Jordan Ta'amu passed for two touchdowns and ran for a third as Ole Miss shook off a sluggish first half and two weather delays to defeat visiting Kent State 38-17 in a nonconference game Saturday afternoon in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

Ta'amu completed 28 of 38 passes for 442 yards and had scoring passes of 41 yards to D.K. Metcalf and 38 yards to Scottie Phillips, who also ran 2 yards for a touchdown and finished with 112 rushing yards in a game that took nearly six hours to complete.

The Rebels (3-1), who bounced back from a 62-7 loss to No. 1 Alabama in their SEC opener a week earlier, return to conference play when they visit No. 6 LSU next week. The Golden Flashes (1-3) completed their nonconference schedule ahead of their MAC opener at Ball State next week.

The score was tied at seven at halftime and the start of the second half was delayed for more than 30 minutes because of lightning.

When play finally resumed, Ole Miss struck quickly, just as it had to start the game.

On the first possession, Ta'amu threw a 42-yard completion to A.J. Brown, setting up Phillips' 2-yard touchdown run on the following play.

After Matthew Trickett made a 32-yard field goal for Kent State , Ta'amu and Metcalf teamed for their score and a 21-10 lead midway through the third quarter.

Woody Barrett ran 2 yards for a touchdown to get Kent State within four, but Ta'amu ran for his touchdown and a 31-17 lead early in the fourth quarter.

After a one-hour, 43-minute delay, Isaiah Woullard ran 7 yards for the Rebels' final touchdown.

Barrett completed 24 of 42 for 224 yards and one interception and rushed 19 times for 53 yards.

Ta'amu threw his touchdown pass to Phillips on the first possession of the game.

The Golden Flashes squandered a scoring opportunity when Trickett missed a 48-yard field goal, but they pulled even on a trick play early in the second quarter. Wide receiver Kavious Price caught a lateral from Barrett and threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Jo-El Shaw.

The score remained tied at halftime after Kent State's Kalil Morris blocked Luke Logan's 38-yard field goal-attempt late in the second quarter.

--Field Level Media

--Field Level Media