HOUSTON (AP) — Just after Ole Miss piled up more than 500 yards in a blowout of Texas Tech on Saturday, quarterback Jordan Ta’amu was asked about his group of receivers led by A.J. Brown, DaMarkus Lodge and D.K. Metcalf.

“They’re so talented,” he said. “They’re the best in the nation. I believe that in my heart. I’m grateful they’re on my side and I can throw to them.”

On Saturday the Rebels showed that they have a pretty good running game, too.

Ta’amu threw for 336 yards and two touchdowns and Scottie Phillips ran for a career-high 204 yards and two more scores to give Ole Miss the 47-27 win.

Phillips said having such a talented group of receivers helps him out.

“They spread everything out and it gives me a lot more running room,” he said. “We’ve got a veteran O-line and that makes my job a whole lot easier.”

Phillips extended Ole Miss’ lead to 37-20 when he scampered 65 yards for a touchdown with about seven minutes left in the third quarter.

Da’Leon Ward’s second touchdown on a 9-yard run got Texas Tech within 10 later in the third, but Ta’amu found Brown for a 34-yard touchdown pass on the second play of the fourth quarter to make it 44-27.

Ole Miss coach Matt Luke liked the way Ta’amu spread the ball around. Lodge caught six passes for 96 yards, Brown had seven receptions for 93 yards and a touchdown, and Metcalf four for 81 and a TD.

“We go to space and if they want to double-team one we’re able to go to the others so I think that’s pretty unique,” Luke said. “It did work out with a lot of balance and that’s good.”

Texas Tech freshman Alan Bowman was 29-of-49 passing for 273 yards and a touchdown after taking over late in the first quarter when starter McLane Carter was injured.

“True freshman, first game, that type of atmosphere, just took a while I think for him to settle in,” Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury said. “I was proud of how he protected the football, that’s what we asked him to do. Protect the ball. Led some nice drives, a couple we’d like to have back, but I thought overall he handled himself well.”

Ta’amu got things going early when he connected with Metcalf for a 58-yard touchdown pass on the second play of the game.

The Red Raiders evened it up when Ward ran 15 yards for a score on their first possession. That touchdown was set up when T.J. Vasher made an Odell Beckham-esque one-handed catch for a 31-yard gain two plays earlier. Vasher grabbed the ball with his right hand as he leapt above the defender and secured it with both hands before crashing to the turf near the sideline.

Ole Miss regained the lead quickly when Jaylon Jones returned the ensuing kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown.

The Rebels were up 17-7 when Carter was injured when he was tackled by a pair of defenders on a run for no gain. He tried to remain in the game but fell to the ground at the line and was helped off the field and then carted to the locker room. Kingsbury said it was a left ankle injury, but he didn’t have any details on the severity of the injury.

Ole Miss’ first touchdown from Phillips, a run of 39 yards, came next to make it 24-7 late in the first quarter.

Bowman made a nice throw under heavy pressure for a 14-yard TD pass to Ja’Deion High to cut the lead to 27-17 about two minutes before halftime.