Alabama Football: Ole Miss games have long history and great memories

Alabama football with Ole Miss history goes back to the 19th century. With a few exceptions, the Tide has dominated, but there have been some great games.

Alabama football and Ole Miss have played each other in football for a very long time. The series goes back to 1894. The only colleges with an earlier history of Alabama football encounters are Auburn and Sewanee (University of the South.)

From 1894 through 1910, the two schools played seven times with Alabama football winning four. After the Ole Miss win 1910, the Tide would not lose to the Rebels again until 1968. In the interval, the Tide won 17 times with one tie. One of the 17 was the 1962 Sugar Bowl.

From 1969 through 2013, the teams played 35 games. Ole Miss won five: 1970; 1976; 1988; 2001; and 2003. The Ole Miss wins in 2014 and 2015 were the only back-to-back wins in the long series.

Overall the series has been 64 games with Alabama football winning 52, Ole Miss winning 10, along with two ties. Given the disparity in success between the two programs, it is easy to see why Ole Miss faithful and the school’s administration went all-in with Hugh Freeze after his two victories.

The series history is filled with many close games. There is also a string of games that were 100 percent one-sided. From 1915-1928, the two teams played seven games. All were shutouts. In those seven games, The Tide outscored Ole Miss 337-0.

Alabama and Ole Miss Memories

January 1, 1964 – Sugar Bowl – Tulane Stadium, New Orleans, LA

Alabama 12- Ole Miss 7

The actual game was not very exciting. The Tide’s 12 points were all from Tim Davis field goals.

As the No. 7 team in the nation, Ole Miss was a slight favorite to the No. 8 ranked Crimson Tide. Two events before the game dominated the headlines. It was the coldest Sugar Bowl ever as New Orleans had a snowfall the day before the game. Even more notice was given to one Alabama player suspended for the game.

Starting QB, Joe Namath had a curfew violation and Paul Bryant suspended his star for the game. It is interesting that on Bryant’s coaching staff that season, all the assistants but one lobbied the Bear to not suspend Namath. That assistant was later Alabama football head coach, Gene Stallings.

October 2, 1965 – Legion Field, Birmingham, AL

Alabama 17 – Ole Miss 16

Without this win, the Crimson Tide would not have won the 1965 National Championship.

Trailing 16-7 early in the fourth quarter, Alabama fought back with a David Ray 37-yard field goal. With 7:33 left in the game, Alabama took possession at its own 11-yard line. The Tide marched 89 yards, culminating in a game-winning nine-yard touchdown run by quarterback Steve Sloan.

Ironically Steve Sloan became the Ole Miss head coach from 1976-1982. Sloan never coached a winning season for the Rebels.

October 4, 1969 – Legion Field, Birmingham, AL

Alabama 33 – Ole Miss 32

This game is often described as one of the most exciting games in college football history. It was the first, nationally hyped primetime college football broadcast. The game more than lived up to the hype.

Ole Miss quarterback Archie Manning (Peyton and Eli’s dad) was spectacular. Archie ran and passed for 540 yards as the Rebels created 609 yards of offense. Alabama quarterback Scott Hunter was 22-29 for 300 yards. The Tide won in the last minute on a Scott Hunter to George Ranager pass.

Paul Bryant and Ole Miss head coach, Johnny Vaught met at midfield after the game and concurred it was the ugliest football game either one had ever coached. 1149 yards of offense was unacceptable to the two fabled coaches.

October 8, 1988 – Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa

Ole Miss 22 – Alabama 12

It was homecoming at the Capstone. A lovely fall afternoon was ruined for Tide fans as Ole Miss won for the first time ever in Birmingham or Tuscaloosa.

After a dull and scoreless first half, Pierre Goode took the second-half kickoff 100 yards to put the Tide up 7-0. Soon afterward, a safety stretched the Crimson Tide lead to 9-0. Phillip Doyle added a third-quarter field goal to make the lead 12-0.

Ole Miss responded with 22 third and fourth quarter points to shock the Tide. The game soon came to be known as the “Brick Bowl.’ A few days later, a brick was thrown through Head Coach Bill Curry’s office window.

October 7, 1989 – Memorial Stadium, Jackson, MS

Alabama 62 – Ole Miss 27

Aided by a blocked punt and an interception Ole Miss quickly jumped out to a 21-0 lead. Alabama football then ran off 62 unanswered points before a late consolation touchdown by the Rebels. The architect of the Alabama explosion was offensive coordinator, Homer Smith, one of the true offensive geniuses in the history of college football.

There is a great quote from the post-game published by the author C.J. Schexnayder. According to Schexnayder, Alabama quarterback Gary Hollingsworth quipped about coach Bill Curry,

"“When we were losing 21-0 and Coach [Bill] Curry said he saw in our eyes that we were going to win, I’m not sure whose eyes he was looking at,”"

For any fans thinking we should include summaries of the 2014 and 2015 Tide losses – we respectfully decline.

Next: 10 Best Tide QB's of All-Time

Hugh Freeze apologized to Ole Miss fans this week. We say he was tardy with that response. Just don’t ask him about burner phones or any phone calls either.