quarter: Four Touchdowns, No Answers
The Rebels blew the game open in the second quarter, scoring four touchdowns while Vanderbilt managed nothing. Chambliss threw a 2-yard touchdown to Jam Brown on a trick play, then found Deuce Alexander for a 39-yard score. Antonio Kite intercepted a Jared Curtis pass, and Blake Purchase caused a sack-fumble that Suntarine Perkins returned 5 yards for a touchdown. Vanderbilt fumbled the ensuing kickoff, and Ole Miss recovered.
Chambliss added a 4-yard touchdown pass to Michael Smith before the half ended. By the time the teams went to the locker room, Ole Miss led 42-3. Chambliss had thrown for 174 yards and three passing touchdowns in the first half, plus his rushing score. He completed eight straight passes after two early incompletions.
Third Quarter: Commodores Briefly Respond
Vanderbilt opened the third quarter with a 12-play, 75-yard drive that consumed over 7:30. Curtis capped it with a 13-yard touchdown pass, cutting the deficit to 42-10. Ole Miss, which had struggled in third quarters through its first four games, went quiet on offense. Chambliss threw his first interception of the game, but Nick Cull intercepted Curtis later in the quarter to snuff out another Vanderbilt threat.
At the end of the third, Ole Miss still led 42-10.
Fourth Quarter: Backups Finish the Job
Deuce Knight replaced Chambliss at quarterback in the fourth quarter and led a drive that ended with a 42-yard field goal by Lucas Carneiro. Shekai Mills-Knight then scored on a 35-yard run for his first career touchdown, pushing the final margin to 52-10.
Vanderbilt, which had lost two SEC games before this matchup, committed multiple penalties, including unsportsmanlike flags, and failed on a fourth-down attempt. The Commodores dropped to 3-3 overall and 0-3 in the SEC. Ole Miss improved to 4-1 and 2-1 in conference play.
Key Performers and Takeaways
Chambliss finished with a dominant first-half stat line: 174 passing yards, three passing touchdowns, and a rushing touchdown. Lacy, despite his questionable status, contributed a 19-yard run and a 2-yard score. Perkins recorded a sack and a fumble return touchdown. Kite and Cull each intercepted passes. Purchase caused a critical sack-fumble.
Ole Miss captains Keaton Thomas, Will Echoles, and Patrick Kutas represented the team at the coin toss. Defensive coordinator Pete Golding acknowledged during a halftime interview on ESPN that second-half starts have been an issue for the defense. The Rebels will take the win, but the third-quarter lull remains a point to address.
For Vanderbilt, Curtis struggled against an aggressive Ole Miss defense. Clinton Azubuike and Jaylon Stone were among the Commodores who couldn’t slow the Rebels’ early onslaught. The loss leaves Vanderbilt still searching for its first SEC win of the season.
1 comment