JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The TaxSlayer Gator Bowl wasn’t too taxing for No. 14 Ole Miss football, as the Rebels dominated Duke 52-20, leading from wire-to-wire to finish the 2024 season at 10-3 (5-3).
Ole Miss notched back-to-back 10-win seasons for just the second time in school history and have won 10 games in three of the last four seasons under head coach Lane Kiffin. The Rebels improved to 27-15 on the field in bowl games, including 13-4 in their last 17.
Ole Miss outgained Duke 589 to 280, holding the Blue Devils to just 44 yards rushing despite zero Rebel sacks figuring into the numbers. The Rebel offense racked up 438 yards through the air and 151 on the ground, while Duke threw for 236.
Offensive Leaders
Jaxson Dart was outstanding in his final game as a Rebel, going 27-for-35 through the air and rushing 12 times for 447 yards of total offense, four touchdowns and no interceptions. Ulysses Bentley IV led the rushing efforts with 70 yards and two scores on 14 carries. Jordan Watkins had a team-high 180 receiving yards with two touchdowns, Cayden Lee caught a team-high eight passes and Dae’Quan Wright turned in a phenomenal game as well with three catches for 73 yards and a touchdown.
and rushing 12 times for 447 yards of total offense, four touchdowns and no interceptions. Ulysses Bentley IV led the rushing efforts with 70 yards and two scores on 14 carries. Jordan Watkins had a team-high 180 receiving yards with two touchdowns, Cayden Lee caught a team-high eight passes and Dae’Quan Wright turned in a phenomenal game as well with three catches for 73 yards and a touchdown.
Defensive Leaders
Trey Washington paced the Rebel defense with 10 tackles. Ole Miss had a rare sack-free game but racked up a staggering 15 QB hurries, including five for Jared Ivey, four for Princely Umanmielen and three by Khari Coleman. Isaiah Hamilton highlighted a stifling defensive effort with an interception return for a touchdown.
On the opening series, Ole Miss used short passing and a 30-yard connection between Jaxson Dart and Dae’Quan Wright to drive down to the Duke 10-yard line, but the Rebels attempted some special teams trickery on fourth down, and Terry Moore intercepted kicker Caden Davis.
Moore took it all the way back to the Rebel 41-yard line, but the Ole Miss defense pitched a 4-and-out, forcing a turnover on downs as Jared Ivey and Khari Coleman pressured Henry Belin IV into an incompletion on fourth down.
The Rebels quickly turned that into points when Ulysses Bentley IV broke free for an 18-yard run, then Dart found Caden Prieskorn for another 18 yards. Finally, Dart hit Antwane Wells Jr. on a slant, and the Rebel receiver burst 32 yards for a touchdown to make it an early 7-0 lead.
The Ole Miss defense yielded just three yards before another stop to set up another touchdown. Jordan Watkins had a 14-yard reception on the methodical drive, and Bentley ran for 11 before punching in a 1-yard score to make it 14-0, where it stood at the end of one.
Ole Miss outgained Duke 199-36 and notched 11 first downs compared to one by the Blue Devils in the opening frame.
Second Quarter
Ole Miss allowed its only first down of the first quarter just before the opening 15 minutes ticked down but quickly forced a punt to start the second.
The next drive was historic and altogether impressive drive for Dart. The Rebel QB ran for 13, 19 and 12 yards on the series before the signature play, where he endured a massive hit to deliver a 22-yard completion on the money to Wright. Two plays later, Dart found Prieskorn for five yards to become Ole Miss’ single-season passing and total offense leader.
Ole Miss ultimately settled for a field goal, and it, too, was historic. Davis hit from 28 yards out to break the program’s single-season scoring record, surpassing Jonathan Nichols’ mark of 124 to give the Rebels a 17-0 lead.
Duke responded with an impressive scoring drive of its own when Belin converted two third downs, stringing together passes of 12, 12 and 27 yards before linking up with Javon Harvey for a 16-yard touchdown to cut the lead to 10.
That lead quickly stretched back to 17 after Dart threw for 15 yards to Bentley, 13 to Cayden Lee and 20 to Watkins, setting up a spectacular touchdown play—a 21-yard dime by Dart and a fantastic snag through coverage by Wright to make it 24-7 at the break.
Ole Miss outgained Duke 340-130 and totaled 20 first downs compared to Duke’s seven in the first half.
Duke went backwards to start the second half when All-American corner Trey Amos dropped Jaquez Moore for a 4-yard loss, leading to a punt. Ole Miss did as well when Dart was sacked on third down to put the Rebels into a 4th-and-11.
The Blue Devils converted a fourth down and looked to be building some momentum, but that quickly evaporated when Princely Umanmielen delivered a huge hit to Belin, forcing a pick-six by Isaiah Hamilton to make it 31-7, Rebels.
Duke drove as far as the Ole Miss 24-yard line in response before Suntarine Perkins blew up a run play and TJ Dottery finished it for a 2-yard loss, leading to a turnover on downs.
Ole Miss made the most of it after Dart rolled away from pressure and launched a beautiful 51-yard bomb to Watkins. On that play, Dart passed 12,000 yards of total offense for his Ole Miss career, jumping past Will Rogers (11,999) for fourth in SEC history, and is one of just four in SEC history with 12K total yards: Aaron Murray (Georgia), Drew Lock (Missouri) and Tim Tebow (Florida).
Bentley made it 38-7 with an 8-yard touchdown run, and the Rebel defense squeaked in one more quick stop before the end of the quarter.
Fourth Quarter
Dart and Watkins had two final shows before checking out, first connecting for 21 yards down the sideline. Dart then hit Lee for a 12-yard gain down to the one, where Watkins finished it with a TD reception on a creative play design.
Duke responded with a touchdown drive of its own when Belin hit a wide-open Moore for a 20-yard score.
Logan Diggs logged a 15-yard carry in his Rebel debut, then Dart connected one last time with Watkins on a 69-yard touchdown.
The Blue Devils capped the late scoring flurry with a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Zxavian Harris blocked the ensuing extra point to make it a 32-point Rebel win.
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