'I'm made for it': Austin Simmons gets his shot at Ole Miss

ATLANTA -- The case for Ole Miss football optimism this year is rooted in two Austin Simmons relief appearances against Georgia last year.

The first came in April 2024, in the seventh inning of the second game of a baseball double-header at the No. 23 Bulldogs. Simmons, a lefty reliever, came in to preserve a lead and struck out two batters, including eventual MLB No. 3 overall draft pick Charlie Condon . "Slider, in," recalls Ole Miss baseball coach Mike Bianco.

The second unfolded with a bit more fanfare in Oxford on Nov. 9, as Simmons came in for a series on the football field against No. 3 Georgia. In relief of injured quarterback Jaxon Dart , Simmons led Ole Miss on a 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to tie the game with an unflinching calm. "Just went out there and dominate