Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart cemented his legacy as one of the best ever to wear a Rebel uniform as the Rebels dispatched the Duke Blue Devils 52-20 in the 80th TaxSlayer Gator Bowl in Jacksonville.
By the end of the first half, Dart would become the single-season passing leader, breaking the record of 4,042 held by Chad Kelly, and he also broke the record for single-season total offense, a record also held by Kelly.
This was the Jaxson Dart Game. The Gator Bowl MVP would finish 27 of 35 for 404 yards and four touchdowns. It was also a good night on the ground as well with 43 yards on 12 carries.
“I told my mom I was going to leave it all on the field and I did,” Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart.
Ideally, Ole Miss wanted to be in the College Football Playoffs but losses to Kentucky, LSU and Florida would alleviate any chance of that happening.
“They wanted to make a statement to the ACC, who had two teams in the playoff,” Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin.
One major bright spot for the Rebels is wide receiver Caden Lee. The sophomore from Kennesaw, GA would finish with eight catches for 57 yards. He was just one of the eight Rebels that would catch a pass on the night.
The Ole Miss defense, a group that played superbly this season, limited the Blue Devils to 44 rushing yards in a dominating fashion. Playing without its top tackler in, Chris Paul, who opted out of the game in preparation for the NFL Draft, Ole Miss limited backup Duke QB Henry Belin IV to 236 yards through the air, many of those coming late in the game. The Blue Devils starting QB Maalik Murphy threw for just under 3,000 yards this season but opted out of the game and entered the transfer portal.
Throw in a pick six by Ole Miss cornerback Isaiah Hamilton and it was a banner night for the Pete Golding led defense.
DOUBLE DIGIT WINS UNDER LANE KIFFIN
With the win tonight, Ole Miss finished the season 10-3. During the last four seasons, Ole Miss has won 10 or more games three out of the last four seasons. Each of the four seasons ended in Sugar Bowl, Texas Bowl, Peach Bowl and Gator Bowl berths.
GAME BALLS
Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart: In true Dart fashion, breaking records is what Dart will be remembered for in the Gator Bowl. While he was masterful through the air, it was on the ground where he would flourish. Dart would finish with 43 yards, and many of those were after contact.
Ole Miss DB Trey Washington: It was a big night for the senior safety from Trussville, Ala. Washington would finish with 10 tackles, leading the team.
Ole Miss RB Ulysses Bentley: What has been a big topic of discussion this season, Bentley never wavered and had a big night. Bentley finished with 70 yards on 14 carries and would finish with two touchdowns.
UP NEXT:
With the 2024 season coming to a close, which is, in many ways, a disappointing one, the Rebels will now turn their attention to the transfer portal and recruiting. Ole Miss is currently ranked 21st in the country with its recent high school class. Throw in the fact the Rebels are currently third in the nation; the efforts on the recruiting trail are going very well. What may be the biggest area of emphasis will be recruiting the current players on the roster and keeping them out of the transfer portal.