If you just looked at the final score of the 2023 Peach Bowl—38-25 in favor of Ole Miss—you might think it was just another high-scoring SEC vs. Big Ten track meet. You'd be wrong. It was actually a systematic dismantling of the nation’s top-ranked defense.
Before that game in Atlanta, Penn State’s defense was a brick wall. They were giving up a measly 223 yards per game. Nobody moved the ball on them. Then Lane Kiffin and Jaxson Dart showed up and dropped 540 total yards. Honestly, it wasn't even as close as the 13-point margin suggests.
Why the Ole Miss vs Penn State Matchup Flipped the Script
Everyone expected a defensive slugfest. Penn State was supposed to dominate the trenches. Instead, Ole Miss came out and played "bully ball" in a way that left the Nittany Lions looking totally gassed by the third quarter.
The Caden Prieskorn Factor
Let's talk about Caden Prieskorn. Most casual fans didn't even have the Ole Miss tight end on their radar before kickoff. He had 20 catches the entire regular season. Basically a ghost in the box scores. Then he goes out and catches 10 passes for 136 yards and two scores.
Kiffin used him like a Swiss Army knife. He was making one-handed grabs on the sideline like he was prime Odell Beckham Jr. Penn State simply had no answer for a 250-pounder who could run routes like a wideout. It was the "Prieskorn Show," and it’s arguably the greatest bowl performance by a tight end in recent memory.
💡 You might also like: Where is The Open Being Played? Your Guide to Royal Birkdale and Beyond
Jaxson Dart’s Gutsy Afternoon
Jaxson Dart isn't just a "system QB." He took some absolute shots early in that game. He actually had to go into the medical tent to get his ankle taped up after the first drive. Most guys would’ve been hobbled. Dart? He just went out and threw for 379 yards and three touchdowns.
He even caught a pass! Remember that "Philly Special" variation where defensive tackle JJ Pegues took a direct snap? He flipped it to Jordan Watkins, who then found a wide-open Dart for 15 yards. That’s the Kiffin experience. You’ve got a 300-pound lineman pitching the ball to a receiver to throw to a quarterback. It’s chaotic, and Penn State’s "elite" secondary looked like they were chasing shadows.
What Really Happened with the Penn State Defense?
A lot of Penn State fans will point to the opt-outs. It's a fair point, sorta. They were missing Chop Robinson and Adisa Isaac—two monsters on the edge who likely would’ve made Dart’s life miserable. Plus, they were playing without their defensive coordinator, Manny Diaz, who had just taken the Duke head coaching job.
But you can’t blame 540 yards on a few missing starters.
The real issue was the tempo. Ole Miss plays fast. Like, "don't-have-time-to-breathe" fast. Penn State’s rotations were messy. Young corners like Cam Miller and Zion Tracy were forced into the fire, and Tre Harris and Dayton Wade just ate them alive. Harris finished with 134 yards of his own. When you have two guys going over 130 receiving yards in the same game, your secondary is broken.
The Third Quarter Meltdown
Penn State actually went into the locker room at halftime down only 20-17. They were right there. Then the third quarter happened.
- Penn State’s first three drives: Three-and-out. Three-and-out. Three-and-out.
- Total yards for PSU in the 3rd: 14 yards.
- Ole Miss scoring: A 52-yard field goal and a 14-yard TD pass to Quinshon Judkins.
By the time the fourth quarter started, the Rebels were up 31-17 and the stadium felt empty on the blue-and-white side. It was a masterclass in halftime adjustments by Lane Kiffin and Pete Golding.
The Drew Allar Conundrum
We have to talk about Drew Allar. The sophomore quarterback had an incredible regular season in terms of ball security—he only threw one interception all year. Then he gets to the Peach Bowl and looks... lost.
He threw a pick in the second quarter that was honestly hard to watch. He lofted a ball into double coverage that Daijahn Anthony picked off with ease. There’s a viral clip of a Penn State fan in the stands looking absolutely disgusted, mouthing a few choice words that I probably shouldn't repeat here.
Allar finished with 295 yards, but most of that was "garbage time" production when the game was already out of reach. He didn't even complete a pass to a wide receiver until the fourth quarter. Read that again. Your wideouts didn't record a single catch for 45 minutes of football. That's a failure of scheme and execution.
Key Stats You Might Have Missed
While the passing game got the headlines, the ground game was where Ole Miss salted the earth. Quinshon Judkins—who is now over at Ohio State, by the way—carried the rock 34 times. Thirty-four! He was a workhorse, grinding out 106 yards and keeping the Penn State defense on the field for over 33 minutes.
| Stat Category | Ole Miss | Penn State |
|---|---|---|
| First Downs | 30 | 21 |
| Total Yards | 540 | 510 |
| Passing Yards | 394 | 343 |
| Rushing Yards | 146 | 167 |
| Time of Possession | 33:38 | 26:22 |
It’s interesting because Penn State actually out-rushed Ole Miss. Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen were averaging over 5 yards a carry. But James Franklin went away from the run when they got down, and the offense just stalled out.
Why This Game Changed the Trajectory for Both Programs
This wasn't just a bowl game; it was a proof of concept for the "New Ole Miss." It was their first 11-win season in the 129-year history of the program. 11 wins! Think about the legends that have walked through Oxford—Archie Manning, Deuce McAllister, Eli Manning—and none of them hit 11.
For Penn State, it was a reality check. It showed that while they can dominate the Big Ten's middle class, they still struggle when a high-octane offense forces them to play outside their comfort zone. It also highlighted the massive gap created by opt-outs and coaching turnover.
Practical Lessons for Football Bettors and Analysts
If you're looking back at this game to figure out how to evaluate these teams in 2024 and 2025, here are the big takeaways:
👉 See also: Why Racing vs River Plate Is Still The Most Intense Tactical Battle In Argentina
- Trust the Tempo: In bowl games, the team that dictates the pace usually wins. Ole Miss ran 87 plays. Penn State ran 61. You can't win when the other team is getting 26 more opportunities to score.
- The "Opt-Out" Tax is Real: Always look at the secondary. If a team is missing their star corners or pass rushers against a Kiffin offense, the "Over" is almost a lock.
- Tight Ends are the Ultimate Mismatch: The Prieskorn factor proves that a mobile, athletic TE is the best way to beat a zone-heavy Big Ten defense.
What to Do Next
To really understand the tactical side of this matchup, you should go back and watch the third-quarter film. Pay attention to how Ole Miss used "heavy" sets with Prieskorn to lure Penn State’s safeties closer to the line, then immediately punished them with over-the-top shots to Tre Harris.
If you’re a Penn State fan, look at the development of the young secondary players who got burned in this game—guys like Tony Rojas and Cam Miller. They’ve grown a lot since that afternoon in Atlanta, and that trial by fire in the Peach Bowl is exactly why they're staples of the defense today.
For the Rebels, this game was the blueprint for their 2026 College Football Playoff run. It proved they could be physical, not just fast. Go back and check the box scores for their subsequent games against big-bodied teams—you’ll see the same "bully ball" DNA that started right here.