Commodore Time Machine - Ole Miss Series

by Barca Blog - Less than 1,200 tickets remain for Saturday’s SEC tilt with Ole Miss (click to purchase). If you haven’t been to the games in this series during the Bobby Johnson era, then odds are you’re in for an exciting finish, so reserve your seats today!

“It probably is (one of our best rivalries),” Johnson said. “It’s always pretty close. Some controversial things have happened and some crazy things have happened. It’s a good one to see. I hope everybody comes out and enjoys the game.”

Johnson is 3-4 against Ole Miss, taking three of the last four meetings. The margin of victory in the six of the seven games is 8 points or less. Let’s look back at some of the pivotal moments from those games:

2008 – Vanderbilt 23, Ole Miss 17 in Oxford
Chris Marve’s game-saving strip of Dexter McCluster on the two-yard line in the final minutes preserved the win.

2007 – Vanderbilt 31, Ole Miss 17 in Nashville
VU broke open a 14-10 lead by outscoring the Rebels 17-7 in the final quarter.

2006 – Ole Miss 17, Vanderbilt 10 in Oxford
The Commodores outgained the Rebels in total offense, 400-179, but were done in by five turnovers. VU had a chance to tie the game in the closing seconds, but Mackenzi Adams’ pass was intercepted at the OM nine-yard line.

2005 - Vanderbilt 31, Ole Miss 23 in Nashville
Ole Miss drove to the VU 15 on their final drive, but Moses Osemwegie sacked Robert Lane and recovered his fumble to seal the victory. The Commodores were up 24-3 at one point but the Rebels roared back with 20 unanswered points.

2004 – Ole Miss 26, Vanderbilt 23 (OT) in OxfordThe Commodores couldn’t hold on to a 23-13 lead in the fourth quarter and eventually fell in overtime. Two plays shifted the momentum: Matthew Tant’s 66-yard TD run was called back in the third quarter... and then the no-call when Jay Cutler’s facemask was pulled on fourth and four at the OM 30, causing him to come up one yard short. VU was up 23-20 with six minutes remaining at the time.

2003 – Ole Miss 24, Vanderbilt 21 in Nashville
Vanderbilt led 21-14 in the fourth quarter, but Jonathan Nichols’ 54-yard field goal with 3:52 left capped off 10 unanswered points by the Rebels to edge the ‘Dores.

2002 – Ole Miss 45, Vanderbilt 38 in Oxford
Vanderbilt fought back from a 21-point fourth quarter deficit to pull even with the Ole Miss, only to witness the Rebels score a clinching TD in the closing minutes. Kwane Doster had one of the finest games in VU history with 344 yards in total offense.