Fournette sets LSU record, Tigers top Ole Miss, 38-21

 LSU running back Leonard Fournette broke something all right - and it wasn't the left ankle that had sidelined him for nearly a month.

Fournette rewrote LSU's single-game rushing record on just his first eight carries - scoring three touchdowns of 59 yards or more - and the 25th-ranked Tigers beat No. 23 Mississippi 38-21 on Saturday night.

"I've never been (associated with) a player like Leonard," LSU interim coach Ed Orgeron said. "He's dynamic. I believe he's the best player in the country."

Fournette finished with 284 yards rushing in his first action since aggravating a bone bruise in his ankle on Sept. 24. His touchdowns went for 78, 76 and 59 yards. He averaged 17.8 yards on 16 carries. Fournette broke Alley Broussard's LSU record of 250 yards rushing (on 26 carries) in 2004, also against Ole Miss.

He ran the ball with speed and force, at one point leveling Mississippi defensive back Deontay Anderson while turning a screen pass into a 22-yard gain.

"This has been one of the hardest seasons for me. Especially dealing with this injury. I'm still dealing with it," Fournette said, adding that he heeded a pre-game text message from his mother, Lory, advising him to "keep the faith." "Everybody thinks I'm healthy, but I'm out of shape, too."

The victory puts LSU (5-2, 3-1 Southeastern Conference) at 3-0 under interim coach Ed Orgeron, who replaced Les Miles four games into the season.

Since Orgeron took over and promoted Steve Ensminger to offensive coordinator, the Tigers have demonstrated a penchant for big plays . They had four TDs of 40 or more yards against the Rebels, includingDanny Etling's 40-yard pass to D.J. Chark.

LSU finished with 515 total yards against Ole Miss (3-4, 1-3), which saw its chances of getting back into the SEC West race take a huge hit.

"We've got to really, really look at ourselves hard - coaches and players - and figure out why we're not putting together complete games," said Rebels coach High Freeze, who served as an assistant under Orgeron at Ole Miss nearly a decade ago. "Youth is no longer an answer in certain places, and neither are injuries. It's time to grow and be able to play a complete game in this difficult conference.

LSU "really dominated this game in the second half," Freeze added. "When things didn't go well for us, we didn't respond."

Fournette's 78-yarder, which gave him 249 yards on his first seven carries, put the Tigers up for good in the third quarter. Derrius Guice iced it with a 6-yard TD.

THE TAKEAWAY

Mississippi: The Rebels' defense is sprinkled with big-play talent, but the unit as a whole doesn't consistently play together and gives up too many big plays and too many points. In all of their losses, they've allowed 34 or more points.

LSU: Fournette certainly made up for lost time. His performance puts him right back in Heisman Trophy consideration. To stay there, he'll have to keep it up against Alabama, which held him to 31 yards on 19 carries last season in Tuscaloosa.

KELLY CONTAINED

Chad Kelly, who came in averaging an SEC-best 308.2 yards passing, was intercepted twice and sacked twice. He finished 19 of 32 for 209 yards and one touchdown, and the Rebels failed to scored 30 points for the first time this season.

COMPETITIVE START

Kelly capped Ole Miss' opening drive with a 15-yard scoring pass to Van Jefferson, and the Rebels briefly led 10-0 before Fournette came rumbling through the right side of LSU's offensive line for his 59-yard score. Fournette's 76-yard run put the Tigers up 21-13, but Marquis Haynes' sack and strip of Etling gave Ole Miss the ball on the LSU nine. Three plays later, the Rebels tied it at 21 when Akeem Judd scored from 2 yards out and Ole Miss added a 2-point conversion on Kelly's keeper.

INJURIES

Haynes, who leads Mississippi with five sacks, left the game in the second half, unable to put weight on his right leg.

BIG-TIME BLOCKING

Orgeron called the play of his offensive line "tremendous." Fournette said his record is an honor he shares with Tigers linemen. Fournette had big holes on all three of his scoring runs. Twice, he cut inside stout blocks on the right edge by Maea Teuhema.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

LSU, which just got back into the AP Top 25 poll last week, should continue to move up. Ole Miss, which was the only three-loss team in the poll, is unlikely to remain ranked.

UP NEXT

Mississippi: The Rebels hosts surging Auburn next Saturday.

