Jonathan Mingo had a school-record 247 receiving yards and reeled in two of Jaxson Dart’s three touchdown passes to lift No. 9 Ole Miss to a 52-28 victory over host Vanderbilt on Saturday in Nashville, Tenn.
Dart completed 25 of 32 attempts for 448 yards, and Mingo eclipsed the previous receiving yards record of 238 held by current New York Jets wide receiver Elijah Moore.
Quinshon Judkins rushed for two touchdowns, Zach Evans and Matt Jones each had one, and Jordan Watkins added a receiving score for the Rebels (6-0, 2-0 Southeastern Conference), who have won their first six games of a season for the first time since 2014.
Vanderbilt’s AJ Swann completed 27 of 38 passes for 281 yards and two touchdowns. Jayden McGowan had seven catches for 104 yards and a touchdown, and Will Sheppard added nine receptions for 87 yards for the Commodores (3-3, 0-2).
Ole Miss overcame an early 10-point deficit by scoring a touchdown on its next four possessions.
Watkins came out of the backfield, caught a pass over the middle and bolted for the end zone to trim Vanderbilt’s lead to 13-10.
The Commodores’ Ray Davis bulled his way in from 5 yards to cap a 15-play, 75-yard drive before Judkins countered by scoring from 2 yards out just before halftime.
Evans raced around left end and avoided an attempted tackle before scoring from 24 yards out to give the Rebels a 24-20 lead.
Swann’s attempted backward pass resulted in a fumble, and Ole Miss made Vanderbilt pay on the next snap as Judkins scored from 6 yards out for his eighth rushing touchdown of the season.
The Commodores went three-and-out on their next possession and Dart connected with Mingo on 71- and 72-yard touchdown passes to stake the Rebels to a 45-20 advantage. Mingo’s first touchdown reception came after he gained a step over the top of the defense, while his second score was off a screen.
Sheppard reeled in a 9-yard touchdown for his team-leading eighth touchdown reception of the season.
The teams traded field goals in the first quarter before McGowan reeled in a short pass from Swann and scampered down the left sideline. McGowan just broke the goal line to cap a seven-play, 68-yard drive and stake the Commodores to a 10-3 lead with 13:35 left in the second quarter.
–Field Level Media
