Rebels experience a turning of the Tide

With a desperation fling, Chad Kelly and No. 15 Mississippi ended a quarter century of futility at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Kelly completed a deflected 66-yard touchdown pass and added two more long ones in the fourth quarter and the Rebels held on to beat No. 2 Alabama, 43-37, on Saturday night.

The Rebels (3-0, 1-0 Southeastern Conference) left the topsy-turvy game with their first victory in Bryant-Denny Stadium since 1988, and second straight win in a one-sided series.

The Crimson Tide (2-1, 0-1) had been 25-1 in Tuscaloosa against Mississippi and had never lost two straight.

The Rebels made two final defensive stands, the first when Tony Bridges intercepted a deep ball from Jake Coker, who came off the bench to lead a comeback from a 30-10 deficit.

Kelly delivered big play after big play after an ineffective first half, none wilder than a fling and a prayer in the third quarter, a 66-yard deflection caught by Quincy Adeboyejo for a touchdown.

Kelly bobbled a high snap and lofted the ball toward a crowd as he was going down before a swarm of Tide defenders. Adeboyejo scooped up a deflected ball and raced toward the end zone in front of Alabama’s student section.

Kelly added a 73-yarder to Cody Core and a 24-yarder to Laquon Treadwell. He passed for 341 yards and three touchdowns after producing just 36 yards through the air in the first half.

Alabama had won 17 straight at home coming into the game to tie Baylor for the longest active streak in FBS, another milestone snapped by a feisty Ole Miss team.

Coker came up with big plays, and big mistakes. He led two touchdown drives in a span of 2:03 late in the fourth quarter, aided by an onside kick. Derrick Henry scored on a two-yarder and Richard Mullaney caught a two-yard touchdown pass.

Coker was 21 for 44 passing for 201 yards with three touchdowns but had two passes intercepted. Henry ran for 127 yards.