Ole Miss football earns mostly B's except for special teams in victory over Auburn
AUBURN, Ala. — For the first time since 1951-52, Ole Miss football has secured wins over Auburn in back-to-back seasons.
The Rebels completed a 28-21 victory over the Tigers (3-4, 0-4 SEC) on Saturday night, securing the first SEC road win of the season for Ole Miss (6-1, 3-1).
Here's how we graded the effort.
Offense: B
The middle of the game was not pretty for the Rebels, who did not score in the second quarter or the first 14 minutes of the third. But the timing of the production doesn't matter as long as the production comes.
Quarterback Jaxson Dart showcased the dual-threat ability that makes him special. And Quinshon Judkins, from nearby Pike Road, topped the 100-yard rushing mark for the second time this season.
Defense: B+
The Ole Miss defense was stifling for extended portions. The Rebels were disciplined in their scheme against Auburn's mobile quarterbacks. They managed well when they didn't have the field position upper hand. And they kept the Tigers off the board while the offense spent the better part of 30 minutes sorting itself out.
It's worth remembering that Auburn entered the game as the SEC's worst offense. But Ole Miss' defense made impact plays nonetheless.
Special teams: F
Ole Miss' special teams unit was a disaster. The Rebels took three points off the board when they couldn't get a hold down on a chip-shot field goal in the first half. They shanked a punt that netted them only five yards. And Dayton Wade only narrowly avoided another mishap when Ole Miss managed to fall on his muffed punt.
The Rebels don't need their special teams unit to win them games, but they need it to avoid mistakes. That did not happen.
Coaching: B+
You'd like to see Ole Miss clean up the penalties and come up with a solution to the third down problem that has plagued the Rebels plenty this season. But road SEC victories are valuable currency.
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Overall: B+
Ole Miss was not perfect, but it did not have to be. The Rebels were explosive in spurts on offense. Defensively, they were in total control. Despite the special teams shortcomings, a rare Ole Miss win at Jordan-Hare Stadium deserves a strong grade.
David Eckert covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at deckert@gannett.com or reach him on Twitter @davideckert98.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Ole Miss football earns mostly B's except for special teams vs Auburn
