Last season, Ole Miss dropped 63 points on Arkansas in Fayetteville. The border rivals were on different levels. But that wasn’t indicative of the Ole Miss-Arkansas series of late. This was a 7-point game in 2023. Five of the 8 meetings prior to that game were decided by 4 points or less.
The winner has had to work for it.
That was true again on Saturday night in Oxford. No. 17 Ole Miss had to work for it, but behind a dazzling performance from quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, the Rebels survived the Razorbacks for a 41-35 victory.
In his first career FBS start, Chambliss completed 21 of his 29 passes for 353 yards and a touchdown. He also ran 15 times for 62 yards and 2 scores. The D2 transfer briefly left the game, and a clearly hobbled Austin Simmons replaced him to throw a 4-yard touchdown, but Chambliss quickly returned and picked up where he left off.
Ole Miss scored 24 points in a wild, back-and-forth second quarter. The Rebels scored touchdowns on each of their first 4 drives of the game.
But the Arkansas offense was just as effective. Led by a 305-yard passing/111-yard rushing effort from quarterback Taylen Green, the Hogs outgained the Rebels. They topped 500 yards and averaged 7.4 per play.
But a fumble from Jalen Brown with 1:52 to play doomed the Hogs. Arkansas had driven it to the Ole Miss 27. The Razorbacks had a rhythm and a confidence; Brown was in the process of setting up a third-and-short in a 6-point game.
Instead, Ole Miss was able to convert one first down and then kneel out the clock.
The Rebels (3-0, 2-0 SEC) host Tulane next Saturday. The Razorbacks (2-1, 0-1 SEC) travel to Memphis.
Ole Miss 41, Arkansas 35
Here’s the Ole Miss-Arkansas box score (use the dropdown menu to select team or player stats), followed by the complete play-by-play:
Trinidad Chambliss vs Taylen Green
A statistical breakdown of how Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss fared against Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green:
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
