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Nashville, Tenn. • Bo Wallace wanted redemption for his poor play in the Egg Bowl. The Mississippi quarterback made sure the Rebels finished the season as winners.
Wallace ran for two touchdowns and threw for another score, and Ole Miss beat Georgia Tech 25-17 Monday in the Music City Bowl for the Rebels' second straight bowl victory under coach Hugh Freeze.
The redshirt junior quarterback and Tennessee native made up for his three turnovers in the Egg Bowl overtime loss by throwing for 256 yards and running for 86 more, giving him the school record for total yards in a season and most completions in a season, topping Eli Manning for both.
"I knew I needed to have a good game," said Wallace, also chosen the bowl's MVP. "At the same time, I thought all day sometimes I try to make too many plays. I think all day I was thinking, 'Don't try to make too many plays. Just make the plays that are there.' That's what I did today."
Freeze said he knew from watching Wallace prepare for this game that the Rebels' loss to rival Mississippi State last month didn't sit well with the quarterback.
"Nor did it me," Freeze said. "And we didn't really have to talk about it a whole lot. I liked the way he prepared, and I was proud he was able to have the game he had today."
Ole Miss (8-5) now has won six straight bowls and 10 of the last 11 in making up for the lone loss in that stretch in the 2000 Music City Bowl. The Rebels came in tied with Auburn and Florida State, who play Jan. 6 for the BCS national championship, for the longest bowl winning streak.
Georgia Tech (7-6) has lost eight of nine bowls. The Yellow Jackets scored 10 points in the fourth quarter as they tried to rally before a safety with 4:22 left ended their last chance.
"We didn't play well enough in any facet to win the game," Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson said. "We were fortunate that we had a chance at the end to come back and win."
Yellow Jackets lineman Adam Gotsis knocked down a 32-yard field goal attempt by Andrew Ritter giving Georgia Tech the ball at its own 20 with 4:36 left trailing 23-17. But Georgia Tech lost 5 yards on the first play, then Vad Lee flipped the ball to Corey Dennis on a reverse with the receiver apparently looking to throw when he fumbled under pressure, and the play resulted in safety. —
Mississippi 25, Georgia Tech 17
Mississippi 7 6 10 2 — 25
Georgia Tech 7 0 0 10 — 17
First Quarter
Miss • Wallace 17 run (Ritter kick), 10:15.
GaT • Godhigh 8 run (Butker kick), 4:27.
Second Quarter
Miss • Moncrief 28 pass from Wallace (kick blocked), 7:59.
Third Quarter
Miss • Wallace 10 run (Ritter kick), 8:13.
Miss • FG Ritter 29, 3:00.
Fourth Quarter
GaT • FG Butker 38, 14:43.
GaT • Waller 72 pass from Lee (Butker kick), 13:25.
Miss • Safety, 4:22.
Attendance • 52,125.
Miss GaT
First downs 28 18
Rushes-yards 48-221 49-151
Passing 256 147
Comp-Att-Int 23-36-1 5-17-1
Return Yards 15 4
Punts-Avg. 5-42.4 6-38.5
Fumbles-Lost 3-0 2-1
Penalties-yards 3-15 5-40
Time of Possession 32:50 27:10
Individual Statistics
Rushing • Mississippi, Wallace 13-86, Mathers 13-58, Walton 16-53,
Brunetti 4-31, Team 1-(minus 1), Treadwell 1-(minus 6). Georgia Tech,
Godhigh 10-50, Sims 10-38, Laskey 5-27, Days 4-24, Lee 16-24, Hill 1-4,
Ju.Thomas 1-1, Poole 1-(minus 2), Dennis 1-(minus 15).
Passing • Mississippi, Wallace 22-32-1-256, Brunetti 1-3-0-0,
Team 0-1-0-0. Georgia Tech, Lee 5-17-1-147.
Receiving • Mississippi, Moncrief 6-113, Treadwell 5-51,
Mathers 5-49, Holder 2-16, Walton 2-3, Adeboyejo 1-16, Core 1-5,
Engram 1-3. Georgia Tech, Waller 2-79, Godhigh 2-51, Days 1-17.