Jaxson Dart's 515 yards and six touchdowns lead Ole Miss over Arkansas

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Jaxson Dart set Ole Miss records for yards passing and touchdown throws in a single game, passing Matt Corral and Eli Manning in the 19th-ranked Rebels' dominant 63-31 win over Arkansas on Saturday.

Dart threw for four scores and 321 yards in the first half alone. He found Jordan Watkins for five touchdowns, including one for 62 yards and another for 66 yards on consecutive drives. They were only three offensive plays apart. Dart ultimately completed 25 of 31 passes for 515 yards with six touchdowns.

Ole Miss (7-2, 3-2 Southeastern Conference) led 35-10 at halftime after scoring three straight drives in the first and second quarters. The Rebels opened and ended the first half with one score when Princely Umanmielen pounced on a Taylen Green fumble in the end zone midway through the first quarter and Dart followed up with a 3-yard touchdown pass to Watkins with five seconds left in the half The final point was the fourth pass hit in the first half hour of the game.

Arkansas (5-4, 3-3 SEC) stuffed the Rebels at the goal line on the Rebels' first drive, making it the only meaningful stop the Razorbacks had all game. Ole Miss managed 694 yards of total offense. Overall, Ole Miss scored on seven of its nine possessions with its starters in the game and punted just once in that span.

Arkansas coach Sam Pittman relied largely on reserve players starting about halfway through the third quarter. Backup quarterback Malachi Singleton was 11 of 14 passing for 207 yards with a touchdown pass and he ran for another 39 yards with a touchdown. The Razorbacks also got rushing touchdowns from Rashod Dubinion and Rodney Hill.

Watkins set school records with five touchdown catches and 254 yards. According to ESPN Research, Watkins' five receiving touchdowns tied the SEC single-game record, which was last set by Tennessee's Jalin Hyatt against Alabama in 2022.

Additionally, Watkins is the seventh FBS receiver since 1996 with 250 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns in a game. Dae'Quan Wright caught the other Dart touchdown pass and added another from Austin Simmons in the fourth quarter.

Big picture

Not only can Ole Miss play spoilsport against No. 2 Georgia next week, but it should also be in the conversation for the College Football Playoff.

Arkansas has already surpassed its win total from last season, although the Razorbacks are still one win away from bowl eligibility, firmly in the middle of the pack in the SEC.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.