Passes were expected to fill the air when 4-1 LSU hosted the 2-4 Ole Miss Rebels in the 34th renewal of one of Dixie's oldest gridiron rivalries. The duellists would be Y. A. Tittle of LSU and "Chunkin' Charlie" Conerly of Ole Miss. Conerly was 25 years old after interrupt­ing his college career to serve as a Marine during World War II. In his third year at LSU, Tittle had just turned 20. In that era of limited substitution, both signal-callers also played safety on defense.

LSU HB Dan Sandifer was limping after his foot was stepped on in the Tuesday scrimmage but would play Saturday. However, all-conference FB Red Knight would not play. Fortunately, LSU had depth in the backfield.

LSU was favored by three touchdowns. But Ole Miss, under first-year head coach Red Drew, was a three-touchdown underdog against Arkansas the previous week when they beat the Razorbacks 9-7 in Memphis.

Coach Bernie Moore staged two "high-gear" scrimmages during the week to iron out the kinks that had kept his team from clicking as smoothly as he knew they could.

Observers who predicted a wide-open battle were on the mark.

Neither team crossed midfield on their first two possessions. Finally, late in the first quarter, Conerly made a beautiful leaping interception of Sandifer's pass on the Ole Miss 44 and re­turned it to the LSU 41.

On second down, Conerly threw to 25-year-old E Ray Poole, a three-year Marine veteran, who was run out of bounds by Sandifer for a first down on the 24. After Tittle broke up the next, Charlie hit HB Farley Salmon for another first down on the 13. On third-and-eight, Con­erly couldn't find an open receiver. So he ran for a first down on the three as the scoreless quarter ended.

Conerly spun off right tackle for the touchdown. Poole booted the extra point. Ole Miss 7 LSU 0

An entire new team went in for LSU except for Tittle at quarterback. HB Jim Cason return­ed the kickoff 38y to the LSU 48. On fourth down, Moore said "Go for it," and Cason dashed around right end for a first down on the Ole Miss 43. The Tigers were called for holding on the next snap, and the ball was moved back 15y to the LSU 42. Then LSU's fortunes went from bad to worse when Tittle fumbled, and Bernard Blackwell recovered for Ole Miss on the LSU 38.

The Rebels took advantaqe of the turnover to double their lead. Conerly connected with Salmon for a first down at the 20. Two snaps later, Charlie again found Salmon who was pushed out of bounds on the LSU 1' line. The Tigers held FB Marvin Curland for no gain as the first quarter ended.

Conerly took matters into his own hands again by hitting off right tackle for the touchdown. Poole again converted. Ole Miss 14 LSU 0

The LSU offense came alive and drove 71y for a touchdown. The first key play was Al Hero­man's third down scamper for 10y and a first down on the LSU 45. Two straight Rebel penal­ties helped the Tiger cause - 5y for offside and pass interference to move the ball to the 31. FB Bill Schroll smacked left tackle for nine, then skirted left end for a first down on the 18. Cason then connected with Heroman in the end zone for the touchdown. Holly Heard kicked the extra point. Ole Miss 14 LSU 7

The Rebels got a break when Ray Coates took a punt on the LSU 20 and fumbled when hit to give Ole Miss the ball the 30. But the defense held to force a field goal attempt. But Ole Miss's try from the 36 was short, and LSU took over on the 20.

The teams traded interceptions and punts for the rest of the quarter.

Halftime score: Ole Miss 14 LSU 7

"Stocky little" Willard Landry returned the Ole Miss kickoff 32y to his 40. The Tigers moved smartly from there to tie the score. The first key play came on third down when Harrell "Rip" Collins went over right tackle for 12y and a first down on the Ole Miss 45. Two snaps later, Tittle fired to freshman E Joe Leach for 21y to the 28. After Tittle went up the middle for four, Y.A. threw a short pass to Cason, who broke away from three tacklers into the end zone. Ole Miss 14 LSU 14

The tie didn't last long. The Rebels staged a 72y march that put them back in front. The first big play was a 42y scamper by Salmon to the LSU 23 where Sanderson pulled him down. The Tiger defense made a big play when they rushed Conerly, who fell down as he tried to escape for an 18y loss. But Charlie rebounded with a pass to Salmon for 16y to the 25. Then Curland turned right end for a first down on the 10. Conerly passed to Poole, who caught it on the four and dragged Sandifer over the goal to regain the lead. Ole Miss 21 LSU 14

The Rebels had a chance to gain the first two-score lead of the day when Collins fumbled, and James Crawford recovered on the LSU 31. But on the next play, Conerly faded to pass but lost the ball, and E Jeff Adams fell on it for LSU on the Ole Miss 47.

The Tigers ran the ball eight straight plays with Landry gaining the last 8y behind the blocking of T Hubert Shurtz. However, the enthusiasm of Tiger fans was dampened when Ole Miss blocked Heard's extra point try. Ole Miss 21 LSU 20

The next Rebel possession ended on the second play of the fourth quarter with a punt to Coates, who ran it back 5y to the Ole Miss 47.

Tittle's second down pass to freshman E Mel Lyle gained 20y to the Ole Miss 27. The next completion to Lyles was nullified by an offside penalty that put the ball on the 24. Undaunted, Y. A. found E Ray Bullock open for a 24y touchdown. LSU 27 Ole Miss 21

LSU soon had the ball back on the Rebel 22 after Sandifer's 38y punt return. But fumbles on two straight plays, with LSU recovering the first one and a Reb grabbing the second, ended the advance.

With LSU's depth wearing down the visitors, the Tiger defense continued to stifle the Reb­els. Tittle, who enjoyed playing defensive back as well as quarterback, intercepted a Conerly pass on the Ole Miss 18. But a 15y penalty for clipping and an 8y sack, set the Tigers back. So Collins punted out of bounds on the Ole Miss three. The "coffin corner" kick would help the Tigers clinch the victory.

Conerly got the Rebs moving with two completions to the 21. But a holding penalty blunted the momentum and led to disaster when DB Jeff Burkett snagged a Conerly aerial and re­turned it 30y to the end zone. LSU 34 Ole Miss 21

Ole Miss drove to the LSU 38, but penalties and incomplete passes forced a punt that allowed the Tigers to run out the clock.

FINAL SCORE: LSU 34 OLE MISS 21

Some players engaged in a "mild" fist fight that was quickly broken up.

The teams tied in first downs with 13, but the Tigers led in both rushing yards (138-80) and passing yards (153-130). LSU might have won by a larger margin if they hadn't lost four fumbles and thrown two interceptions.