LSU: The Tigers get next weekend off before hosting the top-ranked Crimson Tide in what could be a pivotal game in both teams' seasons.

Cornelius' late TD run lifts Arkansas past Ole Miss 34-30

Bret Bielema did his best to remind anyone who was listening throughout the week that Arkansas' only losses this season were to No. 1 Alabama and No. 6 Texas A&M.

That included the No. 22 Razorbacks, who clearly took their coach's message to heart in a 34-30 win over No. 12 Mississippi on Saturday night.

The win didn't have quite the suspense of Arkansas' (5-2, 1-2 Southeastern Conference) thrilling overtime win over the Rebels (3-3, 1-2) a year ago, but it was every bit as important - especially following a deflating 49-30 loss at home to the Crimson Tide a week ago.

"I told the guys, `Let's do whatever we have to do to protect this house,'" Bielema said. "They never wavered and needed help from the crowd, and they delivered."

Austin Allen was at his usual best on Saturday night, completing 19 of 32 passes for 228 yards and three touchdowns. The junior now has an SEC-best 18 touchdown passes for the season, and he had plenty of help in the form of Rawleigh William's career-best 180 rushing yards on 27 carries.

Despite the dynamic run-pass combination, the Razorbacks didn't secure the win until Jared Cornelius' 6-yard touchdown scamper on second-and-goal late in the fourth quarter.

"The offensive line kind of stretched, the defense jumped to the outside, I stuck my foot in the ground and the hole opened up like the Red Sea," Cornelius said.

The win was the third in a row for the Razorbacks over Ole Miss, which has now lost three of its first six games a season after winning the Sugar Bowl.

Chad Kelly accounted for 342 yards of total offense for the Rebels, throwing for 253 yards and rushing for 89 more. The senior also threw for a touchdown and ran for two more, but he fumbled while scrambling on a fourth-and-16 to put an end to Ole Miss' two-game winning streak.

Evan Engram led the Rebels with seven catches for 111 yards and a touchdown.

The two teams entered Saturday with the two most efficient quarterbacks in the SEC, and neither Kelly nor Allen disappointed. The duo combined for 571 yards of total offense.

It was Cornelius, however, who had the final say with his 6-yard touchdown run with 2:20 remaining.

"We're in the games and competing," Rebels coach Hugh Freeze said. "We've got to see the big picture, even though it's hard to right now, sitting here."

THE TAKEAWAY

Ole Miss: The Rebels entered the game 102nd in the country in total defense, allowing 449.4 yards per game. They once again struggled on Saturday by allowing 429 total yards to Arkansas, a number that was more than 450 before the Razorbacks purposely took several large losses while running out the clock on the game's final drive.

Arkansas: The Razorbacks still have offensive line concerns after allowing three more sacks of Allen, but they moved the ball consistently through the air and on the ground. That gives them renewed hope with only SEC games left on the schedule this season.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

Arkansas was in danger of falling out of the rankings, but now it's likely to once again push its way into the top 20 , perhaps even surpassing the Rebels. The Razorbacks' only losses this season are to No. 1 Alabama and No. 6 Texas A&M.

UP NEXT

Ole Miss: The Rebels are on the road for the second straight week, traveling to Baton Rouge to face LSU.

Arkansas: The Razorbacks play for the eighth straight week to open the season, traveling to No. 23 Auburn next week.

Kelly, Brazley lead No. 16 Mississippi past Memphis 48-28

 Chad Kelly threw for 361 yards,Eugene Brazley ran for a career-high 124 yards and two touchdowns and No. 16 Mississippi pulled away late to beat Memphis 48-28 on Saturday night.

Ole Miss (3-2) jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter against the Tigers for a second straight season, but this time held on for the victory. Memphis beat Ole Miss 37-24 last season after falling behind by two touchdowns early.

There would be no such comeback Saturday. Memphis (3-1) made this one interesting for a while, but couldn't keep up with the Rebels' high-scoring offense.

"We know the only people who can stop us is ourselves," Kelly said. "We ran the ball, we threw the ball around a little bit and the guys up front protected me."

Ole Miss continued its trend of playing great in the first half, jumping out to a 24-7 by halftime. Kelly completed 17 of 24 passes for 200 yards and Jason Pellerin ran for two touchdowns before the break.

The Rebels might be the best team in the country if games lasted just two quarters. They've outscored opponents 131-40 in the first half and had the lead in all five games.

