Bill Text: MS SC519 | 2024 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Congratulate Ole Miss "Rebels" 2023 Football Team for historic season and dominating Peach Bowl victory.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 15-6)
Status: (Passed) 2024-03-11 - Enrolled Bill Signed [SC519 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2024-SC519-Enrolled.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2024 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Michel, Boyd, Hickman, England, Chassaniol, Fillingane, Kirby, McLendon, Sparks, Blackmon, Hopson, Suber, DeBar, Parks, Polk, Turner-Ford, Simmons (12th), Blackwell, Jackson, McCaughn, Norwood
Senate Concurrent Resolution 519
(As Adopted by Senate and House)
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION CELEBRATING AND CONGRATULATING THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI "OLE MISS REBELS" FOOTBALL TEAM AND HEAD COACH LANE KIFFIN, INCLUDING THE ATHLETES, COACHING STAFF, ADMINISTRATION, FACULTY, STUDENTS AND ALUMNI, FOR DOMINATING PENN STATE 38-25 IN THE 2023 PEACH BOWL, FOR ACHIEVING ITS FIRST 11-WIN SEASON IN OLE MISS' 129 SEASONS OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL, AND FOR ITS TOP 10 FINAL NATIONAL RANKING.
WHEREAS, for the first time in Ole Miss' 129 seasons of college football history, the "Rebels" won 11 games, capping the season with a powerful 38-25 victory over No. 10 Penn State in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on December 30, 2023; and
WHEREAS, the Ole Miss (11-2) offense picked apart the nation's top defense, recording the most points (38), passing yards (394) and total yards (540) that Penn State (10-3) has allowed this season. Those 540 yards marked the second straight bowl game for Ole Miss with at least 500 yards of total offense, again displaying Head Coach Lane Kiffin's offensive prowess in his second New Year's Six appearance at the helm for the "Rebels"; and
WHEREAS, junior quarterback Jaxson Dart led the "Rebel" assault, ending the day with 393 total yards, four total touchdowns and no interceptions, capped by an Ole Miss bowl record 379 yards passing. The offensive MVP duo, Caden Prieskorn and Tre Harris, helped him out greatly, combining for 270 yards and two touchdowns on the day, with Prieskorn ending with an Ole Miss bowl record 10 receptions, and both Prieskorn (136) and Harris (134) falling just shy of the "Rebel" bowl record of 137 receiving yards; and
WHEREAS, on the ground, sophomore back Quinshon Judkins was excellent, ending with 120 all-purpose yards and one touchdown, including 106 yards on the ground, only the second 100-yard game allowed by the Penn State defense this season. Judkins concludes his sophomore campaign third on the Ole Miss career rushing list at 2,725 yards through two highly productive seasons. Senior defensive end and MVP Jared Ivey led the way for the Landshark defense, ending the day with five tackles, two tackles for loss and two pass breakups; and
WHEREAS, keeping the ball on the ground to start the game, Penn State marched 64 yards down the field, but the "Rebel" defense held strong in the red zone and forced a field goal to give the "Nittany Lions" a 3-0 lead at 9:17; and
WHEREAS, after the first drive, quarterback Jaxson Dart marched the offense into Penn State territory to set up a 36-yard field goal by Caden Davis to tie the game at 3-3. With points on the board and momentum behind them, the "Rebels" forced a punt and put the ball back in the hands of their offense. Faced with a fourth-and-one from the Penn State 47, Lane Kiffin reached into his bag of tricks. Defensive tackle, J.J. Pegues took the direct snap and pitched the ball to wideout Jordan Watkins, who rolled left and hit a wide-open Dart for a gain of 15 yards. Three plays later, the "Rebels'" signal caller found Prieskon for a six-yard touchdown pass to give Ole Miss a 10-3 lead. As the first quarter came to a close, Penn State quickly got into scoring position with a 75-yard pass and tied the game at 10 with 13:34 remaining in the second quarter. The "Rebels" quickly responded to retake the lead at 13-10, with a 45-yard field goal from Davis at 10:33; and
