Jackson Free Press

In sports sometimes, it not how you start but how you finish. For the University of Mississippi it was an ugly start but a beautiful finish in the Rebels 35-13 win to open the 2014 season.

It was an ugly first half for Mississippi quarterback Bo Wallace against Boise State. Wallace struggled in the opening two quarters as he threw three interceptions.

The first half wasn't much better for Boise State quarterback Grant Hendrick. The Broncos quarterback also threw three interceptions in the opening half and four interceptions for the game.

Wallace wasn't the only Rebel who struggled on the big stage. UM had several offensive penalties, with most coming in the form of false starts. Linebacker Serderius Bryant didn't have a good night either after he was ejected for targeting midway through the first quarter.

The stars of the first half for the Rebels were the defense and punter Will Gleeson. All night long the UM defense was able to bring relentless pressure on Hendrick each time he dropped backed, tackled soundly and covered pretty well all game long.

After three straight punts by both teams, the interception fest began on the second possession for the Rebels. Wallace threw his first pick on the very first play of the drive. It looked like Boise State would take that turnover in for a touchdown but Hendrick managed to turn things aroung by throwing his first pick on the ensuing drive, with Senquez Golson making the interception in the end zone.

The Rebels would then go on a nine-play, 80-yard drive that ended with Wallace throwing a 36-yard touchdown to a wide-open Cody Core. Boise State's busted coverage on the scoring play gave the Rebels a 7-0 lead in the first quarter.

Hendrick would throw an interception on BSU's next drive and Wallace would return the favor on the Rebels' next drive. The Broncos would end up kicking a field goal after the Wallace pick to cut the Rebels lead to 7-3 in the second quarter.

Both teams would spend the rest of the half either punting or throwing interceptions. Mississippi would head into the locker room with a 7-3 lead at halftime.

The third quarter wasn't very good for either team offensively as the Rebels and Broncos struggled to get anything going. Boise State managed a field goal late in the third quarter to cut the UM lead to 7-6 heading into the fourth.

With the game on the line, Wallace finally came alive in the final 15 minutes. Wallace found LaQuon Treadwell for a 14-yard touchdown as the Rebels marched 75 yards down the field in 10 plays.

The Treadwell touchdown would give UM a 14-6 lead. Hendrick threw his fourth and final interception on the next Broncos possession.

Wallace would only need two plays to make the Broncos pay, as he found Quincy Adeboyejo for the 36-yard strike to give the Rebels a 21-6 lead and break the game wide open. Boise State punted on their next possession and the Rebels took just one play to score, as Wallace found Core, who then went 76 yards to the end zone.

Boise State wouldn't quit with UM up 28-6 as Hedrick and hit Jay Ajayi for a touchdown to cap a 73-yard, 12-play drive to make it a 28-13 game. The Rebels would answer right back after recovering an attempted onside kick by Boise State.

Mark Dodson scored from 19 yards out for the first rushing touchdown of the season to cap the Rebels 35-13 win. On Boise State's last possession they turned the ball over on downs and the Rebels ran out the clock.

Core had 111 yards on four receptions with two touchdowns and Treadwell added 103 on seven catches with one touchdown. Wallace finished the night completing 25 of 36 passes for 386 yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions.

Dodson led the Rebels with 27 rushing yards on four carries. Another offensive concern behinds the penalties and turnovers was the lack of a running game. UM only manged 70 rushing yards as team against Boise State.

The Rebels travel to Nashville to take on Vanderbilt next week.