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Wallace leads Ole Miss over Georgia Tech in Music City Bowl

Dec 31, 2013 - 1:07 AM Nashville, TN (SportsNetwork.com) - Bo Wallace broke a couple of Eli Manning's Ole Miss records and led the Rebels to another bowl win.

Wallace passed for 256 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 86 yards and two more scores in a 25-17 win over Georgia Tech in the Music City Bowl on Monday.

Along the way, Wallace broke Manning's records for total yards and completions in a season while leading the Rebels to their sixth straight bowl victory, including two in a row under coach Hugh Freeze.

Coming in, Ole Miss was tied for the BCS lead with five consecutive bowl wins.

"I didn't want to screw that up today," said Freeze.

Donte Moncrief had six catches for 113 yards, including a 28-yard touchdown reception for Ole Miss (8-5), which lost its last two regular season games. Wallace had touchdown runs of 17 and 10 yards and was named MVP of the game.

Vad Lee passed for 147 yards for Georgia Tech (7-6), almost half of the total coming on a 72-yard touchdown catch by Darren Waller. Robert Godhigh added an 8-yard touchdown run in the loss.

Ole Miss has won 10 of its last 11 bowl games, losing only the 2000 Music City Bowl. Manning, then a freshman, threw three touchdown passes in the fourth quarter but the Rebels still fell to West Virginia 49-38.

Wallace broke Manning's season records of 3,572 total yards (2003) and 279 completions (2002). He finished with 3,701 total yards and 283 completions after going 22-of-32 on Monday.

"Going into this I knew I needed to have a good game," said Wallace. "I thought it was also the best day of the year for our offensive line."

In Freeze's first season, Ole Miss beat Pittsburgh in the BBVA Compass Bowl in its first bowl game since 2009.

Georgia Tech played in a bowl game for the 17th straight season, including all six under Paul Johnson. The Yellow Jackets snapped a seven-game bowl losing streak last season with a win over USC in the Sun Bowl.

On Monday, Ole Miss held the Yellow Jackets to 151 rushing yards -- well below their season average of 311.

"I think we can play better than that," said Johnson. "We never got in synch on offense at all. We didn't play well enough in any facet to win the game."

Harrison Butker's 38-yard field goal on the third play of the fourth quarter halted a 16-0 Ole Miss run.

D.J. White intercepted Wallace on the next Rebels possession and Georgia Tech struck on the next play, Waller's 72-yard touchdown catch to cut the Ole Miss lead to 23-17. Waller was wide open on the play after corner Tony Conner fell down near the line.

Ole Miss kicker Andrew Ritter had a 32-yard field goal try blocked with 4:36 remaining. But Georgia Tech botched a trick play on first down, leading to a safety and 25-17 Rebels lead.

On an end-around, Lee pitched back to wide receiver Corey Dennis, who was stripped by linebacker Serderius Bryant before he could get a pass off.

Georgia Tech lineman Ray Beno jumped on the ball in the end zone, but lost control as he rolled over. The play was reviewed and upheld as a safety, with officials ruling Beno possessed the ball, which had ended up with an Ole Miss player after it came loose.

Earlier, Ole Miss went 75 yards on the opening drive and took a 7-0 lead on Wallace's 17-yard touchdown run.

Georgia Tech tied it on Godhigh's 8-yard touchdown run on the ensuing series, but the Rebels scored the next 16 points for a 23-7 lead.

The first six came on Moncrief's 28-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter. Moncrief tip-toed next to the right sideline and was able to stretch the ball inside the pylon despite a hit from Georgia Tech's Demond Smith. Ritter's extra point attempt was blocked.

In the third, Lee fumbled after Ole Miss defensive back Mike Hilton got his helmet on the ball and the Rebels converted the turnover into a 20-7 lead on Wallace's 10-yard touchdown run up the gut.

Ritter's 29-yard field goal, set up by Moncrief's 52-yard catch, gave Ole Miss its 16-point lead with three minutes left in the third quarter.

Game Notes

Ole Miss tied the all-time series with Georgia Tech at 2-2, including a 2-1 mark in bowl games ... The Rebels had 28 first downs and set a single-season record with 317 ... Auburn or Florida State will tie Ole Miss' bowl winning streak in the BCS Championship Game. Both teams have won five in a row.