The ‘Khaki Bowl’ has come a long way from its 1894 origins, when Vanderbilt blanked Ole Miss 40-0. Now, 132 years later, the Rebels have won five straight meetings against the Commodores, adding another layer to this old SEC feud. But with the latest clash approaching, Eli Manning has already given fans something else to chew on, taking a playful swipe at the rivalry before the teams even hit the field.
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In a recent Flag & Anthem ad collaboration, Eli Manning joined singer-songwriter and Vanderbilt alum Dierks Bentley for a drink in Nashville. What started as a friendly exchange quickly turned into a cheeky trip down memory lane.
When Bentley expressed how good it was to see Manning in Nashville and asked, “You love it here?” the former Ole Miss quarterback responded with a sarcastic grin.
“Man, I love it. I love getting here. Really have some great memories here. Yeah, 4-0 versus Vanderbilt….No, hey, 275 my senior year,” Eli said.
Bentley certainly wasn’t asking Manning about his record against Vanderbilt. Wearing a confused expression, the singer-songwriter fired back, “Okay, yeah. I was talking about the music, but nice to slide that in there.”
But Manning wasn’t done taking his dig at the Commodores. Staying true to his cheeky sense of humor, the former Ole Miss QB turned Bentley’s comment into another wordplay, quipping, “Yeah, well, 4-0’s music to my ears.”
Eli Manning here was referring to his 2003 showdown against Vanderbilt. The Ole Miss quarterback threw for 275 yards on 22-of-33 passing, helping the Rebels overcome a fourth-quarter deficit to secure a 24-21 win.
An eight-yard completion to Mike Espy in the third quarter marked Manning’s 567th career completion, breaking Kent Austin’s school record of 566. Later, his 23-yard touchdown pass to Espy brought his career total to 55 touchdowns, leaving him one shy of Archie Manning’s record of 56.
From 2000 to 2003, Ole Miss and Eli Manning faced Vanderbilt four times, handing the Commodores four consecutive defeats.
Eli Manning’s loyalty to Ole Miss runs deeper than most people realize. He returned for his senior season in 2003 rather than entering the NFL Draft. In 2010, Manning and his wife, Abby, donated $1 million to Ole Miss Opportunity, the university’s needs-based scholarship program.
Even after hanging up his cleats, Manning has remained a prominent supporter of the Rebels, with his legacy cemented when Ole Miss retired his No. 10 jersey in 2021. However, the former New York Giants QB recently revealed that when Ole Miss faces Texas in Week 8, he will have to root for his own nephew.
“You know what, this is the way I look at it, Ole Miss is going to play Texas in a few of weeks… You root for your family. I have basically maybe two years to root for my nephew in college. I’m going to root for my nephew to win every single game that he plays in. And that’s just the way it is,” Manning said.
“After that, with Texas, I won’t care about them that much. Ole Miss will be 100%. And I root for Ole Miss to win every other game probably beside a little bit that one,” he said of the seasons after Arch leaves Austin.
Speaking of Ole Miss vs. Vanderbilt, the Rebels have tormented the Commodores in eight of their last 10 meetings, while Vanderbilt has managed just two wins. Heading into Saturday’s clash, Ole Miss is the favorite to win, and Eli Manning might be in attendance to witness the action.