Football Season Tickets
Ole Miss Stuns No. 4 Florida In The Swamp
Courtesy: Associated Press
          Release: 09/27/2008
Files available Photo Album Send this article to a friend Print RSS
Share |
Complete Game Book (PDF) Complete Game Book (PDF)

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) - Houston Nutt needed just five games to get a signature win at Ole Miss.

Jevan Snead threw two touchdown passes, ran for another score and led the Rebels to a stunning 31-30 victory at No. 4 Florida on Saturday.

Snead outplayed last year's Heisman Trophy winner,and he did it in The Swamp, where Florida (3-1, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) had won 21 of its last 22 games.

The victory came in Snead's fifth career start and gave Nutt a huge win in his first season with Ole Miss (3-2, 1-1).

Snead was 9-of-20 passing for 185 yards, not great numbers, but he made plays when the Rebels needed them. His biggest was an 86-yard touchdown pass to Shay Hodge that put the Rebels ahead 31-24 with 5:26 to play.

Tim Tebow brought the Gators back, driving them 78 yards in about 2 minutes, but the game-tying extra point was blocked by defensive lineman Kentrell Lockett. Florida coach Urban Meyer argued that Lockett illegally jumped over the offensive line, but the officials did not agree.

Florida forced a punt and had one more chance, but Tebow was stuffed for no gain on fourth-and-1 at the Ole Miss 32-yard line.

Snead took a couple of knees from there, running out the clock and setting off a raucous celebration in and around the small section of Ole Miss who made the trip.

Tebow was 24-of-38 passing for 319 yards and a touchdown. He ran 15 times for 7 yards and two scores, a far cry from the 166 yards he had in Oxford last season.

He also misfired on several long passes and underthrew one in the end zone. And on his lone TD toss to Percy Harvin, it came on a deflected pass that Kendrick Lewis nearly intercepted.

Florida's biggest problem was three turnovers and a miserable third quarter that might go down as the worst 15 minutes in the Meyer era.

Leading 17-7, Harvin fumbled on the second play of the third. Ole Miss turned it into a field goal. Tebow fumbled on the next play, and Snead found Cordera Eason on a perfectly called screen pass for an 18-yard touchdown. Eason leapt over Markihe Anderson at the 5 and rolled into the end zone to tie the game.

It got worse for the Gators, too.

Tebow, under heavy pressure all day long, just couldn't find a rhythm. Ole Miss did. Dexter McCluster, who lined up countless times in the "Wild Rebel'' formation made famous by Darren McFadden under Nutt at Arkansas, busted through the line and rambled 40 yards for a touchdown that made it 24-17.

The Gators regrouped in the fourth - Tebow even tied it with a short run early in the quarter - but the defensive collapse on the long pass play and the blocked extra point turned out to be the difference.

Harvin ran 10 times for 82 yards and a touchdown, and had 13 receptions for 186 yards and a score. But he also fumbled three times, losing one of them. Tight end Aaron Hernandez also fumbled for Florida, which lost an SEC home opener for just the second time in 20 years.

Rebel Hub
Sat, Sep. 04
Football
 Jacksonville State
2:30 PM
Sat, Sep. 11
Football
@ Tulane
8:00 PM
Sat, Sep. 18
Football
 Vanderbilt
11:21 AM
Sat, Sep. 25
Football
 Fresno State
TBA
Sat, Oct. 02
Football
 Kentucky
TBA
Sat, Oct. 16
Football
@ Alabama
TBA
Sat, Oct. 23
Football
@ Arkansas
TBA
Sat, Oct. 30
Football
 Auburn
TBA
Sat, Nov. 06
Football
 Louisiana-Lafayette (HC)
TBA
Sat, Nov. 13
Football
@ Tennessee
TBA
Sat, Nov. 20
Football
@ LSU
TBA
Sat, Nov. 27
Football
 Mississippi State
TBA
Schedule  |  Results
Rebel Marketplace
Official Multimedia Shop
Auctions
Publications and Poster Store
More on OleMissSports.com
Rebels' official blog provides news & nuggets across the...
The 2009-10 athletics season was a remarkable one for the Rebels.
Rebel men ranked No. 1 in the West in the SEC All-Sports rankings.
Thirteen Rebels have been selected in an NBA (or ABA) draft.
The review is taken from the spring media guide, available now.
Rangel & Daniels are helping lead the search for a new mascot.
Danny White is the Executive Director of the UMAA Foundation.
Ole Miss has debuted brand new high definition live video.
Ole Miss Athletics took part to make Special Olympics an exciting...
The Rebels took part in the Challenger Basketball League.
Ole Miss looks back with pride on Reed, Ball and Williams.
Another great signing class has Rebels poised to continue rise.
A.D. Pete Boone recently toured Nike's Asian facilities.
David Well serves as the Senior Associate AD for Compliance.
Video and info on the UMAAF's leadership fundraising entity.
The $13 million, 51,000-square-foot Basketball Practice Facility is...
Rebels visit Children's Medical Center to spread cheer and...
Rebels give a 9-year-old cancer patient a day to remember.
Karen Schiferl serves as the Senior Associate AD for Academic...
Lynnette Johnson serves as the Executive Associate AD/SWA.
Pete Boone is providing insight into Ole Miss' academic...
Derek Horne serves as Senior Associate AD for External Affairs.
Rodney Scott is drawing praise for his sportsmanship and awareness...
Jimmy Lear helped put Ole Miss football on the national map.
Shannon Singletary oversees Ole Miss' Sports Medicine and...
Ole Miss has launched its official Twitter site, OleMissNow.
Ole Miss concluded a successful and historic 2008-09 season of...