Ole Miss Sugar Bowl Memories Told By Those Who Were There

The Ole Miss Rebels are playing in the 2016 Allstate Sugar bowl on Jan. 1, in New Orleans. This is the first Sugar Bowl the Rebels have played in since 1970. You could say it is Ole So Sweet!

As the Sugar Bowl celebration week has been happening, a few of our readers sent in some of their memories of pasts Ole Miss Sugar Bowl games. We hope this takes you back to memory lane, and teaches the youngsters a little history!

Ole Miss Sugar Bowl Memories

David Jones:

“Living now around New Orleans makes the actions of that day extra special. Glenn Cannon, newphew of Billy Cannon of Ole Miss, made the hit on Chuck Dicas, the AR receiver, at the end of the game to secure a Rebels win. Never will make up for Billy Cannon stealing the game in 1959, but it was a little sweet redemption!”

Sugar Bowl ticket from 1961

Paul Kinney: He was 11 years old and went to the Sugar Bowl with his dad at the old Tulane Stadium in New Orleans.

“My Dad loved going to the Sugar Bowl with his friends and always told me, ‘Son I’m gonna take you one day’. After my Mom passed away in August 1969, dad said, ‘We’re going to the Sugar Bowl this year’. It was that much sweeter since Ole Miss was playing ’cause Archie was my idol; watching him play Leflore Co. High school where I grew up then on to Ole Miss. The celebration was huge- holding my dad’s hand so tight in that huge crowd on Canal Street, then down Bourbon Street was scary for an 11-year-old, but I hung right in there with him. I went there and graduated from University of Mississippi Medical Center, and a lot of my friends say I’m one of the biggest Ole Miss fans they know. I love Ole Miss and plan on retiring in Lafayette County where I can be close to all the sporting events. I still follow all the Mannings, and one day would love my wife and I to personally meet all of them.”

Sugar Bowl pennant from 1955

Dr. Nancy Dupont: She attended the Sugar Bowl with her parents and three friends. Her father went to Pharmacy School at Ole Miss, and she is a professor of Journalism at the Meek School of Journalism and New Media at Ole Miss.

“The atmosphere was positively electric. The Sugar bowl was played outside in the ole Tulane Stadium- the Superdome hadn’t been built. The weather was perfect- clear and just a little bit cool. There is something about an open-air stadium. We were sitting around Arkansas fans, and we were gently kidding each other. One woman had a live miniature pig in her arms, and we had great fun shouting, “Bacon, bacon!” But it was gentle kidding. I think fans today are much meaner to opposing fans than there were then.”

Archie Manning at the 1970 Sugar Bowl. Photo: Forever Ole Miss

Dr. Nancy Dupont continued:

“As we left Tulane Stadium and walked through uptown New Orleans to our car, there were several people playing the song “The Ballad of Archie Who,” on their record players. Some people were dancing. What a wonderful memory.”

Hotty Toddy and good luck to the Ole Miss Rebels as they play in the All State Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, 2016!

Emily Newton is a staff writer for hottytoddy.com and the editor of Experience Oxford magazine. She can be reached at emily.newton@hottytoddy.com.

Adam Brown is a staff writer and the sports editor for hottytoddy.com. He can be reached at adam.brown@hottytoddy.com.