Matt Corral wins C Spire Conerly Trophy Honoring Top College Football Player in Mississippi

Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral has been named the winner of the 2021 C Spire Conerly Trophy, honoring the top college football player in the Magnolia State. The Trophy has now been awarded to an Ole Miss player 10 times, the most of any other school.

In 2021, Corral finished the regular season 260-of-380 for 3,339 passing yards, for a 68 percent completion percentage.

He notched 20 TDs with just 4 interceptions. He also had 145 carries during the regular season for 597 yards, scoring 11 TDs on the ground. Those 11 rushing TDs are the third-most ever by a Rebel QB in a single season.

He is No. 9 in the FBS in total offense (327.7), and is one of just three quarterbacks in the country to have thrown for at least 20 TDs and run for 11 or more TDs.

The Ventura, California native, who led Ole Miss to a 10-win season, the most regular-season wins in school history, is the only player in the FBS with more than 3,000 yards passing and 500 yards rushing this year.

Corral joined finalists from nine other schools vying for the coveted award, which is named after College Football Hall of Famer Charlie Conerly, who also starred for Ole Miss and the New York Giants.

Complete List of C Spire Conerly Trophy Nominees

Alcorn State University – Senior defensive back Juwan Taylor

Belhaven University – Senior running back Brad Foley

Delta State University – Redshirt senior linebacker Marvin Terry

Jackson State University – Freshman quarterback Shedeur Sanders

Millsaps College – Junior wide receiver Moïse Tezzo

Mississippi College – Linebacker Jonathan Jones

Evelyn Van Pelt

Evelyn has covered sports for over two decades, beginning her journalism career as a sports writer for a newspaper in Austin, Texas. She attended Texas A&M and majored in English. Evelyn’s love for Ole Miss began when her daughter Katie attended the university on a volleyball scholarship. Evelyn created the Rebel Walk in 2013 and has served as publisher and managing editor since its inception.