University of Memphis Athletics
University of Memphis
Mississippi
Football Falls To Mississippi, 38-16
Sep 07, 2002 | Football
Sept 7, 2002
By JASON STRAZIUSO
Associated Press Writer
OXFORD, Miss. (AP) - Eli Manning shook off another slow start to throw for three touchdowns and 174 yards, and Robert Williams rushed for 107 yards to lead Mississippi to a 38-16 win over Memphis on Saturday.
Mississippi (2-0) has won nine of the last 11 meetings with the Tigers.
Memphis (1-1) pulled within 24-16 in the fourth quarter, but Ole Miss scored on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Manning to Vashon Pearson and on Jason Armstead's 62-yard punt return to put the game away.
Tigers quarterback Danny Wimprine finished the game 20-of-38 for 271 yards. He threw two touchdowns - both 50-yarders to Antoine Harden, who finished with 119 yards receiving.
Manning, who started 0-for-5 against Louisiana-Monroe last week, completed his first pass for 13 yards, but then threw seven straight incompletions.
Midway through the second quarter, he still was off, and two straight drives inside the 25 ended when Jonathan Nichols missed field goals. Manning was 6-of-18 at one point, and both of his throws into the end zone landed incomplete.
But Manning finished the half with two straight touchdowns. A 20-yard pass to Bill Flowers put Ole Miss up 10-7 with 2:33 left in the half. One drive later Manning found Chris Collins for a 10-yard strike to go up 17-3 just before half.
Manning finished 14-of-30 with no interceptions.
Ole Miss shut down Memphis' ground game, holding the Tigers to 18 yards on 20 carries. Dante Brown ran for 40 yards on 10 carries, but Wimprine was credited with minus 23 yards rushing.
Mississippi totaled 388 yards of offense to 289 yards for Memphis.
Wimprine hit Harden for a 50-yard TD for the second time in the game late in the third quarter, and a 30-yard field goal by Stephen Gostkowski pulled Memphis within 24-16 before Ole Miss put the game away.
Mississippi could have won by a greater margin, but after making his first field goal attempt in the second quarter, Nichols missed his next three, from 39, 20 and 36 yards.
Memphis got on the board first in the opening quarter after Wimprine found Harden for their first 50-yard connection. But Ole Miss came back with Manning's two TD throws. Ole Miss held a 17-7 halftime lead.
Manning extended his school-record touchdown pass streak to 14 Saturday. Armstead's 157 punt return yards broke a 55-year-old school record.
