Record crowd watches Ole Miss thrash Pitt 38-17 in BBVA Compass - ABC 33/40 - Birmingham News, Weather, Sports
Member Center:
Hugh Freeze has revitalized an Ole Miss football program one year removed from a 2-10 season. (abc3340.com)
Ole Miss players celebrate a 10-yard touchdown catch by Vince Sanders in the first half of Saturday's BBVA Compass Bowl. (abc3340.com)
Ole Miss fans turned out in droves to Legion Field on Saturday. A bowl record 59,135 were in attendance for 2013 BBVA Compass Bowl. (abc3340.co
Ole Miss receiver Ja-Mes Logan celebrates a first quarter touchdown catch against Pittsburgh on Saturday. (abc3340.com)A record bowl crowd of 59,135 witnessed the Ole Miss Rebels crush Pittsburgh, 38-17, in the 2013 BBVA Compass Bowl at Legion Field on Saturday.
Rebels quarterback Bo Wallace tossed three touchdown passes to three different receivers in the win, helping his team cap off a 7-6 season under first-year head coach Hugh Freeze. The junior college transfer finished 22-32 passing for 151 yards.
Three different Rebels receivers caught touchdown passes from Wallace including Ja-Mess Logan's 13-yard catch early in the first quarter for the game's first touchdown.
Receivers Vince Sanders and Randall Mackey also scored in the game for Ole Miss.
Freeze's hurry-up offense managed to run a staggering 86 plays in the game, 49 of which came on the ground, and they racked up 387 total yards. Seven different Ole Miss players recorded carries in the game with freshman I'Tavius Mathers leading all rushers with 96 yards and a touchdown on just six attempts.
Pittsburgh struggled on offense without their star running back Ray Graham, who watched from the sidelines with a hamstring injury. The Panthers were held to 266 total yards of offense, and rushed for just 88 in the loss.
Panthers quarterback Tino Sunseri went 16-32 in the air, throwing two touchdowns and an interception. Devin Street led all receivers with seven catches for 83 yards and a touchdown.
Freeze, who was hired at Ole Miss on December 5, 2011 after two seasons as the Arkansas State head coach, has revitalized an Ole Miss football program that was on its death bed after going 2-10, 0-8 in the SEC in 2011 under Houston Nutt.
Freeze's successful inaugural season included wins over Auburn, Arkansas and in-state rival Mississippi State, who they dismantled at home 41-24 in their regular season finale.
| PITT | MISS | |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Downs | 17 | 23 |
| Total Yards | 266 | 387 |
| Passing | 185 | 163 |
| Rushing | 81 | 224 |
| Penalties | 3-26 | 8-66 |
| 3rd Down Conversions | 4-16 | 9-20 |
| 4th Down Conversions | 0-2 | 3-3 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 2 |
| Possession | 28:36 | 31:24 |
| Pittsburgh | C/ATT | YDS | AVG | TD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunseri | 16/32 | 185 | 5.8 | 2 | 1 |
| Ole Miss | C/ATT | YDS | AVG | TD | INT |
| Wallace | 22/32 | 151 | 4.7 | 3 | 2 |
| Pittsburgh | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shell | 25 | 79 | 3.2 | 0 | 14 |
| Crockett | 5 | 18 | 3.6 | 0 | 10 |
| Ole Miss | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
| Mathers | 6 | 96 | 16.0 | 1 | 62 |
| Walton | 10 | 56 | 5.6 | 0 | 16 |
| Pittsburgh | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Street | 7 | 83 | 11.9 | 1 | 22 |
| Shanahan | 4 | 57 | 14.3 | 1 | 20 |
| Ole Miss | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LG |
| Sanders | 5 | 39 | 7.8 | 1 | 18 |
| Logan | 6 | 36 | 6.0 | 1 | 14 |
| FIRST QUARTER | PITT | MISS | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
TD | 10:18 | Ja-Mes Logan 14 Yd Pass From Bo Wallace (Bryson Rose Kick) | 0 | 7 |
|
TD | 05:22 | Randall Mackey 27 Yd Pass From Bo Wallace (Bryson Rose Kick) | 0 | 14 |
| SECOND QUARTER | PITT | MISS | |||
 |
TD | 07:13 | Devin Street 10 Yd Pass From Tino Sunseri (Kevin Harper Kick) | 7 | 14 |
|
TD | 06:02 | Vince Sanders 18 Yd Pass From Bo Wallace (Bryson Rose Kick) | 7 | 21 |
|
FG | 01:58 | Kevin Harper 47 Yd | 10 | 21 |
|
FG | 00:00 | Bryson Rose 31 Yd | 10 | 24 |
| THIRD QUARTER | PITT | MISS | |||
|
TD | 00:21 | Barry Brunetti 1 Yd Run (Bryson Rose Kick) | 10 | 31 |
| FOURTH QUARTER | PITT | MISS | |||
|
TD | 08:48 | I'Tavius Mathers 62 Yd Run (Bryson Rose Kick) | 10 | 38 |
|
TD | 02:23 | Mike Shanahan 16 Yd Pass From Tino Sunseri (Kevin Harper Kick) | 17 | 38 |
 | 
|
