The University of Mississippi
Posted by thespiritofcollege on May 20, 2008
From Baton Rouge, we head over to the state of Mississippi. In Oxford, Mississippi, we find The University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), home of the Rebels.
Quick Facts
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Established in 1848
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17,323 students
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Colors: Harvard Crimson and Yale Blue
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Nicknames: Rebels, Lady Rebels
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Websites: www.olemiss.edu, www.olemisssports.com
Ole Miss, as most people call it, is like no place else. Full of tradition and southern comfort, you will not even know where you are at. On a Saturday in the fall, there is no better place in the state of Mississippi to be (unless you would rather be in Starkville). Fans pour into the small town of Oxford to watch their Fighting Rebels play in Vaught Hemingway Stadium, an absolutely beautiful stadium that seats 60,850. Tad Smith Coliseum, which seats only 8,700 people, is home to the much improved Rebel and Lady Rebel basketball teams. The Rebel baseball team plays in Swayze Field, capacity 3,500.
Ole Miss is full of tradition. Perhaps one of the greatest traditions in college sports, the Grove is a tailgaters dream. The Grove is a 10-acre area of a shaded forest that is the home to Rebel tailgating. Thousands of Rebel fans pack into the Grove on every Saturday in the fall, and it is sure that you will find lots of great food (and beer) along with some even better Southern hospitality. If you ever visit Oxford for a game, be sure to spend some time at the Grove.
The official school chant of Ole Miss is entitled Hoddy Toddy. The words are as follows: Are you ready? Hell yeah! Damn right! Hoddy Toddy, Gosh Almighty! Who the hell are we? Hey! Flim Flam, Bim Bam! Ole Miss by damn! A video of fans at Vaught Hemingway performing the Hoddy Toddy chant can be viewed here.
The official fight song of Ole Miss is Dixie. It is the same song that was the official song of the Confederate States of America. It is not played as often as it was in the past because of criticism, but it is still played at least once during each football game and at the Grove. The song can be heard here.
The main rivals of Ole Miss are the Bulldogs from Mississippi State University, and the Tigers from Louisiana State University.
Coming next: Mississippi State University
