| Longest game in NCAA Division I-A history | |
| Football Season: | 2001 |
| Visitor Name Short: | Arkansas |
| Visitor Nickname: | Razorbacks |
| Visitor School: | University of Arkansas |
| Home Name Short: | Ole Miss |
| Home Nickname: | Rebels |
| Home School: | University of Mississippi |
| Visitor Record: | 4–3 |
| Home Record: | 6–1 |
| Visitor Coach: | Houston Nutt |
| Home Coach: | David Cutcliffe |
| Visitor 1Q: | 0 |
| Visitor 2Q: | 7 |
| Visitor 3Q: | 3 |
| Visitor 4Q: | 7 |
| Visitor Ot: | 7 |
| Visitor 2Ot: | 0 |
| Visitor 3Ot: | 6 |
| Visitor 4Ot: | 6 |
| Visitor 5Ot: | 6 |
| Visitor 6Ot: | 8 |
| Visitor 7Ot: | 8 |
| Home 1Q: | 7 |
| Home 2Q: | 0 |
| Home 3Q: | 3 |
| Home 4Q: | 7 |
| Home Ot: | 7 |
| Home 2Ot: | 0 |
| Home 3Ot: | 6 |
| Home 4Ot: | 6 |
| Home 5Ot: | 6 |
| Home 6Ot: | 8 |
| Home 7Ot: | 6 |
| Date: | November 3, 2001 |
| Stadium: | Vaught–Hemingway Stadium |
| City: | Oxford, MS |
| Referee: | Thomas Ritter |
| Attendance: | 47,464 |
| Us Network: | ESPN2 |
| Us Announcers: | Mike Golic, Bill Curry, Dave Barnett |
The 2001 Arkansas vs. Ole Miss football game was a college football game played on November 3, 2001, between the University of Arkansas Razorbacks and the University of Mississippi Rebels; it broke a then–NCAA record for the longest football game ever played. The game included seven overtime periods, one of five games to ever do so.[1] The lead went back and forth, with Ole Miss leading in the first quarter. The game was tied at halftime, and in the third quarter Arkansas gained a lead that Ole Miss would not get back until the fourth overtime. The game ended in the seventh overtime period when Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning failed to complete a pass on a two-point conversion play.[2]
See main article: 2001 Arkansas Razorbacks football team. The Arkansas Razorbacks entered the game 4–3, led by 4th-year head coach Houston Nutt. They opened their season on a Thursday night, beating UNLV in Little Rock 14–10. The Razorbacks then dropped three straight SEC contests, first to No. 8 Tennessee, 3–13. Following a week off due to the September 11 attacks, the 1–1 Razorbacks then lost to Alabama and Georgia, both on the road. The Hogs won their homecoming game the next week, beating Weber State 42–19. Now 2–3, Arkansas upset No. 9 South Carolina, and, following their bye week, upset No. 17 Auburn. Those two wins put them at 4–3 going into their contest with Ole Miss.[3]
See main article: 2001 Ole Miss Rebels football team. The Ole Miss Rebels entered the game 6–1 under 3rd-year head coach David Cutcliffe. They opened their season with a win at home against Murray State, but dropped their first SEC game on the road to Auburn. Following a 21-day break, the Rebels returned to the field and defeated Kentucky for their first conference win of the season. The Rebels then rose to 3–1 following a road win at Arkansas State. Ole Miss then returned home to face Alabama and Middle Tennessee, defeating them both. In their last game before playing Arkansas, Ole Miss beat LSU on the road, 35–24, to post a 6–1 record.[4]
| Game Time | Weather | |
|---|---|---|
| Kickoff: 6:06 p.m. End of Game: 10:20 p.m. Duration: 4 hours, 14 minutes | Temperature: Wind: NE 5mph Weather: Clear skies | |
| Game officials | ||
| Tom Ritter (referee), W. Hackett, Jr. (umpire), Lea Rutter (linesman), Al Matthews (line judge) Dale Keneipp (back judge), Richard Morales (field judge), Jay Vines (side judge) | ||
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | Passing | Zak Clark | 9/20, 100 yds, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Fred Talley | 23 car, 113 yds | |
| Receiving | George Wilson | 8 rec, 105 yds, 1 TD | |
| Ole Miss | Passing | 27/42, 312 yds, 6 TD | |
| Rushing | Joe Gunn | 31 car, 102 yds, 2 TD | |
| Receiving | Bill Flowers | 7 rec, 97 yds, 1 TD |