Ole Miss was a little shaky to start the second half - Memphis scored two quick touchdowns in the third quarter to pull to 27-21. But the Rebels responded with two touchdowns of their own - including a 12-yard strike from Kelly to tight end Evan Engram - to take control of the game.

"Offensively, we answered when we needed to," Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze said.

Memphis quarterback Riley Ferguson was 30 of 46 for 343 yards, but threw three interceptions, including one that was returned 31 yards for a touchdown by safety Zedrick Woods.

First-year coach Memphis coach Mike Norvell said he was proud of the team's effort, but that the Tigers made too many mistakes to pull off a road win.

"Turnovers, communication issues, penalties, missed tackles - all those things that can't happen in a close game with a quality opponent," Norvell said. "This team still has some things to clean up."

THE TAKEAWAY

Memphis: The Tigers were an interesting team after three blowout wins against Southeast Missouri, Kansas and Bowling Green. But the Ole Miss offense was too much for the Memphis defense, finishing with 624 total yards.

Ole Miss: The Rebels have won two straight games for the first time this season. It gives the program some momentum going into a bye week before difficult back-to-back road games against Arkansas and LSU.

ANDERSON TOSSED, GATES SUSPENDED

Ole Miss safety Deontay Anderson was ejected from the game for targeting after a hit on Memphis' Ferguson. Because the play happened in the second half, he'll also miss the first half of the Arkansas game on Oct. 15.

Ole Miss linebacker DeMarquis Gates didn't play on Saturday after being suspended for breaking team rules. Freeze said his status will be updated on a game-by-game basis. Gates came into the game leading the team with 30 tackles.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

Memphis: The Tigers received a few votes in last week's poll after a big win over Bowling Green. That probably won't happen again.

Ole Miss: The Rebels will likely climb a few stops.

UP NEXT

Memphis hosts Temple on Thursday.

Ole Miss has a bye next week. The Rebels play at Arkansas on Oct. 15.

No. 23 Rebels find their rhythm, beat No. 12 Georgia 45-14

 Chad Kelly threw for 282 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score to lead No. 23 Mississippi over No. 12 Georgia 45-14 on Saturday.

The Rebels (2-2, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) dominated every phase of the game, building a lead of 31-0 by halftime and 45-0 by midway through the third quarter.

Ole Miss broke a 10-game losing streak in the series dating to 1996.

"I can't think of a time in my lifetime where a team has done that to Georgia," said Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze.

Georgia (3-1, 1-1) lost its first game under new coach Kirby Smart and looked overmatched. To make matters worse, star running back Nick Chubbinjured an ankle in the second quarter and didn't return.

It was an impressive win for the Rebels, who finally built a big lead they didn't give away. Ole Miss led Florida State by 22 points and Alabama by 21 this season before losing both games.

"We've certainly had experiences that we should have learned from," Freeze said.

Kelly was sharp from the opening series, completing 18 of 24 passes and adding a 41-yard touchdown run right through the middle of the Georgia defense. Tight end Evan Engram led the Rebels with six catches for 95 yards.

"When we get in a rhythm, it's hard for people to stop us," Engram said.

Brian Herrien led the Bulldogs with 78 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Freshman quarterback Jacob Eason had a tough day, completing just 16 of 36 passes for 137 yards and an interception.

THE TAKEAWAY

Georgia: The Bulldogs were an interesting bunch after three straight wins to start the season, but after being stomped by the Rebels, it doesn't look like Georgia is anywhere near being an elite team.

Ole Miss: The Rebels needed this one after blowing big leads in losses to Florida State and Alabama. Ole Miss proved it still can be a force in the SEC this season despite a tough September. Said Freeze "I think we're getting better. We've by no means arrived, but we've played a difficult schedule and easily could have won the games."

POLL IMPLICATIONS

Georgia: The Bulldogs probably tumble in the rankings after being outplayed in pretty much all aspects of the game.

Ole Miss: Look for the Rebels to jump a few spots.

UP NEXT

Georgia: The Bulldogs host Tennessee next week in an SEC Eastern Division showdown.

Ole Miss: The Rebels host Memphis in a non-conference game.

