Ole Miss Football will travel to Austin, Texas, this Saturday for a night game against the Longhorns. The Rebels will face off against a Manning for the first time in nearly 30 years. Arch Manning, grandson of Rebel legend Archie Manning, is the quarterback for Texas.
Former Ole Miss superstar Eli Manning made headlines in early September after appearing on the popular sports podcast “Pardon My Take.” In the episode, Eli Manning stated that he would cheer for Texas, his nephew’s team, over his alma mater in their Oct. 24 meeting.
“You root for your family,” Eli Manning said. “I’m going to root for my nephew to win in every game that he plays in.”
Eli Manning followed this up by clarifying that he will continue to cheer for Ole Miss in every game except Texas this year. His affinity for Texas is temporary; he does not claim to be a Texas fan once in the episode, but merely asserts that he is a huge Arch Manning fan.
“After (Arch Manning leaves), I will be back to Ole Miss 100%,” Eli Manning said.
Eli Manning threw for 10,119 yards and 81 touchdowns at Ole Miss. He led the program to a Cotton Bowl win in 2003 and finished third in the Heisman Trophy race. Eli Manning’s legacy is cemented in Ole Miss Football history. Until the recent successes of Matt Corral, Jaxson Dart and Trinidad Chambliss, he was considered the best Ole Miss quarterback since his father, Archie Manning.
Archie Manning is widely considered the greatest to ever wear a Rebel uniform. In an interview with The Daily Mississippian, Archie did not comment on which team he is cheering for this weekend, but he did offer praise for his grandson.
“I’m very proud of Arch (Manning). I get excited to see him play,” Archie Manning said. “He’s good to me. He loves the game, and I’m so proud of him.”
The history between the Manning family and Ole Miss Football is not unique to this upcoming weekend. Peyton Manning controversially chose to play football at Tennessee rather than Ole Miss in 1994.
Peyton Manning was the first in the Manning family to trade Ole Miss for another SEC school. Cooper Manning, Archie Manning’s oldest son and Arch Manning’s father, attended Ole Miss. He came to Ole Miss on a football scholarship but was forced to retire before ever taking a snap because of a spinal condition.
The Rebels last played against a Manning in 1997 in a 31-17 loss to Tennessee on the road. Peyton Manning totaled 324 yards in the air that day. The year prior, Peyton Manning defeated Ole Miss 41-3, throwing for 242 yards in the win.
Ole Miss fans will be in for an interesting sight when the Rebels take the field against a quarterback who shares the name of the player Ole Miss honors with its campus speed limit.
