It was a shootout that made the Ole Miss defense coming up with back-to-back stops to open the second half nothing short of breaking news.

By the time the scoreboard got a breather, Ole Miss beat Southern Illinois 76-41 on the strength of a career day from QB Jordan Ta’amu. Ta’amu was 23-for-33 passing for 448 yards and five touchdowns, both career highs.

Southern Illinois, fueled by going 3-for-4 on fourth down, stayed toe-to-toe with the Rebels deep into the second half. QB Sam Straub was 29-for-47 passing for 382 yards, four TDs and two interceptions. WR D.J. Davis had 16 carries for 121 yards, and Straub added 10 carries for 36 and a score. Four Salukis had at least five catches led by Raphael Leonard, who had six for 117 yards. Landon Lenoir had nine for 83 yards.

From the get-go, it was a scoring bonanza as Southern Illinois led 38-35 at the half as Ole Miss racked up nearly 400 yards of total offense. Ta’amu had 290 passing yards, WR A.J. Brown had 96 yards passing and RB Scottie Phillips 88 yards rushing. There wasn’t much different in the third quarter as they combined to reach 90 points and more than 1,000 yards at the three-minute mark remaining in the third quarter.

For context, it took Ole Miss four straight scoring drives to grab its first lead of the game in the second quarter, 28-24. And by halftime, the Rebels trailed 38-35.

Along the way, Brown topped Laquon Treadwell with his seventh 100-yard receiving game in his Ole Miss career. It was 49-41 at the end of the third quarter.

It wasn’t just offense, either. Vernon Dasher added an interception returned it 88 yards for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Then, Victor Evans return a fumble for a TD to make it 69-41. The last time Ole Miss had two defensive touchdowns was 2015.

Everyone got in on the party, even Ole Miss’ fourth receiver, Braylon Sanders, who had four catches for 133 yards early in the fourth quarter.

When they made it 62-41, it was the Rebels’ sixth TD drive that took 1:36 or less.

Ole Miss will see its degree of difficulty in opponents ramp up quickly when Alabama visits next week.