Jaxson Dart threw four touchdown passes and Ulysses Bentley IV ran for a pair of scores as No. 14 Mississippi overwhelmed Duke in a 52-20 Gator Bowl romp Thursday night in Jacksonville, Fla.
Coach Lane Kiffin, who expressed his displeasure regarding the College Football Playoff selections, had his team out to prove a point. The Rebels were clicking for much of the game, and they held Duke’s revamped offense in check.
Dart, who’s expected to declare for the NFL draft, made a good final impression as a college player by completing 27 of 35 passes for 404 yards, including a 69-yarder to Jordan Watkins for a touchdown with 1:27 left.
Watkins caught two touchdown passes and Dae’Quan Wright and Antwane Wells Jr. each had one for Ole Miss (10-3), which won five of its last six games. Jordan Watkins was the team’s top receiver with seven receptions for 180 yards.
Duke (9-4), playing under first-year coach Manny Diaz and appearing in the Gator Bowl for the first time, turned to quarterback Henry Belin IV as the starter. Maalik Murphy had departed via the transfer portal and Grayson Loftis, who was the quarterback for Duke’s 2023 bowl victory, also exited for the transfer portal.
Belin was 25 of 44 for 236 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Sahmir Hagans posted the game’s last points on a 99-yard kickoff return.
The Blue Devils were also without running back Star Thomas, who rushed for 871 yards during the regular season before entering the transfer portal.
Duke’s Terry Moore snatched his fourth interception of the season, making a 59-yard return after picking off kicker Caden Davis’ pass on a failed fake to end the game’s opening possession.
But Ole Miss stopped Duke on fourth down on the other side of the field. The Rebels needed just four plays to go 68 yards for the game’s first points on Dart’s 32-yard pass play to Wells.
Duke had a total of 36 yards on 11 first-quarter plays. But trailing 17-0, the Blue Devils marched 75 yards on eight plays to score on Belin’s 16-yard pass to Javon Harvey.
The Rebels scored with 1:52 left in the half on Dart’s 21-yard pass to Wright for a 24-7 halftime lead.
The second-half scoring began on Isaiah Hamilton’s 50-yard interception return for a touchdown as Ole Miss led 31-7.
–Field Level Media
