Oct. 28, 2000

Box Score

By MATT MOORE
Associated Press Writer

OXFORD, Miss. -- An injured Deuce McAllister entered the game in overtime and scored the winning touchdown on a 1-yard run as Mississippi beat UNLV 43-40 Saturday.

McAllister, who was not expected to play because of a sprained ankle, gained first downs on two third-down plays to keep the overtime drive alive for Ole Miss (5-2).

It was Mississippi's 22nd consecutive victory against a non-conference opponent.

UNLV (4-4) never led in regulation, but scored 30 points in the second half to force overtime. A 14-play, 99-yard drive that started with 5:02 remaining ended with Jeremi Rudolph's 17-yard TD run to make it 37-35. Kevin Brown scored the two-point conversion to send the game to overtime.

Mississippi led 23-7 at halftime.

Quarterback Romaro Miller was 18-of-29 for 288 yards and three touchdown passes, including a 65-yarder to Grant Heard in the third quarter to put Ole Miss up 30-15.

Ole Miss finished the game with 452 total yards of offense.

But UNLV's running game, ranked 13th in the nation, got the Running Rebels back in it. James Wofford had 10 carries for 139 yards, including a 41-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter to make it 30-22.

UNLV had 25 first downs and 471 total yards, including 378 rushing.