NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Mississippi quarterback Bo Wallace wanted redemption for his poor play in the Egg Bowl last month against Mississippi State.
On Monday, Wallace made sure the Rebels finished the season as winners.
Wallace ran for two touchdowns and threw for another score, and Ole Miss beat Georgia Tech 25-17 Monday in the Music City Bowl, giving the Rebels consecutive bowl victories under Coach Hugh Freeze.
Wallace, a redshirt junior quarterback from Tennessee, passed for 256 yards and ran for 86 more, giving him the school record for total yards in a season and most completions in a season, topping Eli Manning for both.
He considered it retribution for his poor effort in the Egg Bowl.
“I knew I needed to have a good game,” said Wallace, also chosen as the bowl’s MVP. “At the same time, I thought all day sometimes Itry to make too many plays. I think all day I was thinking, ‘Don’t try to make too many plays. Just make the plays that are there.’ That’s what I did today.”
Ole Miss (8-5) has won six consecutive bowls and 10 of the past 11, the only loss coming in the 2000 Music City Bowl. The Rebels came in tied with Auburn and Florida State, who play Jan. 6 for the BCS national championship, for the longest bowl winning streak.
“I’m glad to win two bowl games in our first two years,” Freeze said. “With what we inherited, I think says we’re heading in the right direction for sure. It is a very positive step.”
Georgia Tech (7-6) has lost 8 of its past nine bowl games.The Yellow Jackets scored 10 points in the fourth quarter as they tried to rally before a safety with 4:22 left ended their last chance.
“We didn’t play well enough in any facet to win the game,” Georgia Tech Coach Paul Johnson said. “We were fortunate that we had a chance at the end to come back and win.”ARMED FORCES BOWL NAVY 24, MIDDLE TENN. 6
FORT WORTH - Keenan Reynolds amazes so many people with how he directs Navy’s triple-option offense and keeps scoring touchdowns.
As for the quarterback, he is in awe of the company he now keeps after joining the 30-touchdown rushing club in the Midshipmen’s victory over Middle Tennessee.
“It’s huge. You just say the name Barry Sanders and you can stop right there,” Reynolds said. “He probably was the greatest college player there was. Just to be even in that conversation with guys like that is a humbling experience. I never thought I would be in that category.”
Reynolds had a 3-yard score to cap the opening drive for Navy (9-4) and added a 1-yarder in the fourth quarter. Already with the NCAA record for touchdowns rushing by a quarterback, Reynolds upped his total to 31 to match Colorado State running back Kapri Bibbs, also a sophomore, for the national lead this season.
The only players with more rushing touchdowns in a season were Sanders (37) with Oklahoma State, and Wisconsin’s Montee Ball (33).
Reynolds, playing 50 years after Hall of Fame quarterback and two-time Super Bowl champion Roger Staubach won the Heisman Trophy at Navy, still has two seasons left in college.
The Blue Raiders (8-5) were held to a season low in points. They had finished the regular season with a five-game winning streak.
Sports, Pages 18 on 12/31/2013