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Odell
McCrae
Luarel (MS) Leader-Call
Sports Editor
 SUGAR
BOWL STADIUM, New Orleans- Everything is Jake with the Ole Miss Rebels.
His name is Jerry Dean Gibbs but he is known as Jake the land over and
he was the big difference as the Rebels rolled to a 14-6 victory over
the Rice Owls in the 27th Sugar Bowl Classic on this sun-splashed Monday
afternoon.
Jake, 22-year-old senior from Grenada in Mississippi's rolling hill
country, rolled for both touchdowns before 82,851 fans in this giant
stadium called the Sugar Bowl and before millions more on national
television.
In general, Jake Gibbs was the "Mr, Big" in the Rebel attack. The game
was less than five minutes old when he circled left end for the first
Ole Miss touchdown and there were 11 minutes left in the game when he
went over for the second Rebel tally.
Between those two touchdowns, the game was largely defensive with the
Rebels hurling back three Rice drives, but the Owls did puncture the
barrier in a third quarter scoring march.
Gibbs got down to the business at hand on the game's first play from
scrimmage. Ole Miss won the toss, elected to receive, and end Jerry
Daniels returned the kickoff from the 26 to the Rebel 35-yeard line.
On the first play from there, Gibbs sent Hoss Anderson through the line
for a 13-yard gain and a first down. Gibbs then went for three yards and
Anderson smashed the middle for seven more and another first down.
The Ole Miss quarterback called on Bobby Crespino and the flying
halfback tore off 27 yards to carry to the Rice 15. From there, Anderson
tried the right side but was felled with a one yard loss.
Glbbs then rolled out and fired his first pass. It was a beauty to
halfback George Blair and gained eight yards to the Rice eight-yard
line.
Jake was now ready to strike. And he struck with his specialty- the roll
out. He rolled to the left, cut sharply off the flank, got great aid in
a key block down front and smashed for the Golden Land in a dive as two
Owls attempted to bar the way. The defenders caught, him in mid air. But
he was across the double stripe for the score. Gibbs held the ball for
Allen Green to kick the extra point.
The touchdown drive had covered 65 yards in seven plays.
Early in the second quarter, the Owls gained possession on a punt at
their own 10 yard line and from there staged an unrelenting drive that
carried to the Ole Miss 10-yard line before it was halted.
And the stopper came when Green Intercepted a pass by quarterback
Randall Kerbow at the Ole Miss nine yard line and returned to the 12.
After two plays gained but a few yards Gibbs kicked out of danger.
Jake's punt was good for 41 yards to the Rice 46 and the return was for
but two yards. But the Owls immediately staged another march, this time
to the Ole Miss 19.
And again, an interception halted the Owls. This time halfback John
Robins grabbed a pass by Bobby Cox at the Ole Miss six yard line and
brought it back to the 17. The Rebels again had to punt out of danger
and the first half ended with the Owls in possession on their own 36.
In the third period, the Owls returned the kickoff from their three-yard
line to the 30 and from there marched down to the Ole Miss 13, chiefly
on the passing of Cox.
But the Rebels again held and Rice elected to go for the field goal. The
line of scrimmage was at the 21 yard line. Quarterback Alvin Hartman
made the kick, but it was wide and not good. Ole Miss took over on the
Rebel 20.
 The
Rebels couldn't travel and Gibbs punted to the Rice 23, where Bob Wayt
signaled a fair catch. And from there the Owls drove for the touchdown,
chiefly on the passing of Cox.
A stout defense almost hurled back this attack after the Owls had a
first down at the Rebel two yard line. Three line plays failed to gain
but on the fourth down play Butch Blume, halfback, went in for the
score. Max Webb missed in the kick for the extra point.
The touchdown drive traveled 77 yards in 18 plays. When Blume scored the
quarter had but one minute, four seconds to go.
Early in the fourth period, the Rebels got possession on a punt that
rolled dead at their 37 and Jake Gibbs again got down to business.
Ground plays carried to the five. Anderson got but two yards in two line
plays and Gibbs was felled for no gain.
Then with a fourth down coming up, Jake called on his specialty- the
roll out, this time to the right. He stumbled as he made the turn and it
appeared that he would go down. But his next step gave him balance and
he was on his way. Owls struck at him at the line of scrimmage, but Jake
bounced off and smashed on to score. He held the ball as Green added the
extra point with a perfect kick.
That was it. Jake Glbbs had sparked the Rebels to victory over the tough
Texans. And the sports writers who covered the game named him the most
outstanding player.
Rice Quarterback Bobby Cox, who gave the Rebels many anxious moments,
also got votes for the award. So did Ole Miss' Hoss Anderson, Green and
end Ralph Smith.
Cox completed 11 of 20 passes for 143 yards. He completed four for 63
yards in the touchdown drive.
Gibbs threw 16 times and completed five for 43 yards, but several of his
tosses bounced off the fingers tips of Rebel receivers.
The Owls racked up 19 first downs, the Rebels 13. Rice had a net gain of
103 yards in rushing, Ole Miss 143. The Owls completed 14 of 28 passes
for 178 yards. Jake's five for 15 for 43 yards. The Rebels intercepted
four Rice passes. Ole Miss did not lose the ball by interception.
Rice punted three times for a 34.0 average. Gibbs had a 40.4 average in
five punts. The Owls were penalized six times for 30 yards. Ole Miss
lost 10 yards in two penalties. There was but one fumble- by Ole Miss-
and Rice recovered it.
A sidelight feature was pregame and half time shows by the Hinds
Hi-Steppers, a dance and drill team of 64 Mississippi beauties from
Hinds Junior College.
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Attendance-
82,851
Scoring Summary
First Quarter
UM- Gibbs 8 run (Green kick)
Third Quarter
RU- Blume 2 run (Kick failed)
Fourth Quarter
UM- Gibbs 3 run (Green kick)
Individual Statistics
Rushing
UM- Anderson 15-59, Doty 4-25, Crespino 2-25
RU- Blume 7-54
Passing
UM- Gibbs 5-15-43
RU- Cox 11-20-143, Kerbow 3-7-35
Receiving
UM- Blair 2-18, Crespino 2-21
RU- Webb 3-31
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