Taste of the Game: Ole Miss at Arkansas
All Aboard, Rebels! It’s time to hit the road and take our gameday show to Fayetteville as Ole Miss takes on Arkansas. While our tailgating may be different this season due to COVID-19, it doesn’t mean we still can’t enjoy it.
The one thing about being in the Southeastern Conference is no matter where you are traveling, you can be sure there is always going to be some damn good football, a place to wet your whistle, and savory down-home eats.
This week our “Taste of the Game” feature is making a stop at one of Fayetteville’s staples, Penguin Ed’s BBQ.
From tents on Hwy 245, to two locations and paper mache penguins (take some time to read about it or let them tell you the story), Ed and his family have been serving up delicious barbecue for over 25 years.
This is more than just a BBQ joint; you can literally find something to satisfy every gameday craving — even if you’re a vegetarian — as there’s something on the menu for the entire family. With two locations and even a pop-up location this week, you won’t have to worry about getting your hands on some good eats on this Rebel road trip.
Here are some of my favorite eats from Penguin Ed’s – Bon Appetit, y’all!
With a 2:30 kick-off, you know Rebel Nation will be ready to go early and will need the proper fuel to get there. Start off with some of Penguin Ed’s signatures smoked BBQ wings, or if you need something with a “bite” go for that BBQ Pulled Pork Nachos.
Who says you can’t stay healthy and indulge during a tailgate? Let me recommend y’all try one of their scrumptious Smoke Meat Salads. You choose your indulgence from their chopped chicken, beef, pulled pork, or chopped pork to top your fresh salad pickings. Kick it up with one of their homemade house dressings!
Cheezy tators
Now, this is where it gets tough because, like I said, there is literally so much to choose from at Penguin Ed’s. In the sandwich or sub arena, I hear the Arkie Cheesesteak is something you must try. Smoked sliced pork with farm-fresh grilled peppers, onions with melted-swiss chess on Texas Toast—yes, that’s a winner.
For our vegetarians in the group, do not fret! Ed and his crew will take care of you right. Go for that Black Bean Veggie Burger and finish it off with a side of their signature “cheezy tators.”
And for those of y’all bringing a big crew from Oxford, go with one of the family packs that can feed four to 50+, filled with everything from ribs to brisket and some of their delicious, signature made-in-the-South sides. Whether you dine in or are looking for the perfect food at your tailgate, let the folks at Penguin Ed’s show you that Southern hospitality this weekend in Fayetteville.
This week, Rebels are in luck because you can also order ahead and pick up one of their Gameday Family Packs that feeds up to eight for just $45 ready to go on Saturday.
Penguin Ed’s makes their cookies fresh each morning.
If you can’t make it to one of their main locations or are just looking to grab some good BBQ and libations, you can also swing by George’s Majestic Lounge and grab a cold one starting at 11 AM and pick up some Penguin Ed’s BBQ there at their pop up while also enjoying some live tunes by The Juice Duo. That sounds like some of the closest tailgate normalcy you can have under these circumstances!dddd
Rebels, if you’re on the road and looking for a good place to grab some grub, then support a great local business in Fayetteville this weekend. #HottyToddy #All Aboard.
Make sure to visit the Penguin Ed’s website for full menus, daily specials, and more at https://www.penguineds.com. For all the latest like and follow them on their Facebook at Penguin Ed’s or on their twitter at @PenguinEds
Team Penguin Ed’s all masked up and ready for a good weekend! Open for dine in (Patio dining also at Historic B&B) and curbside from 11am-9pm on Saturday! pic.twitter.com/ngLDPT7hVL
— Penguin Ed's (@penguineds) October 10, 2020
Penguin Ed’s Locations & Hours
Mission
2773 E Mission Blvd.
479-587-8446
Sun-Thurs: 11 AM-8 PM
Fri & Sat: 11 AM-9PM
Historic B&B
230 S. East Ave
479-521-3663
Mon-Thurs: 11 AM-8 PM
Fri & Sat: 11 AM-9PM
Sun: 11 AM-3 PM
Lee Ann Herring-Olvedo
Herring-Olvedo sees college football the way championship programs do—from inside the personnel room. Every evaluation, every roster move, every recruiting battle tells a bigger story about identity, culture, and how a program is built to win in December, not just July.
With more than 15 years covering the SEC and the national recruiting landscape, Herring-Olvedo has built a reputation as one of the sport’s most respected personnel-driven voices—blending film evaluation, roster construction, and long-term program vision through a true front-office lens. Her coverage of powerhouse brands like Ole Miss Rebels and Kentucky Wildcatshas consistently gone beyond headlines, focusing instead on the blueprint behind winning programs: development, fit, culture, and recruiting strategy.
That foundation was formed early at Brown University, where she worked in player personnel and recruiting while competing as a student-athlete. Inside those recruiting operations rooms, she learned how elite organizations are truly built—through relentless evaluation, relationship building, projection, and trust in the board. Those experiences shaped the way she studies the game today: part scout, part storyteller, part architect.
Her analysis and reporting have appeared across major platforms including ESPN, NFL coverage spaces, USA Today Sports, and Saturday Down South. She also brought her personnel-minded approach to the airwaves as an on-air analyst for the Wake Up 502 College Football Show on Big X Sports Radio 96.1, where she became known for combining film-room detail with a wider understanding of roster identity and program trajectory.
In 2025, covering the rise of Houston Cougars football under Willie Fritz reignited the part of the sport that first drew her into football—the culture, the edge, the belief that a roster can reshape an entire city. That inspiration led to the launch of Coogs 365 Sports, a platform built to cover Houston athletics through a true scouting and recruiting lens while connecting the emotion of the game to the heartbeat of H-Town.
Now, Herring-Olvedo returns to The Rebel Walk where with an even deeper perspective shaped by years inside recruiting circles, national SEC coverage, and hands-on evaluation experience. Her return brings a familiar voice back to Ole Miss coverage—but with an evolved lens rooted in roster architecture, player development, and the modern realities of building championship-caliber football in the NIL and portal era.
For Herring-Olvedo, recruiting has never been about stars beside a name. It is about identifying competitors, projecting growth, and building a locker room capable of sustaining success. Her philosophy mirrors the best front offices in football: stack traits, trust culture, and never stop building.
