OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Jaxson Dart threw five touchdown passes and ran for a score in leading eight consecutive first-half scoring drives, helping No. 6 Mississippi overpower Furman 76-0 on Saturday night.
Dart opened the scoring with a 15-yard run and the Rebels raced to a 52-0 halftime lead in the opener for both teams.
Dart was 22 of 27 for 418 yards in the first half before yielding to Austin Simmons, who added a touchdown pass in the third quarter.
Ole Miss scored on first half series of 75, 90, 46, 20, 63, 81, 61 and 58 yards, highlighted by touchdown passes of 61 and 22 yards to Tre Harris. He had eight receptions for 179 yards.
The Rebels finished with 772 yards of total offense, 502 in the first half, adding Caden Davis’ two field goals and touchdown runs of 17 and 46 yards by Matt Jones to cap the scoring. Jones led all rushers with 68 yards.
Furman only crossed midfield four times, and ended nine other series with negative yardage. The Paladins had 172 yards of total offense, including Carson Jones with 15-of-25 passing for 119 yards.
THE TAKEAWAY
Furman: Coming off consecutive 10-win seasons with rankings as high as No. 9 in preseason FCS polls, the Paladins hoped to be more competitive but it did not happen. The offense, replacing starters at quarterback and four offensive line slots, was simply overwhelmed at the line of scrimmage. Safeties Billy Lewis and Caleb Williams were productive with seven tackles and a pass breakup apiece.
Mississippi: Mix 59 new players, 31 transfers with a Heisman Trophy candidate quarterback and the result was eight consecutive scoring drives for 52 points, 502 yards of total offense and a dominant defensive performance — in the first half alone. More importantly, the Rebels finished without a significant injury.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
The Rebels, despite being ranked at No. 6, are the fourth-highest ranked team in the AP Top 25 from the SEC – No. 1 Georgia, No. 4 Texas and No. 5 Alabama. The lopsided nonconference win is not expected to cause a significant move in either direction.
UP NEXT
Furman: Hosts Charleston Southern on Saturday night.
Mississippi: Hosts Middle Tennessee on Saturday.
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