by Jake Adams
Bo Wallace capped his first season as the Ole Miss starting quarterback with three touchdown passes and the BBVA Compass Bowl MVP Award. Wallace still had his moments, including two 2nd quarter interceptions, one of which was converted into a Pitt touchdown and probably was the only thing that kept the game from becoming a total route. But as Wallace has proven capable through the course of the season, he shook the bad off and came back in for his 3rd touchdown drive of the day in the 2nd quarter.
Wallace started off very hot. After Ole Miss' first two possessions he was 8-for-8 with two touchdown passes, the second of which was a highlight reel pass over the top to a streaking Randall Mackey, but then it looked like Wallace got a little greedy, and he threw two interceptions, each on plays where it was apparent he was forcing things.
Freeze, who is by now surely accustomed to those "why in the world did you throw that pass" moments from his young quarterback stuck with Wallace after Jaylen Walton spotted the offense 52 yards with on a kickoff return, going back to tempo with quick runs and throws. Wallace rewarded his coach with an 18 yard touchdown pass to Vince Sanders, moving the ball down the field at lightning speed - 48 yards in five plays, using just a minute of clock.
“I felt really good at the start of the game and then had the two interceptions, but I just had to bounce back from it," Wallace said. "When coach (Hugh) Freeze went tempo it settled me down a little bit because that’s what I am comfortable in. So, once we went tempo, I felt back in a rhythm a little bit."
Wallace finished the day completing 22 of 32 passes for 151 yards, two interceptions and three touchdowns. He also rushed for 27 yards (38 if you don't include a sack or two). It was a nice finish to the year for the transfer quarterback. With two years of eligibility remaining, a full season under his belt and obvious talent, but for the occasional errant pass, Wallace has the chance to do some remarkable things at Ole Miss, which didn't seem plausible when he signed with Arkansas State a couple years ago and then transferred to East Mississippi Community College.
Wallace was candid about his career path in the post-game press conference.
