The Ole Miss Rebels looked to be in trouble against Boise State Thursday night. Then the fourth quarter arrived, and Ole Miss outscored Boise 28-7 in the final 15 minutes to record a 35-13 season-opening win.

Here are five takeaways from the Rebels victory:

  • Ole Miss defensive line manhandles Boise: The Rebels defensive line was seen as a strength entering the 2014 season, and through one game the line has delivered on the hype. Sophomore defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche broke into the Boise State backfield multiple times in the first quarter, and even batted a pass at the line that fellow defensive lineman C.J. Johnson intercepted. Ole Miss held Broncos star tailback Jay Ajayi to just 86 yards on the ground even without starting nose tackle Issac Gross, who sat out the game with a neck injury. If Ole Miss’ defensive line plays this well against SEC offensive lines, the Rebels should be in good shape.
  • Cody Core was a hidden gem: Core was certainly in the mix among the Rebels wide receivers entering Thursday night’s action, but no one could have predicted he would make as big an impact as he did. Core finished the game with four catches for a team-high 111 yards and two touchdowns, including a 30-yard touchdown catch in the first half and a 76-yard touchdown reception in the second half. Core is one of many large targets in the Ole Miss passing game, standing 6-foot-3 and nearly 200 pounds, and he should remain a factor in the offense along with the likes of Laquon Treadwell, Evan Engram, Vince Sanders and Quincy Adeboyejo.
  • Laquon Treadwell was right about the Boise DBs: Treadwell took some flack for his comments earlier in the week about the lack of size in the Boise State secondary, but it turns out he was right all along. It took him a while to get going, but he ended the game with a team-high seven catches for 103 yards, including one 31-yard reception and another 14-yard touchdown on a beautiful leaping catch. Core, Engram (four catches, 41 yards) and other large receivers also feasted on the Boise secondary, backing up Treadwell’s comments.
  • Bo Wallace still has the turnover bug: Wallace had Rebels fans in a panic with three first half interceptions, two of which were apparently not even part of the play-design. He settled down in the second half and threw three touchdown passes, ending the game 25-36 passing for 386 yards. Those numbers indicate Wallace does have the ability to lead a successful Ole Miss offense, but by his 27th career start he should have learned to avoid the big, game-changing mistakes. Thursday night proved he hasn’t learned his lesson, which could cost a talented Ole Miss team this season.
  • When Ole Miss hits you, they hits you hard: Thursday night’s game turned into a hit parade quickly when Boise State had the ball. Ole Miss didn’t just tackle the Broncos ball-carriers, it pulverized them. Serderius Bryant got a bit carried away, and his helmet-to-helmet collision with BSU quarterback Grant Hedrick got him tossed early in the game, but it was just a microcosm of the passion, intensity and reckless abandon with which the Rebels defense played Thursday night. Ole Miss’ future opponents will take notice, and it will impact how they attack the Rebels defense the rest of the season.