On a rain-soaked day, endured by tens of thousands on the War Memorial Golf Course, another classic Ole Miss-Arkansas game was played out with both quarterbacks impressing with their arms and their running ability.
The Rebels’ Jordan Ta’amu and Arkansas’ Ty Storey dueled for most of the game, and going into the fourth quarter the University of Arkansas led 33-24. But there was no doubt the game would be settled in the final 15 minutes.
That was the score when the Rebels started at their own 16 with 7:09 to play, and few of the fans had left.
Ole Miss drove the 84 yards in 10 plays, using just 2:54 of the clock and leaving the game in Arkansas’ hands with 4:15 to play and leading 33-31.
Arkansas couldn’t answer and Ole Miss took over at its own 3 after a 64-yard punt with 2:02 to play, and War Memorial Stadium was rocking.
It was Ole Miss who rolled, driving 97 yards in just seven plays to win 37-33.
Ole Miss had driven to the Razorbacks’ 21 to open the final quarter and looked ready to score another touchdown, when on third and nine De’Jon Harris racked Jordan, who appeared headed to the end zone, after just 6 yards and Ole Miss’ 28-yard field goal attempt was greeted with a south end zone cheer — wide right.
Arkansas had already lost its top two running backs, Rakeem Boyd and Devwah Whaley and were about to lose Storey, who took a vicious, but legal, hit to get the first down. He got up, then went down again but eventually walked off the field under his own power. It was the second time he had to leave the game.
The Razorbacks faced a third and 20 from its own 31 when a Rebel was called for pass interference, but Arkansas gave it up on downs to set up Ole Miss with 7:09 to play.
Both teams already had more than 400 yards of offense and the crowd had endured what seemed like countless reviews, but the end was going to be worth it.
This was supposed to be a shootout, primarily because Arkansas’ offense was found last week against Alabama and because Ole Miss has lived and died with its offense this season. It wasn’t quite that but it was pretty darn close.