by Rick Cantu AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF , Austin American-Statesman

Faced with a fourth down-and-4 play at their own 37 with 8 minutes remaining in the quarter, the eighth-ranked Red Raiders gambled - and got burned. With Tech trailing 31-21, Graham Harrell's quarterback sneak fell a yard shy of a first down.

Blessed with excellent field position, the Rebels needed just three plays to rip off 40 yards for another touchdown. Tech never recovered, and No. 20 Ole Miss rumbled to a 47-34 victory before 88,175 fans Friday afternoon in the final bowl game to be played at the historic venue in Fair Park.

Tech, which led 14-0 in the first quarter, initially resembled the team that had national championship aspirations . The rest of the game was a highlight reel for the determined Rebels, who shredded Tech's defense for 515 total yards, including 292 passing yards by former Texas Longhorns quarterback Jevan Snead.

Harrell finished his collegiate career with a Cotton Bowl-record 364 yards passing, but that feat was overshadowed by his risky fourth-down quarterback sneak, arguably the game's turning point.

Leach said he and Harrell had a "miscommunication" before the critical play, adding that it was a "bone-headed" decision to try it so early in the second half.

"We were hoping to draw them offside (and not run a play)," Leach said . "I didn't do a very good job of communicating, and (Harrell) thought I wanted something different. If I wanted a different result , I would have needed to communicate it better."

Harrell, though, did not mention any lack of communication with his coach before the play.

"We just thought we could get it," he said. "I tapped (center Stephen) Hamby and said, 'Go,' and came up a yard short. We went on a hard count, and I thought I saw the opening."

Ole Miss (9-4) wasted little time jumping on the opportunity, stretching its lead to 38-21 when running back Brandon Bolden bolted 17 yards for a touchdown. Momentum established, the Rebels pounded the Red Raiders on the ground, led by Bolden's 101 yards rushing and a career-high 99 by Dexter McCluster.

McCluster, who also contributed 83 yards on six catches, was named the game's most outstanding offensive player.

Across the field, Tech All-America receiver Michael Crabtree was obviously bothered by a high-ankle sprain. He had only four catches for 30 yards, season-lows in both categories. His lone highlight was a 2-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter, his 19th of the season. The touchdown pass from Harrell was the 132nd of the quarterback's college career, breaking the NCAA record previously held by Hawaii's Colt Brennan.

The game made a winner out of Houston Nutt, in his first season as head coach of the Rebels. The Southeastern Conference's coach of the year recalled his first meeting with his new team last spring and how his players often went to his home for dinner.

"Once the player knew that (the new staff) cared for them and all that sunk in, we took off," Nutt said. "We took off together. And when you look back, we could have won a few more games, but I'm proud of what we won, though."

Ole Miss did not go ahead until kicker Joshua Shene nailed a 27-yard field goal in the final minute of the second quarter to give the Rebels a 24-21 halftime lead.

The Rebels padded their lead to 38-21 with a pair of touchdowns in the third quarter - a 65-yard interception return by the game's defensive MVP, safety Marshay Green, and Bolden's 17-yard run.

Texas Tech did not mount a serious threat in the fourth quarter.

Texas Tech (11-2) is winless in four Cotton Bowl appearances. Ole Miss set a school bowl record with its 47 points, and the combined total of 81 points was a Cotton Bowl record.

Beginning next season, the Cotton Bowl Classic will be played at the new stadium being built by the Dallas Cowboys , which opens this fall in Arlington.

rcantu@statesman.com; 445-3953

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