Vanderbilt beats Ole Miss in overtime

Published 11:29 pm Saturday, November 17, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Kyle Shurmur hit Kalija Lipscomb with a 5-yard touchdown pass in overtime, and the Vanderbilt Commodores edged Ole Miss 36-29 Saturday night to keep their bowl hopes alive for another week.

Vandy scored first in overtime, and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Lipscomb for tossing the ball in the air after his TD gave Ole Miss the ball at the 12. Three plays later, a replay review overturned Jordan Ta’amu’s 8-yard TD pass to A.J. Brown, ruling that Brown did not maintain possession on a rolling one-handed grab in the end zone.

On fourth down, Joejuan Williams helped break up the throw to DaMarkus Lodge at the left pylon.

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Vanderbilt (5-6, 2-5 Southeastern Conference) trailed 13-0 early in the second quarter and rallied by scoring 19 straight points to beat Ole Miss for the second time in three years. The game featured three ties in the second half, and Luke Logan’s fifth field goal from 32 yards with 40 seconds left for Ole Miss set up overtime.

Now the Commodores will have a chance to earn their second bowl berth in three seasons if they can beat in-state rival Tennessee in the regular-season finale. Ole Miss (5-6, 1-6), which is not eligible for a bowl because of NCAA sanctions, will face Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl on Thursday night at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

Shurmur’s game-winning TD was his third of the game and set Vandy’s career record with 60 passing Jay Cutler.

Ke’Shawn Vaughn ran for 127 yards and a TD. Williams and LaDarius Wiley each had an interception in the fourth quarter, and Dayo Odeyingbo had two of Vanderbilt’s three sacks.

Ole Miss lost its fourth straight despite outgaining Vandy 578-387 in total offense. Ta’amu had a career-high 457 yards passing and two TDs, and Brown finished with a season-high 212 yards and a TD.

Ole Miss appeared in total control after Brown took a pass 84 yards for a TD and a 13-0 lead. At that point, Ole Miss had outgained Vandy 271-73.

Max Worship blocked a Mac Brown punt through the end zone for a safety, and the Commodores drove 53 yards off the following kick. Shurmur hit Lipscomb with a 2-yard TD pass with 62 seconds left in the first half to pull Vandy within 13-12. Vaughn capped the opening drive of the third quarter with a 1-yard TD run for Vandy’s first lead of the game at 19-13.