Suntarine Perkins has been a running back before. On Saturday at Vanderbilt, for about five yards, he was one again.
Blake Purchase stripped Vanderbilt quarterback Jared Curtis in the second quarter, and Perkins picked up the ball and carried it into the end zone — the first touchdown of his college career, and his fifth career fumble recovery, according to Ole Miss Athletics. It made the score 35-3 on the way to a 52-17 win.
It just kind of brought back memories of me in high school, running the ball, running back. During that moment, I picked the ball up, kind of brought back high school running the football. So that was an awesome experience right there.
The review
The play went to replay. Perkins admitted he was nervous.
It was close. I was like, oh man, I hope they don’t take the touchdown back, my only one. But yeah, it was an awesome experience.
Two weeks of hearing about Florida
Ole Miss gave up 52 points and 302 rushing yards at Florida before its bye week. Asked how much the defense needed a game like this, Perkins pointed at his head coach.
[Coach Golding] been on us all week, for two weeks. So we just came in, everybody came in together. We knew what we was capable of and know what we was getting into. So for us to just come out here and get the job done, I’m really proud of the team.
On the turnovers — Ole Miss had forced very few coming in and forced four on Saturday — he credited the same practice week. “[Coach Golding] be on us all week through practice, making sure we be in the right spot to make turnovers — just get shots at the ball, create turnovers.”
The numbers behind it
Perkins played 37 snaps, up from 26 at Florida, which had been his lowest total in a competitive game this season. Pro Football Focus charted him for a sack and two quarterback hurries on 20 pass-rush snaps and a 76.7 coverage grade.
Asked whether this was the best four-quarter game the defense has played, he said yes — with a qualifier. “I do feel like that was our best performance playing all four quarters. And I feel like we know we can be better. But yeah, we got the job done.”
On Jamarious Brown
Perkins was not the only defender with a first career touchdown. Defensive tackle Jamarious Brown caught one on offense in the same quarter. Perkins’s review: “I ain’t gonna lie, he looked like an athlete right there. He got up pretty high.”
Ole Miss is 4-1, 2-1 in the SEC. Next up: Missouri at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Saturday, Oct. 17, at 2:30 p.m. CT. Hotty Toddy 🦈
Quotes from the Ole Miss postgame press conferences, Oct. 10, 2026. Grades via Pro Football Focus; team and individual totals via Ole Miss Athletics. Photo: Suntarine Perkins, September 6, 2026, at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images.