Column | It’s Happening: Is this the best time ever to be an Ole Miss Rebel?

OXFORD, Miss. — The drive from Oxford to Atlanta for the 2023 Peach Bowl allowed for plenty of time to contemplate my life as an Ole Miss fan, where our athletic programs have historically been, where we are now, and where we may be headed. Had you told teenage Clint that his Rebels would face off with Penn State in a major bowl someday he would have had a difficult time believing you. Indeed, Clint in his 20’s, 30’s or most of his 40’s would have doubted that possibility. But 70,000 plus fans and I were there on December 30 in Mercedes Benz Stadium to see that take place. The day did not disappoint those of us in red. 

Ole Miss fans understood the assignment. 🔥#TheyrePlayingOurSong pic.twitter.com/oM8qdajDj2

— The Rebel Walk (@TheRebelWalk) December 30, 2023

So, how did we get here? Well, it would be extremely difficult to list all the dominoes that had to fall for the Ole Miss football program to be in the position it currently occupies (build Elijah Moore a statue), but here we are, a top ten program to finish 2023 and one that is rightly being discussed as a legitimate national championship contender heading into 2024. 

But it’s not just football that has Rebel fans excited. In an article I wrote sometime around 2010 I mentioned how Ole Miss was one of only 3-4 schools in power conferences who had not done at least one of the following in the past 30 years – played in a BCS bowl (what they were called prior to New Year’s Six), advance to an NCAA basketball Final Four, or make it to the College World Series. Seriously, at the time, the list was made up of something like Iowa State, Vanderbilt and us. And wouldn’t you know Vanderbilt would go to the College World Series for the first time the following year. 

Fast forward to 2024 and we’ve seen Ole Miss play in four New Year’s Six bowls in the past nine years and two College World Series during that same time period, taking home the national title in 2022. We still don’t have that Final Four appearance but what Ole Miss fan doesn’t believe even that is possible with the addition of Chris Beard? What a world we live in.  

Clint Crockett (far right) celebrating the 2014 win over Alabama with John Edwards and Doug Thompson. (Photo: Clint Crockett)

The question is what have we as fans done to deserve this? Have we just paid our dues? Many would make that claim and it would be hard to argue. I mean I was at the Valpo game, so I am owed some good fortune, right? (The Calvinist in me says that no, no I am not.)

But I digress.

The Peach Bowl was amazing. My oldest son Will drove down from Nashville to meet me for the game, and we were able to sit with more than twenty others from our tailgate group, a few of whom live in Atlanta. As I’m sure was the case with most of you, we were concerned while watching Penn State march down the field with seeming ease on their opening drive. It brought back painful memories of the Georgia contest. But when the Rebel defense tightened up and held them to a field goal, hope sprang eternal. Then Jackson Dart, Tre Harris, Caden Prieskorn and the rest of the offense started clicking. I honestly felt very good about our chances near the end of the first quarter. One big difference I noted was we were getting pressure on their quarterback. That didn’t remotely happen against Georgia. 

Penn State managed to head to the halftime locker room within three points, but the second half was all Ole Miss. We had the best players on the field and the play calling was as good as I’ve ever seen from one of our teams. And you know the day is going your way when your defensive tackle can bobble a shotgun snap on 4th and one and still manage to bull his way for an eight-yard gain. 

In my years as an Ole Miss fan that date back to the late 1970’s I’d put the 2023 Peach Bowl in the top three best experiences I’ve ever had along with winning the College World Series and the 2014 ESPN Gameday win over Alabama. Nothing will ever top the College World Series win (at least until we win it in football and basketball). 

Clint Crockett (far left) in Omaha with his sons, Will and Wes, on the Rebels’ CWS championship run. (Photo: Clint Crockett)

Of course, as we were preparing for the Peach Bowl, every day the Ole Miss staff seemed to add an incredible piece to next year’s squad and as previously mentioned, the Rebels vaulted into the 2024 national championship discussion. Later came the news that Quinshon Judkins was leaving, which was disappointing but from what I’ve gathered, it was best for both parties. Quinshon is an outstanding talent. We won games over the past couple of years that we would not have won without him. I hope things work out for him. What I will say though is that as long as Lane Kiffin is our coach, I have no worries whatsoever about us having outstanding skill position players on the roster. Who wouldn’t want to play in this offense if given an opportunity?

Although my father was at Ole Miss during the football glory years of the early 1960’s – and they won three SEC baseball championships between 59-64 – I will argue that there’s never been a better time to be a Rebel fan. Lane Kiffin is proving to be everything we hoped he would be. He also seems to feel at home in Oxford now. Chris Beard has had an immediate impact and truly is changing the culture of Ole Miss basketball. And Mike Bianco is the one among the three who has actually won a national championship. Whether you agree or not that it is the best time to be a fan, I can tell you that it’s a lot of fun wearing Ole Miss gear in airports and in my travels around the country. I’m sure many of you are experiencing the same. 

Clint Crockett (right) with his son Will at the 2023 Peach Bowl in Atlanta. (Photo: Clint Crockett)

Hotty Toddy! Hope to see you in the Pavilion and at Swayze Field soon. And if you don’t have season football tickets, I suggest you make the necessary arrangements to obtain them posthaste.