Rebels rock the Tide

Published 12:45 am Sunday, September 20, 2015

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Chad Kelly completed a deflected 66-yard touchdown pass and added two more long ones in the fourth quarter to help No. 15 Ole Miss beat No. 2 Alabama 43-37 on Saturday night.

The Rebels (3-0, 1-0 Southeastern Conference) left the topsy-turvy game with their first victory in Bryant-Denny Stadium since 1988, and second straight in a one-sided series. The Crimson Tide (2-1, 0-1) had been 25-1 in Tuscaloosa against Ole Miss and had never lost two straight.

Ole Miss led by 20 points early in the third quarter, and by 19 in the fourth, but had to hang on for dear life down the stretch.

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Derrick Henry scored on a 2-yard run and Jake Coker threw a 4-yard TD pass to Richard Mullaney to cut it to 43-37 with 4:33 left.

The Rebels made two final defensive stands, the first when Tony Bridges intercepted a deep ball from Coker, who came off the bench to lead a comeback from a 30-10 deficit.

Kelly delivered big play after big play after an ineffective first half, none wilder than a fling and a prayer in the third quarter, a 66-yard deflection caught by Quincy Adeboyejo for a touchdown.

Kelly finished with 341 yards and three touchdowns on 18-of-33 passing. Cody Core caught four passes for 123 yards and a TD.