The LSU Tigers rallied from a 17-point halftime deficit to tie the game in the fourth quarter, but the Ole Miss Rebels answered with a touchdown and won 32-24 Saturday night in Oxford, Miss.
After Ole Miss took the lead with 5:07 to play, LSU drove to a first-and-goal at the 10. But the Rebels intercepted a pass in the end zone on fourth-and-6 with 58 seconds left and ran out the clock.
The game marked the much-anticipated return of Lane Kiffin, who was Ole Miss’ head coach for six seasons. LSU hired Kiffin as its head coach after he guided the Rebels to an 11-1 record and a playoff berth last season.
The game was also the SEC opener for both teams. It was also the first time in 64 years that both teams came into the game ranked in top 10 in the nation.
LSU (2-1) is No. 7 in the coaches poll and AP Top 25. Ole Miss (3-0) is No. 8 in both.
In the first half it looked like the game wasn’t going t live up to the hype. Ole Miss dominated and led 24-7.
In what may have been the game’s biggest play, Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss completed a 20-yard touchdown pass to Deuce Alexander with 5 seconds left in the half. That came after the Tigers scored their first touchdown of the game,.
“I’m proud of the way our guys battled back,” Kiffin said. “To be down like that at half and score and let them go down and score and then come back and go on a 17-0 run, that’s really good. But at the end we didn’t finish, couldn’t finish on defense and stop them, let them go down and score, and on offense we moved down and then stalled there at the end with the critical false start too that moves us back.”
LSU stormed back in the second half. Trailing 24-21, the Tigers drove to a first down at the Ole Miss 11. But they had to settle for a Scott Starzk 23-yard field goal, which tied the game at 24 with 11:24 left in the game.
Ole Miss then drove 74 yards in 13 plays for the go-ahead touchdown on a 14-yard run by Chambliss. LSU jumped offside on the PAT attempt and the Rebels’ JT Lindsey scored the two-point conversion.
“All week my biggest fear every minute was when the game’s at the end and Trindad had the ball in his hand,” Kiffin said. “And the guy made a lot of plays during the game and did a great job. And that’s why I said he’s the hardest player to play in America. He showed up great today kind of like the Miami game (last season) … He took over.”
LSU wasn’t done after Chambliss’ TD. The Tigers drove 59 yards in 10 plays to a first-and-goal at the Ole Miss 10. But on fourth-and-6, Jaylon Braxton intercepted a pass in the end zone.
Leavitt was pressured throughout the game. He completed 16-of-27 passes for just 158 yards and one touchdown with one interception.
Chambliss completed 33-of-48 passes for 363 yards and two touchdowns with one interception.
That interception by Ja’Keem Jackson with a return to the Rebels 33 early in the third quarter sparked the Tigers’ comeback. LSU scored in six plays on a 4-yard run by Leavitt.
After Ole Miss missed a field goal, the Tigers got within 3 on a 64-yard, seven-play drive. Leavitt passed 26 yards to Winston Watkins Jr. on third-and-13 for the TD.
LSU then forced a punt and went 57 yards to the tying field goal.
Ole Miss outgained LSU 426-330. The Tigers had 176 yards rushing to just .63 for the Rebels.
Dilin Jones led LSU in rushing with 106 yards on 23 carries. He scored one touchdown. Leavitt rushed for 63 yards on 17 carries.
Trey’Dez Green, who was injured late in the game, caught four passes for 60 yards. Watkins had three catches for 54 yards.
Traylor Ray led Ole Miss receivers with seven catches for 112 yards and a touchdown. Caleb Odom had five for 88 and Alexander had seven for 60.
Kewan Lacy had a team-high 43 yards on on nine carries.