Oct. 26, 2012

FRIDAY FLASHBACK rewinds to some of the memorable Ole Miss games from this week's all-time series. This week features the Rebels' 14-12 win over Arkansas in 1958. Ole Miss stayed undefeated at 6-0 after that game and went on to finish the year 9-2 and claim a Gator Bowl victory over Florida.

Rebels edge Hogs to stay unbeaten

By Robert Fulton
The Clarion-Ledger

October 26, 1958

WAR MEMORIAL STADIUM, Little Rock - Escaping another Arkansas-style upset by the skin of their collective teeth, the undefeated Ole Miss Rebels cracked the Razorbacks’ annual jinx and defeated the upset-minded Porkers 14-12 in a thrilling jaw-to-jaw football duel before 38,000 frenzied spectators here Saturday afternoon.

Rebel fans got a terrific scare in the fourth period when Bobby Franklin, No. 1 quarterback, was shaken up on the field and left via stretcher for the hospital.

It was announced in the press conference that Franklin, the SEC’s offensive leader going into the game with the Porkers, had suffered several broken ribs and possible internal injuries. But, that was incorrect and Franklin will be ready to go full steam against LSU in Baton Rouge Saturday night.

Wesley (Doc) Knight, veteran trainer for the Rebels, said from Oxford Saturday night after the team arrived home, that Franklin returned with the team and was OK except being sore.

“We sent him to the hospital as a precautionary measure, but after X-Rays and a thorough examination, he was pronounced not injured and will be on the field Monday,” Knight said. He added that none of the other Rebels suffered any serious injuries and all would be ready Saturday night.

The Gallant Razorbacks of the Rebel-hating Coach Frank Broyles, underdogs by some 16 ½ points at game time, matched the nation’s sixth-ranked team in touchdowns and fell one shy of them in first downs, but just could not come up with the extra points.

Khayat Kicks

The priceless toe of tackle Robert Khayat proved to be the winning factor. The Moss Point kicking specialist booted both Ole Miss points after touchdown.

Franklin scored both Rebel touchdowns, the first coming on a keeper play around the right end from seven yards out in the first quarter and the other on a similar keeper around the right side midway the second period. His second goalward trip came from four yards out to climax a 75-yard drive.

Larry Grantham, a terror on offense and defense all afternoon, had recovered a Porker fumble on the Arkansas 24 to set up the first tally.

Left halfback Jim Mooty scored both Arkansas touchdowns and harassed the Rebels to no end with 120 yards gained on 14 carries. Mooty crashed through the right tackle for 23 yards and a touchdown early in the second quarter to put the Razorbacks to within a point at 7-6.

Mooty’s other six-pointer came at the end of a 75-yard Porker drive with less than five minutes left in the game. He bolted through the right tackle from the 10.

Fullbacks Charlie Flowers and Jimmy “Hoss” Anderson and halfback Kent Lovelace teamed with quarterback Billy Brewer to ground out 18 Ole Miss first downs to 17 for the Porkers. The Rebels gained 256 yards on the ground to 237 for the Porkers.

Brewer, end Jerry Daniels, Bull Churchwell, Rudolph Smith and Grantham were the anchormen on the Rebel defense.

Flowers led the Rebels offensively with 51 yards on 13 carries; Brewer had 41 on just 7 tries; Anderson 44 on eight attempts; Lovelace 43 on 11; and Franklin 47 on nine carries.

Arkansas won the toss and kicked with a 13 MPH wind at its back, but Ole Miss could get nowhere on three tries from scrimmage and punted from midfield. The Razorbacks tried three plays, and on the third, Mooty fumbled a pitch out and Grantham pounced on the ball like a tiger, giving the Rebels control at the Razorback 24.

Lovelace and Flowers got six yards to the 18 and Franklin picked up the first down at the 13 on a keeper left. Flowers got six more to the six and next play, Franklin rolled out to his right, cut in sharply and bolted into the end zone for the score.

Drives Halted

Khayat’s golden toe was called upon for the extra point. It was good for a 7-0 Rebel lead with 9:34 left in the first quarter.

The Rebels had two other drives during the rest of the quarter, but Arkansas dug in and stopped one surge on its 33 and another on the 25.

Late in the quarter, Arkansas quick-kicked to Ole Miss and the Rebs began trying for running room at their 25. Franklin gambled with a 4th and 12 pass to Warren Jenkins. It was complete to the 30, but fell short of the first down and Arkansas took over.

The Razorbacks quickly cashed in on the Rebels’ generosity when on the second play from scrimmage, Mooty blitzed through a hole in right and breezed 23 yards into the end zone.

Don Horton’s kick for the point was low and away, but the Razorbacks were back in the ball game, momentarily, at least.

Not for long, however, as the Rebels began a goalward march from their own 25. Franklin passed to Jenkins for one key play that netted a first down at the Ole Miss 42. Cowboy Woodruff, Lovelace and Franklin moved the ball to the Arkansas 35 and Flowers picked up a first down on the 34. Franklin hit Lovelace with a pass to the 38 and on a key play, Franklin skirted left end on a 17-yard gain to the 11.

Flowers drove to the four, and then Franklin dashed around right end on a rollout keeper for the touchdown behind a key block by Flowers. Khayat’s kick made it 14-6, Ole Miss, and the Rebs maintained this advantage through the halftime break.

Broyles must have said something electrifying during the halftime break for his Razorbacks came on the field for the 3rd quarter a different ball club. The Porkers had been winless in five other tries this year, and they tore loose in the second half like they were counting on this game to make up for all the past frustrations.

Porkers on Rampage

With Mike Cooney pulling the switches at quarterback and that flashy Mooty supplying the power, the Porkers took the second half kick off and drove 54 yards to the Ole Miss 25. However, the Rebel defense dug in. Daniels stopped Don Ritschiel for a three-yard loss on a key play. Then a fourth and three pass that fell incomplete saved the Rebels’ eight-point lead for the time being.

Ole Miss drove from its 25 to the Arkansas 21 before the Porkers did a little digging in of their own to halt the march at the 21. Khayat tried a field goal from the 25, but it felt way short.

Taking over at the 25, the Porkers drove hard, picking up four consecutive first downs to the Ole Miss 24, Robert Own smeared Mooty, for a three-yard loss and a Cooney pass fell incomplete and the Rebs were saved again.

Neither team could generate much offense until the middle of the final period when Mooty returned a Brewer kick to the Razorback 25. The Porkers seemed united by a sudden burst of fire as they began building and passing their way up field.

74-Yard Drive

They drove 74 yards to Paydirt with three passes from quarterback Jim Monroe paving the way. A fourth Monroe completion to Richard Bell gave the Porkers a first down on the Rebel 29.

Four line plunges picked up 19 more yards to the 10. Then Monroe faked a hand off to Stone on an inside belly play and gave to Mooty. The 172-pound El Dorado speedster tore through a gaping hole at the right tackle and dented striped land to put the Razorbacks right at the Rebels throats.

Tension mounted as the Porkers lined up to run for the two points and tie the game. Monroe took the snap, but Billy Templeton rushed him hard. In desperation, Monroe saw Mooty in the clear in the left flat, but with Templeton pressing down, he had to throw quick and the ball was slightly out of Mooty’s grasp.

The Porkers tried an onside kick, and it was on this play that Franklin was injured and carried away. The Porkers gained control again with less than three minutes left, and began passing like crazy, but couldn’t connect enough to threaten.