Top-ranked Alabama rallies, beats No. 19 Ole Miss 48-43

 No. 1 Alabama scored two defensive touchdowns and another on special teams to overcome a three-touchdown deficit and beat No. 19 Mississippi 48-43 in a Southeastern Conference showdown on Saturday.

Alabama freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts threw for 158 yards and ran for 146 more but it was unlikely touchdowns from Jonathan Allen, Da'Ron Payneand Eddie Jackson that proved to be the biggest plays of the game.

"It was unbelievable game for fans to watch," Alabama coach Nick Saban said. "It was really a difficult game for an old coach to have to suffer through. But we made it. We made it and I'm really proud of our players."

Ole Miss (1-2, 0-1 SEC) looked like it might be on its way to a third straight win over the Tide late in the second quarter. Instead, it was the Rebels' second collapse in three games.

Mississippi took a 24-3 lead with 2:47 remaining in the first half after defensive end Marquis Haynes' big hit on Hurts, forcing a fumble that fellow defensive lineman John Youngblood scooped up and ran 44 yards for a touchdown.

But Alabama (3-0, 1-0 SEC) responded.

The Tide needed just three plays and 37 seconds to pull within 24-10 after Calvin Ridley ran for a 6-yard score. Ole Miss was forced to punt on the next drive and Jackson returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown, evading several tacklers before bolting down the right sideline for the touchdown.

In just 65 seconds, Alabama had turned a 21-point deficit into a manageable 24-17 game at halftime.

Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly threw for a career-high 421 yards and three touchdowns, but it was two costly turnovers in the second half that handed the game to Alabama.

Kelly fumbled deep in Ole Miss territory and Payne recovered before scoring a 3-yard touchdown to tie the game at 24. In the fourth quarter, the Rebels QB was under pressure and threw a ball right to Alabama's 291-pound Allen, who ran the ball back for a 75-yard touchdown and a 48-30 Crimson Tide lead.

Allen said it was his first touchdown since middle school.

"It was a great play and it couldn't have come at a better time for this team to get this win tonight," Allen said.

Ole Miss scored two late touchdowns but Alabama was able to run out the clock for the win.

THE TAKEAWAY

Alabama: Coach Nick Saban and Alabama finally beat Ole Miss after two straight losses against the Rebels. Alabama was tested, but is once again the team to beat in the SEC Western Division.

Mississippi: It's another frustrating collapse for the Rebels, who also led 28-6 against Florida State in the season opener before losing 45-34 to the Seminoles.

STEWART HURT

Saban said that receiver ArDarius Stewart missed most of the game because of a sprained knee, though the coach added, "We don't think it's severe."

POLL IMPLICATIONS

Alabama: The Tide will almost certainly remain at No. 1 after a difficult, but resilient win on the road against a ranked opponent.

Mississippi: With a 1-2 record, the Rebels will probably fall out of the Top 25 despite losing to two ranked opponents.

UP NEXT

Alabama: The Crimson Tide host Kent State next Saturday.

Mississippi: The Rebels have another important SEC game, hosting Georgia next Saturday.

No. 19 Mississippi easily handles Wofford 38-13

No. 19 Mississippi got exactly what it needed Saturday in a relatively boring, lopsided victory.

Playing just five days after an emotional loss to Florida State, quarterbackChad Kelly threw for 219 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Rebels to a 38-13 victory over Wofford of the Football Championship Subdivision level.

Ole Miss (1-1) didn't look tired despite the short turnaround, scoring on all four of its first-half drives to take a 24-3 halftime lead. The Rebels didn't need to punt until late in the third quarter when the game was well in hand.

"I thought our kids came out with an edge," Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze said. "Especially on offense."

Kelly completed short touchdown throws in the first half to Markell Pack,D.K. Metcalf and Quincy Adeboyejo, and Gary Wunderlich made a 40-yard field goal as the Rebels methodically moved the ball against the overmatched Terriers.

It was an efficient, mistake-free performance from Kelly, who threw three interceptions and lost a fumble in the Florida State loss. He completed 20 of 27 passes against Wofford.

"We were anxious to get that first win," Kelly said.

The only bad news for the Rebels was when Metcalf, a 6-foot-4 freshman who has quickly earned a role as one of the team's top receivers, broke his left foot in the second quarter. He also caught a touchdown pass in the Florida State game.

Freeze said he wasn't sure how much time Metcalf would miss, but it's possible the injury could end his season.

