Mississippi Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart (2) runs for yards during the second quarter of the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida. (Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union)
Jaxson Dart threw four landing passes and Ulysses Bentley IV ran for a pair of touchdowns as No. 14 Mississippi overwhelmed Duke in a 52-20 win in the Gator Bowl on Thursday night in Jacksonville, Florida.
Coach Lane Kiffin, who has expressed his displeasure over the College Football Playoff selections, brought out his team to make a point. The Rebels clicked for much of the game and kept Duke’s revamped offense in check.
Dart, who is 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 landing passes and Dae’Quan Wright and Antwane Wells Jr. had one each for Ole Miss (10-3), which has won five of its last six games. Jordan Watkins was the team’s leading 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 through the transfer portal and Grayson Loftis, who quarterbacked Duke’s 2023 bowl victory, also departed through the transfer portal.
Belin was 25 of 44 for 236 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Sahmir Hagans scored the final points of the game on a 99-yard kickoff return.
The Blue Devils were also without running back Star Thomas, who rushed for 871 yards during the common season before entering the transfer portal.
Duke’s Terry Moore got his fourth interception of the season, making a 59-yard return after intercepting kicker Caden Davis’ pass on a failed fake to end the game’s first possession.
But Ole Miss stopped Duke on fourth down on the other side of the field. The Rebels needed just four plays to drive 68 yards and get the first points of the game on Dart’s 32-yard pass play to Wells.
Duke had a 36-yard completion in 11 plays in the first quarter. But trailing 17-0, the Blue Devils drove 75 yards in eight plays to score on a 16-yard pass from Belin to Javon Harvey.
The Rebels scored with 1:52 left in the half on a 21-yard pass from Dart to Wright for a 24-7 halftime lead.
Second-half scoring began with Isaiah Hamilton’s 50-yard interception return for a touchdown as Ole Miss led 31-7.
–Media at field level
