Austin Simmons, No. 21 Ole Miss dominate Georgia State

Austin Simmons completed 20 of 31 passes for 341 yards and three touchdowns on Saturday, helping No. 21 Ole Miss rout visiting Georgia State 63-7 in Oxford, Miss.

Simmons also threw two interceptions in his first career start, while Kewan Lacy ran for 108 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries. Logan Diggs rushed for 91 yards and a score for the Rebels, who outgained Georgia State 695-260 in total offense in both team's season opener. Harrison Wallace III made five catches for 130 yards and a touchdown.

Christian Veilleux was 4-of-11 passing for 52 yards, a touchdown and an interception for outmatched Georgia State. Rashad Amos led the Panthers with 68 rushing yards.

The Rebels struck first on Simmons' 38-yard touchdown pass to Dae'Quan Wright, giving Ole Miss a 7-0 edge with 10:32 left in the first quarter.

Simmons was picked off by Chams Diagne on Ole Miss' next drive, but the Panthers couldn't capitalize, as Liam Rickman missed a 31-yard field goal.

After advancing to Georgia State's 17-yard line, Simmons was intercepted again, this time by Jordan Huff. Following Georgia State's third punt, Ole Miss tacked on with Lucas Carneiro's 42-yard field goal with 11:28 remaining in the second quarter.

Missouri transfer Lacy scored his first touchdown, a 1-yard rush, for his new team at the 7:31 mark of the first half, pushing the Rebels' lead to 17-0.

Georgia State answered with a drive just over two minutes later, as Veilleux found Javon Robinson for a 43-yard touchdown pass to cut the Panthers' deficit to 10.

Ole Miss added on with 21 seconds left in the first half, as Lacy's 2-yard rushing touchdown and backup quarterback Trinidad Chambliss' two-point conversion gave the Rebels a 25-7 halftime lead.

Ole Miss scored on each of its first two possessions of the second half, as Lacy ran for a 42-yard touchdown before Zxavian Harris intercepted Veilleux, setting up Simmons' 9-yard passing score to Caleb Odom, pushing the Rebels' lead to 39-7.

Carneiro's 33-yard field goal at the end of the third and Simmons' 35-yard passing touchdown to Wallace gave Ole Miss a 49-7 advantage.

Chambliss connected with Izaiah Hartrup for a 13-yard score with 6:38 left, before Logan Diggs' 5-yard score capped the game's scoring.

--Field Level Media