Ole Miss has already struggled with injuries this year. Starting cornerback Kendarius Webster and running back Eric Swinney both tore knee ligaments in the Florida State game and are done for the season.

Ole Miss announced a crowd of 64,232, which is a stadium record. The Rebels spent about $60 million on offseason renovations to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, which included roughly 5,000 new seats after bowling in the north side of the stadium.

Wofford (1-1) moved the ball effectively at times, but couldn't find the end zone until the fourth quarter, when quarterback Brad Butler ran for a 17-yard touchdown.

SAVING PATTERSON?

Freeze pulled a minor surprise on Saturday when he used redshirt freshman Jason Pellerin as the backup quarterback instead of true freshman Shea Patterson. The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Pellerin completed 2 of 3 passes for 23 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He also ran for a touchdown.

Patterson was widely regarded as one of the nation's top quarterback recruits last year, but Freeze left open the possibility that Patterson might redshirt this fall in order to save him for future seasons when Kelly, a senior, is no longer with the program.

"He's certainly talented enough to play," Freeze said. "But we discussed it this week, and playing him in mop-up duty is probably not the smartest thing at this juncture."

QUOTABLE

Wofford coach Mike Ayres, who is in his 29th season leading the program, had a unique way of describing his team's growth so far this season: "We're close. We're like that fat guy that's got one leg over the fence and he's close. He's working to get that second leg over. It's tough, but it's not quite there. That's where we are. We didn't have a great day."

THE TAKEAWAY

Wofford: The Terriers' triple-option offense was decent, but finding the end zone was difficult against an SEC defense. Wofford has a 1-19 record against Football Bowl Subdivision teams.

Ole Miss: The Rebels got what they needed - an easy win. Now they can turn their attention to a marquee SEC game against Alabama in Oxford next weekend.

UP NEXT

Wofford: The Terriers return home to face Johnson C. Smith.

Ole Miss: The Rebels host Alabama after beating the Tide in each of the past two seasons.

Francois, No. 4 Florida St rally past No. 11 Ole Miss 45-34

Redshirt freshman quarterback Deondre Francoiscompleted 33 of 52 passes for 419 yards and two touchdowns while running for another 59 yards in leading No.4 Florida State to a 45-34 win over No.11 Mississippi on Monday night.

Francois, the fourth freshman to start the season at quarterback in FSU history, led the largest comeback in Seminoles history - 22 points - after a shaky start in the classic SEC-ACC showdown at Camping World Stadium.

Francois and the Seminoles, on the verge of becoming the third top-5 team to lose in the opening week, scored 33 consecutive points during a stretch from late in the second quarter until early in the fourth to overcome a 28-6 deficit late in the second quarter.

With Ole Miss daring Francois to pass by stacking the run to stop Heisman Trophy hopeful Dalvin Cook, the freshman showed poise by making critical throws with his arm and also picking up big yards with his legs.

Ricky Aguayo, another freshman, converting an FSU-record six field goals on six attempts - breaking a mark shared by his brother Roberto.

Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly had a strong first half but FSU defensive end DeMarcus Walker and the rest of the defense started getting to him after halftime to slow the no-huddle offense down. The Seminoles forced Kelly into back-to-back turnovers early in the third quarter on an interception and a fumble on a hit by Walker. Both turnovers resulted in FSU touchdowns as the Seminoles took a 29-28 lead and never looked back while scoring on nine straight possessions between late in the first half and into the fourth quarter.

THE TAKEAWAY

Ole Miss: The Rebels' up-tempo offense is potent but big mistakes by Kelly under pressure took away any momentum. Kelly had three touchdown passes in fourth quarter but his turnovers (four) brought the offense to a standstill.

Florida State: Francois is definitely the real deal. His arm talent is impressive and his willingness to stay in the pocket to take the big hit on release was uncanny for a first time starter. Running back Dalvin Cook found little running room early but he contributed big as a receiver with a career-high seven catches for 101 yards while rushing for 91 yards on 23 carries for the night.

UP NEXT

Ole Miss: The Rebels return home to host Wofford of the FCS on Saturday. Terriers (1-0) are coming off a 21-7 win over Tennessee Tech.

Florida State: The Seminoles will host Charleston Southern of the FCS on Saturday. The Buccaneers (1-1) are coming off a 57-7 win over Kentucky State.