Ole Miss Drops Final Regular Season Game to LSU

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Freshman receiver Kayshon Boutte caught 14 passes for an LSU-record 308 yards receiving, and his third touchdown of the game on a 45-yard catch-and-run with 1:30 remaining lifted the Tigers to a 53-48 victory over Mississippi on Saturday.

Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral quickly drove the Rebels into LSU territory in the final minute, but his sixth turnover of the game on a fumble caused by Ali Gaye ended the threat and allowed the Tigers (5-5) to avoid their first losing season since 1999.

Freshman LSU QB Max Johnson, who won his first career start in stunning fashion at Florida a week earlier, passed for 435 yards and three touchdowns. Johnson also scored on 1-yard keepers in the second and fourth quarters.

His lone interception appeared to be a costly one, coming in the end zone in the fourth quarter with the Tigers trailing 41-40. But the Tigers continued to press on through a chilly rain for about as memorable and eventful a comeback as relatively low-stakes game could provide.

Had LSU lost, Tigers coach Ed Orgeron would have had the dubious distinction of coaching the first team to follow a national title with a losing record since Ohio State in 1943 — when World War II caused a level of chaos and uncertainty not seen again in college football until the onset of the coronavirus pandemic during the past year.

Boutte set his LSU single-game record for yards receiving on his final, game-winning catch, surpassing Josh Reed’s mark of 293 yards against Alabama in 2001.

Corral was intercepted five times — twice by Jay Ward and once each by Gaye, Todd Harris and Jabril Cox. Ward’s returned his first interception for a 31-yard TD. But Ole Miss’ scrappy, dual-threat quarterback very nearly overcame his mistakes.

He passed for 251 yards and three touchdowns, the last on a pin-point, over-the-shoulder throw to Braylon Sanders that put the Rebels (4-5) ahead 41-40 early in the fourth quarter of a game that LSU had led 37-21 in the second half.

Corral also was Ole Miss’ rushing leader with 158 yards and he scored on a naked bootleg on fourth-and-goal from the 2 that gave the Rebels a 48-40 lead with 8:43 to go. Sanders finished with four catches for 70 yards and two TDs, while running back Jerrion Ealy returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown.

THE TAKEAWAY

Ole Miss: The Rebels demonstrated the explosiveness to score even more points than they did under the direction of first-year coach Lane Kiffin — if not for half a dozen drives ending with turnovers. They look primed to field one of the more exciting offenses in college football next season.

LSU: The Tigers’ much-maligned defense wound up putting forth its fourth respectable performance in LSU’s last five games under embattled coordinator Bo Pelini, the exception being a 55-17 loss to Alabama. Johnson could very well be a front-runner to start at QB next season after winning his only two starts this season in dramatic fashion. Kicker Cade York, who kicked a winning 57-yarder in the fog at Florida, kicked four field goals, including a 50 yarder in the rain late in the third quarter.

UP NEXT

Ole Miss: The Rebels await a potential bowl bid after completing their regular season.

LSU: The Tigers are done for the season, having already announced a self-imposed bowl ban this year in an effort to cooperate with an NCAA probe of past recruiting violations.