Ole Miss marches past Oklahoma State in 48-20 Sugar Bowl win

NEW ORLEANS – Chad Kelly threw for 302 yards and four touchdowns — three to Laquon Treadwell — and No. 16 Mississippi beat No. 13 Oklahoma State 48-20 in the Sugar Bowl on Friday night.

Ole Miss (10-3) led 34-6 by halftime, cruising up and down the field against an overwhelmed Oklahoma State defense. The onslaught was punctuated late in the second quarter when left tackle Laremy Tunsil had a 2-yard touchdown run on a trick play after a lateral from Kelly.

Oklahoma State (10-3) lost its final three games. The last two losses were blowouts, starting with a 58-23 drubbing by Oklahoma to cap the regular season.

Mason Rudolph was 18 of 31 for 179 yards for Oklahoma State. Ole Miss outgained Oklahoma State 554-366 in total yards.

Mississippi was embarrassed a year ago in a 42-3 loss to TCU in the Peach Bowl and players vowed throughout the past month that the outcome would be much different.

They were right.

After a couple early penalties helped Oklahoma State advance down the field, the Cowboys eventually kicked a short field goal for a 3-0 lead.

The Rebels' offense got on track later in the first quarter when Kelly hit a wide open Cody Core for a 31-yard touchdown that made it 10-3 and started the onslaught.

Treadwell added two touchdown catches in the first half and also completed a 45-yard pass after a lateral on a trick play. His second touchdown catch gave Ole Miss a 24-3 lead.

The Ole Miss fans — who were cheering for the Rebels at the Sugar Bowl for the first time since 1970 — were already in a frenzy when one more trick play by Freeze brought down the house.

With 5 seconds remaining in the second quarter, Kelly ran right and then fired back across his body to the 305-pound Tunsil, who caught the lateral and jogged into the end zone, where he was mobbed by teammates.

Ole Miss fans roared and the "S-E-C! S-E-C!" chant started in the Superdome: The Rebels had scored on their final six possessions of the first half and this one was essentially over.