OXFORD — The No. 7 Ole Miss football team trailed No. 3 Auburn 35-31 with less than two minutes to play Saturday night when senior quarterback Bo Wallace hit sophomore wide receiver Laquon Treadwell with a slip screen pass at the Auburn 20-yard line.
Treadwell took the pass, broke two tackles, and streaked to the end zone for what appeared to be a game-winning touchdown with 1 minute, 30 seconds left on the clock. Most of the 62,090 fans at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium were coiled to explode.
But that euphoria evaporated when Treadwell failed to get up from a tackle at the goal line after he was taken down from behind and his leg was caught in an awkward position. Everyone in attendance hoped Treadwell would bounce up and relieve their fear that he had been seriously injured. The tackle caused Treadwell’s body to be pulled back, which resulted in his legs being bent at a grotesque angle. As Treadwell writhed in pain on the turf and medical personnel rushed to his aid, a sickening feeling came over the crowd.
An official video review of the play added to the disappointment for the Rebels and their fans.
The review showed Treadwell had lost possession of the ball prior to crossing the goal line, erasing what would have been the go-ahead touchdown and clearing the way for Auburn to recover the fumble. The Tigers held on for a 35-31 victory that kept their hopes alive for the four-team playoffs.
On the other side, the Rebels and their fans turned their attention to their star receiver. After the game, it was revealed Treadwell suffered a broken left fibula and dislocated ankle. He had surgery Saturday night to repair the injuries.
“Our character trait this week was adversity. We’re staring it in the face a bit and that’s life,” Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze said. “Sometimes that’s the way it goes. We have to be brothers right now as we stand together and get through a challenging time.”
When reality sank in as Treadwell was carted off the field and people began to get over the shock of the events they had just witnessed, a large question loomed like a purple elephant in a room: How will Treadwell’s injury affect the offense?
With 48 catches for 632 yards and five touchdowns, Treadwell was the Rebels’ primary weapon at wide receiver. His loss will impact how defenses prepare for Ole Miss. It also means receivers like former Noxubee County High School standout Vincent Sanders, who is second on the team with 33 catches, and Cody Core (third with 29) will have to play bigger roles.
Treadwell’s injury also figures to put more pressure on Ole Miss’ running game. The lack of a consistent rushing attack (3.9 yards per attempt) has allowed defenses to focus more on stopping quarterback Bo Wallace and the passing attack. Opponents often have used one less defender against the run and used him in the secondary to stop the passing game or used that defender to pressure Wallace.
With Treadwell in the lineup, defenses had to contend with his big-play ability and usually used bracket coverage with at least two defenders. Those tactics didn’t prevent Treadwell from averaging 13.2 yards per catch. Now, though, Sanders, Core, and Evan Engram (27 catches) likely will receive tighter coverage. Their ability to produce will be a key in helping Ole Miss continue to score at a high clip. The Rebels are averaging 31.8 points per game despite only averaging 149.7 yards rushing per game.
The return of All-America left tackle Laremy Tunsil will play a crucial role in the helping the ground game increase its production.
In addition to Sanders, Core, and Engram, Freeze and the coaches could call on redshirt freshman Trey Bledsoe. More experienced players like Quincy Adeboyejo or freshman Markell Pack also could get opportunities. But there is no replacing Treadwell. His injury will have a much bigger, longer-lasting effect on Ole Miss than the fumble that helped Auburn escape with the heart-stopping victory.
Reports from The Associated Press were included in this report.
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