On Saturday, Ole Miss and Vanderbilt will lock aristocratic horns on the gridiron for the 99th time, which is at least 60 percent too many Ole Miss and Vanderbilt football games.
It’s the first meeting since 2023 and though a two-year break doesn’t seem like much, the teams had met every year since 1970. An interruption after 53 years was of note, and we’ll find out whether getting the bands back together for another battle of the bands is a good idea.
As I wrote yesterday and years before, there was a stretch from 1999-2011 when Ole Miss and Vanderbilt played 10 times (TEN) on Jefferson Pilot at the holiest of holy time — 11:30 AM. And, if you were paying attention yesterday, you’d remember that 7 of those 10 appearances were consecutive showings from ‘99 to ‘05.
The 99th meeting here in the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand and Twenty Six will not be on Jefferson Pilot or at 11:30 AM. Years ago, JP went home to the great big low-definition regional broadcast in the sky, and ESPN deemed this year’s tilt worthy of a 2:30 kickoff.
However, since an Ole Miss/Vanderbilt game still feels synonymous with Jefferson Pilot, Texas Pete, morning football, Daves on Daves on Daves, and hellacious temperatures, there’s no better way to pay homage to that seemingly endless ocean of why are we doing this than to remember some guys and things from that time.
We’ve done this before with the Egg Bowl and jersey numbers that make up 1776, but if you’ve forgotten how to play or are too exhausted to visit either of those links, the rules are pretty simple. You just remember some guys and things.
So let’s remember some guys and things.
Greg Zolman
Doug Zeigler
Joe Gunn
Deuce McAllister
Romaro Miller
Dave Baker
Dave Neal
Dave Rowe
Dave Archer
As a brief aside, a legendary move from the JP power brokers to replace one Dave (Rowe) with another Dave (Archer).
Bill Flowers
Woody Widenhofer
Bobby Johnson (perhaps the most JP coach of all-time; complimentary)
David Cutcliffe
Ed Orgeron
Houston Nutt
Daughtry
Lincoln Financial Sports
Texas Pete
94 degrees with 55 percent humidity
Jay Cutler
Hunter Hilenmeyer
Earl Bennett
Dan Stricker
Jamie Duncan
Jimmy Williams
Jamie Winborn
Todd Yoder
Tremaine Turner
David Cutcliffe losing to Vanderbilt in overtime in 1999 (2 weeks after beating Memphis 3-0 to open the season)
David Cutliffe beating Vanderbilt 12-7 one year later
Ronald McClendon
Chris Nickson
Mackenzi Adams
Larry Smith
Brent Schaeffer
Seth Adams
Ethan Flatt
Vashon Pearson
Rick Razzano
Mario Hill
Mike Espy
Trumaine McBride
Jonathan Nichols
Cody Ridgeway
Norval McKenzie
Robert Lane
Micheal Spurlock
Mico McSwain
Taye Biddle
BenJarvus Green-Ellis
Marshay Green
Cassen Jackson-Garrison
Cordera Eason
Not allowing local CBS affiliates to switch over to the 2:30 game between two good teams because this 17-10 Ole Miss/Vandy game is somehow taking 3 and 1/2 hours to play
And on and on and on.
That was a relatively short list, so if the spirit moves you, feel free to remember some more guys in the comments.
