The University of Mississippi is referred to affectionately as ‘Ole Miss’ in that state. It really stands for, as you may have guessed, ‘Old Mississippi.’ The Ole Miss Rebels are the flag team of the university in the NCAA Division I-A FBS. The team is currently member of the Southeastern Conference.

The first football team of the University was created in 1893 on the encouragement of DR. A. L. Bondurant who later became Dean of the school. The student members of the team chose Bondurant as their first coach. The Southwest Baptist University (Union University) was the teams very first opponent. They defeated the Baptists 54-0. Of the other four games played in that inaugural game, the Rebels won 3.

A yellow fever epidemic suspended football playing in 1897. In 1943, the impending Second World War prompted school authorities to stop the playing of football.

While the process of selecting the national champion in football annually is out of the hands of the NCAA, a number of polling organizations publish their own positions on the matter. In 1955, 1959,1960 and 1962, the Rebels were declared as National Champions by some polls of minor significance. With the major polls such as Associated Press and United Press, the team was either placed in second or third place. However, in 2003, Ole Miss finally won the title by vote.

The team is remembered for having two ‘firsts.’ They were the first team to travel by plane to the site of the competition. This happened in 1937 when the team flew from Memphis, Tennessee to Philadelphia. Ole Miss Rebels was also the first team whose game was aired on radio. This was for their 1948 match with Memphis.

In 2007 Ole Miss hired its 36th football coach in the person of Houston Nutt. This came after Nutt, coaching the Arkansas Razorbacks, defeated Ole Miss just a few weeks previously. His first season secured for the team a record of 9-4. This was during the 2009 Cotton Bowl Classic. Among those defeated by the Rebels were the Florida Gators, the LSU Tigers and the Texas Tech Red Raiders. The Florida Gators were later proclaimed BCS National Champions.

Every year the Rebels have rivalry matches with chosen universities. The Rebels and Mississippi State University vie for the Egg Bowl. Currently the Rebels are leading in this series with 60 to 40.Another rivalry game is the Magnolia Bowl which is played against Louisiana State University. The series is currently dominated by LSU with 55-39-4.

The Vanderbilt University Commodores also competes annually with the Rebels. This rivalry series dates back to when both co-founded the Southeastern Conference. The Rebels are ahead in this series with 42-13-2

The team is ranked third in all time best football programs. It garnered 21 victories in 33 Bowl games. Ten of its members are member of the College Football Hall of Fame, 2 are included in the rosters of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, 3 are featured in the Helms Athletic Foundation Hall of Fame and one is with the National Quarterback Club Hall of Fame.

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