Ole Miss football team defeated Tulane 37-20 on Saturday, thanks to the impressive performance of their kicker Caden Davis. The senior transfer from Texas A&M made all three of his field goals, including a game-clinching 56-yarder, and all four of his extra points. He also consistently kicked off through the end zones, displaying his remarkable range and accuracy.
Davis reminds of Ray Guy, the legendary punter and kicker
Davis’s kicks were not only long, but also high. He soared the ball above the stadium, sometimes even hitting the goal post uprights or the seats in the end zone. His kicks reminded some observers of Ray Guy, the Hall of Fame punter who also excelled as a straight-on, toes-first kicker. Guy, who played for Southern Miss and the Oakland Raiders, once kicked a 61-yard field goal in a Utah snowstorm and hit 70-yard field goals in warmups. Davis has similar potential, as he hit a 67-yard field goal in pregame warmups and claims to have hit from 76 yards in practice.
Davis’s 56-yard field goal seals the game for Ole Miss
The game was closer than the final score indicated, as Tulane fought hard to keep up with Ole Miss’s high-powered offense. The Rebels led 27-20 with two minutes left in the game and faced fourth and one at the Tulane 34. Coach Lane Kiffin decided to send in Davis to attempt a 51-yard field goal, but a false start penalty pushed it back to 56 yards. Kiffin stuck with Davis, even though a miss would have given Tulane a chance to tie or win the game. Davis nailed the kick with room to spare, putting Ole Miss up by 10 points and effectively ending the game.
Davis transfers from Texas A&M and wins the starting job at Ole Miss
Davis was a highly rated recruit out of Coppell High School in Texas, where he set the state record for most field goals in a season with 23. He signed with Texas A&M in 2019, but redshirted his freshman year and did not see any action in 2020. He entered the transfer portal in January 2021 and chose Ole Miss over several other offers. He competed with incumbent starter Luke Logan and freshman Cale Nation for the kicking job and won it with his impressive performance in fall camp. He has made all six of his field goal attempts and all 13 of his extra point attempts so far this season.
Davis earns SEC Special Teams Player of the Week honors
For his outstanding performance against Tulane, Davis was named the Southeastern Conference Special Teams Player of the Week. He is the first Ole Miss kicker to earn that honor since Gary Wunderlich in 2016. He is also one of only four kickers in Ole Miss history to make a field goal of 50 yards or more in consecutive games, joining Wunderlich, Jonathan Nichols and Bryson Rose. He is currently tied for second in the nation in field goals made and ranks fifth in field goal percentage.
