Fresno State Falls 73-21 at No. 17 Ole Miss

Saturday, September 12

Oxford, Miss.

12:30 PM

Fresno State

1-1

No. 14 Ole Miss [ESPN2]

2-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Ole Miss

Fresno State Falls 73-21 at No. 17 Ole Miss

9/12/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football

Box Score

Sept. 12, 2015

Final Stats | Quotes | Notes | USATSI Photos

By Josh Mitchell
jomitchell@csufresno.edu
GoBulldogs.com

OXFORD, Miss. - Despite Fresno State making a push late in the first half, a four-touchdown first quarter by No. 17 Ole Miss was too much in hostile territory for the Bulldogs as they fell 73-21 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

True freshman quarterback Chason Virgil created a spark late in the first half, going 7-for-7 through the air and adding a touchdown with time-expiring to pull the `Dogs within 21. He finished the day with 140 yards passing on 12-of-18 attempts for two touchdowns. Senior running back Marteze Waller led Fresno State on the ground with 91 yards on a career-high 28 carries, while also adding a receiving touchdown.

"We played an excellent football team in Ole Miss," head coach Tim DeRuyter said. "Give them credit, they are coached very well and we knew going into the game we had to take care of the ball on offense, and defensively we could not give up explosive plays given the quality of opponent we are. I thought our guys did a nice job at the end of the first half and we had a little bit of momentum. I thought we had the perfect opportunity to get back into the game, but the next play we turn it over and they come back and score. Give them credit."

Ole Miss opened the game with an 85-yard drive that ended in a 14-yard pass from Chad Kelly to Cody Core that took 3:05. The Rebels then held Fresno State to a three-and-out, stopping Waller on a third-and-1. On the ensuing drive, Kelly connected with Laquon Treadwell for a 28-yard gain on the first play. After finding Treadwell on a tunnel screen later in the possession that got the Rebels to the 4-yard-line, Kelly finished off the series with his legs, running it in for the score.

After five consecutive rushes from Waller on the `Dogs next drive, Ole Miss took over. Kelly missed on his first two passes for Ole Miss, but then connected on five in a row to work the Rebels down the field, finishing with passes of 23 and 33 to Core, and then finding Quincy Adeboyejo for a 16-yard score, the first of three for the speedy wideout on the day.

Despite an 18-yard run from Waller to start the `Dogs next possession, they were unable to sustain the drive. The Rebels then just took just two plays to make the score 28-0 as Kelly found Adeboyejo streaking down the middle of the field for a 50-yard touchdown.

The Bulldogs the began to get the offense going, moving the ball down near the red zone, but the drive stalled as Da'Mari Scott came up a yard short on forth down just outside of the red zone.

With 6:43 on the clock in the second quarter, defensive back Shannon Edwards grabbed his first career interception. The senior returned Ryan Buchanan's miscue 56 yards for the `Dogs first score of the day.

"When I intercepted it, it was like a dream running down the sideline," Edwards said. "For my first career interception to be a pick six at Ole Miss, an SEC football team, it was a dream."

The feeling was short-lived though as Ole Miss' offense made up for the mistake, going 75-yards in eight plays on the next possession to make it a 35-7 game.

Virgil then guided the `Dogs offense on a 10-play drive to end the half. The freshman began looking Scott's way, chipping away as the Bulldogs drove down the field. He then hit Scott on a short out. With two players converging, Scott spun along the sideline to slip through both of the attempted tacklers. With time expiring, Virgil found junior Josiah Blandin on a quick slant from 9-yards out as the half ended 35-14 in the Rebels' favor.

"I think it was very impressive," DeRuyter said of Virgil's play. "He came in and the stage was not too big for him. I like how he competed. We just need to take care of the ball better."

Unable to get anything going on the opening drive of the second half, Fresno State was forced to punt, but senior captain Dylan Detwiler forced Carlos Davis into a fumble. Junior linebacker Brandon Hughes pounced on the loose ball at the Ole Miss 17-yard line to give the `Dogs great field position.

Two plays later though, Virgil was intercepted by C.J. Johnson, who returned the ball 70 yards. Ole Miss used up just under two minutes before making it a 42-14 score as Robert Nkemdiche ended the drive by punching the ball in from 1-yard out.

With a minute remaining in the third quarter, Virgil found an open Waller on the right side. The senior running back found the end zone for a 7-yard score.

Ole Miss would outscore the Fresno State 38-7 in the second half.

The Bulldogs will return home next week as they face No. 24 Utah at 7:30 p.m., PT, at Bulldog Stadium. Fans are encouraged to wear black with the return of the blackout football game. Information about the game can be found here.

"Be Bold" - The official home of the Fresno State Bulldogs is 940 AM ESPN Radio and ESPN Deportes 1600 AM. Purchase your 2015 Bulldog football tickets by calling 559-278-DOGS.

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