WHEREAS, looking for a big play on defense, senior defensive back Daijahn Anthony snagged the game's first takeaway. He picked off Penn State's Drew Allar on a deep ball at the Ole Miss 17, his third interception of the season, to put the ball back in his offense's hands. Scoring on each of their previous three drives, Dart and the "Rebels" were in rhythm offensively. Prieskorn pulled in a one-handed snag on the sideline; Judkins converted a key fourth down around the midfield and Dart capped off the nine-play drive with a 37-yard strike to his tight end to make it a two-score game with 4:58 left on the clock; and
WHEREAS, for the second half, Ole Miss looked to leave no doubt. The defense forced three consecutive three-and-outs, while Dart and the offense methodically picked apart the top defense in college football. The "Rebels" extended their lead with a 52-yard field goal from Davis in the third quarter, followed by a 14-yard touchdown reception by Judkins and a successful two-point conversion by Prieskorn to go up 31-17 at 4:10 in the third quarter. Back with the ball on offense in the 4th quarter, Dart once again marched the "Rebels" down the field. He connected with Harris for a big gain, putting him over the 100-yard mark, and found the end zone rushing from two yards out to cap off the scoring at 38. Penn State later added another score and a two-point conversion to make it 38-26, but it was not as Ole Miss was crowned 2023 Peach Bowl Champions; and
WHEREAS, Ole Miss is now 2-1 all-time in the Peach Bowl, as well as 25-15 all-time in bowl games. The Peach Bowl marked Ole Miss' fourth New Year's Six bowl appearances, which ranks third in the SEC behind Alabama (9) and Georgia (7), Ole Miss ranks tied for fifth with Alabama and USC all-time in bowl winning percentage (.625), tied for 13th in wins (25) and tied for 20th in appearances (41); and
WHEREAS, Ole Miss ended the 2023-2024 season top 10 in the final national rankings, coming in at No. 9 in the Amway coaches poll and No. 9 in the Associated Press poll. It is the "Rebels'" first top-10 final ranking since the 1969 season (No. 8 AP); and
WHEREAS, the members of the 2023 Ole Miss Football Team are: Joshua Harris, Ayden Williams, Isheem Young, Jaxson Dart, Cedric Johnson, Daijahn Anthony, Spencer Sanders, Quinshon Judkins, Suntarine Perkins, Zakhari Franklin, John Saunders, Jr., Zamari Walton, Walker Howard, Deantre Prince, Jam Griffin, Monty Montgomery, DeShawn Gaddie, Jr., Tre Harris, Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste, Jordan Watkins, Bralon Brown, Fraser Masin, Austin Simmons, Ladarius Tennison, Deljay Bailey, Demarko Williams, J.J. Henry, Jared Ivey, Braden Waterman, Teja Young, Richard O'Bryant, Davin Wydner, Dayton Wade, Joshua Aka, TJ Dudley, Daniel Demery, Kedrick Reescano, Jarell Stinson, Drew Burnett, Khari Coleman, Ulysses Bentley, IV, Trey Washington, Taylor Groves, Jalen Knox, Lex Boucvalt, Jadon Canady, Nick Cull, Rayf Vinson, Fred McAfee, Trip White, Torian Kelly, Calvin Wilson, Chris Graves, Jr., Antione Johnson, Mac Owen, Tyler Banks, Reginald Hughes and Head Coach Lane Kiffin; and
WHEREAS, the 2023 University of Mississippi Football Team has brought great pride and honor to loyal fans of the University of Mississippi and to the State of Mississippi:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby celebrate and congratulate the University of Mississippi "Ole Miss Rebels" Football Team and Head Coach Lane Kiffin, including the athletes, coaching staff, administration, faculty, students and alumni, for dominating Penn State 38-25 in the 2023 Peach Bowl, for achieving its first 11-win season in Ole Miss' 129 seasons of college football and for its top 10 final national ranking and extend our best wishes for future success.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That we do hereby recognize the University of Mississippi for its excellence as an institution of higher education.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to the Chancellor of the University of Mississippi, Dr. Glenn F. Boyce, the Athletic Director of the University of Mississippi, Keith Carter, the Head Coach of the Ole Miss Football Team, Lane Kiffin, forwarded to the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning and be made available to the Capitol Press Corps.
