Tennessee vs Ole Miss

The second weekend of November found me back on the interstate traveling to the Ole Miss campus for the Tenneessee game. Since this game had a kickoff time of 11:21am, I had to drive to Oxford on Friday night.

Fortunately, one of our dear friends has twin sons attending Ole Miss and one of them is a Residence Director for Deaton Hall. He was traveling that weekend to the University of Kentucky, so I had his four-room suite all to myself!

As you would expect before a big SEC football game, the Ole Miss fans setting up their tailgating tents in The Grove spent their joyous, loud conversations late into the night. That and other unique sounds found only in dormitory living were heard!

Saturday couldn't have been a better scripted weather forecast. Total sunshine, highs in the upper 60's and a shootout between two rivals in the SEC.

The usual order of things at Ole Miss on game day is to line up "The Walk of Champions" thru The Grove. The Ole Miss coaches and team pull up in their wonderful chartered buses and unload at the entrance to The Grove. As usual, I was allowed on the street and not behind the barriers like the Ole Miss fans. Once the team began making their way thru The Grove to the delight of the fans, I followed the last player thru The Grove and on to the stadium. They went into the locker room and I went to the Media Entrance to the stadium to check in and receive my final sideline pass.

Before the game, I was able to visit with a sophmore cheerleader at Ole Miss. Her dad was an Abilene Christian University graduate and practices medicine in Dallas. Her grandparents are ACU grads, also, and live in Abilene. So, once again, it's a small world and you must be careful what you say!

Tennessee has a new head coach, Lane Kiffen, and the season was an less than required record for the season for Tennessee fans! While they provided an entertaining game, it was basically all Ole Miss, or should we say all Dexter McCluster!

Dexter McCluster, is listed in the program as 5'9", 170 lb. running back from Largo, FL. Standing close to him on the sidelines during warmups, I question both the height and weight. Probably a taller and heavier listing than his actual measurements.

Dexter is one-of-a-kind player you see rarely. He is extremely gifted at any position you ask him to play. Great receiver, great running back, great punt return man. Only one problem--he can't play every down on offense nor be the key person in the play.

Well, when the dust settled at the end of the game, Dexter had set a new school record for total rushing yards of 296 and all-purpose yards of just over 300. A one-man show to say the least.

His first touchdown was directly in front of me and I thought he might hand me the ball in the endzone! Since over 80% of the time I am in the right part of the endzone action, I have decided to alert the coaches as to what clothes I am wearing for the receives and runners to run toward. Oh, did I forget to mention my fee per touchdown?!

Ole Miss beat Tennessee worse than the previous week against lowly N. Arizona. You couldn't tell it from the Ole Miss fans. They were relieved that the Rebels had one and it wasn't that much of a challenge. Now Ole Miss became bowl eligible with this important win.

Ideal weather conditions for fans and photographers alike. A win for Ole Miss. And a three hour drive back to our house in Brandon, MS! A full day and weekend to say the least.

N. Arizona vs Ole Miss

The first weekend of November found me traveling Interstate 55 North and Hwy 6 East to the campus of Ole Miss in Oxford, MS. A delightful town, with a beautiful campus of rolling hills, pine trees and pristine buildings on the campus.

Since this was a night game, I didn't make the trip until Saturday morning. Evening football image work is more challenging in relationship to the lighting at the stadium. Not my choice for when to shoot a game, but Ole Miss didn't ask for my suggestion of a noon kickoff!

Tickets for this game from Ole Miss season ticket holders were going for the incredible price of $.86 each of Stubhub! What a bargain to watch an SEC school play and lower division school that wouldn't count toward the six wins Ole Miss needed to be bowl eligible.

So, expectations were high that Ole Miss would have a basic scrimmage on their hands with no question as to the final outcome. The first quarter provided a different scenario than what Ole Miss has scripted or wanted. Ole Miss scores a touchdown and N. Arizona responds with a touchdown. Ole Miss drives for a second touchdown and N. Arizona responds in kind.

Halftime had Ole Miss leading by the thinest of margins. But, halftime adjustments by Ole Miss was the difference in the second half. N. Arizona didn't score after halftime.

So, Ole Miss fans went home with another win under their belt and N. Arizona traveled back to their campus with additional money in their athletic fund.

Florida vs L.S.U. College Football

I had a problem on my hands. In the late spring and early summer is when you petition the universities for photo credentials. You don't know when you send in the request if you will actually be approved. So, during the process I requested the Alabama game at Ole Miss and the Florida at L.S.U. game for the same weekend, hoping one would be approved.

You guessed it, both were approved. The October 10th Alabama vs Ole Miss game was scheduled for 2:30pm being televised by ESPN. The Florida vs L.S.U. game was to start at 7:00pm with CBS handling the television coverage. At the time Alabama was #2 in the country, Florida #1 and L.S.U. #4.




I couldn't do both games even if I had a private plane to fly me to both stadiums. Since I hadn't been to an L.S.U. game, the choice was easy - drive to Baton Rouge. From Jackson, MS, to Baton Rouge, is a rather easy drive since it is all interstate driving. But, the fun began once I left the interstate in Baton Rouge to snake my way toward the campus.


Remember me saying earlier that the game kickoff was 7pm? I am exiting the interstate in Baton Rouge at 2pm, but don't find a parking spot for one hour. But, the location I found was within six blocks of the stadium.

My son-in-law had told me earlier this year that it was a must to be positioned to watch the players walk down the street to the stadium, watch the band travel the same path, then stop. When all was quiet, the brass section would start the "Hold That Tiger" theme song. The hair on your arm will stand on end.

I noticed on the street both groups would be using there was a parking "arm" where you had to have a pass to enter. Security was there and I asked if I could stand there to take images for the university. No problem for them. All others had to be behind the barriers next to the curb. I had a front row seat to the activity.

At the appropriate time, here comes the coaching staff and players for L.S.U. dressed in suit and tie, except for one offensive lineman wear a bow tie with his suit. Next enter the L.S.U. Tiger Band. Led by the directors, then the spirit squad, called The Golden Girls, majorettes, then the band. The percussion section was on either side of me at "the island" location. At this point I remembered I hadn't brought my earplugs. Where was that coke/water/peanut vendor? Surely he was also selling earplugs!

My son-in-law was right on target. The Tiger Band started "Hold That Tiger" and the hair on my arm and neck moved to attention. Great experience that everyone should enjoy at least one time.

With my photo credentials, I moved with the band the Pete Maravich Assembly Center (Basketball arena) for the band's thirty minute concert for the movers and shakers at L.S.U. I was able to walk behind the scorers table to take images of the band on the basketball court.
Now where was that vendor with the earplugs for sale?

After the "concert", we all exited the assembly center and to the stadium area across the street. Once my camera bag had been searched, for whatever that shouldn't enter the stadium, it's a short walk to the field.

To say the crowd was "juiced" for this game, is a total understatement! A record crowd, ready to see two of the top four teams play college football SEC style.

L.S.U.'s team enters the playing field from the north end zone and the visitor's from the south end zone. Both teams came out for warm ups and there's Tim Tebow suited up and warming up with the Florida Gators.

Here's one event that CBS didn't get coverage. L.S.U.'s team is leaving the field after circling up arm-in-arm and doing their "chant". As they leave the field, they notice that the Florida team has positioned themselves at mid-field over "Mike the Tiger" mascot that is painted on the field.

L.S.U.'s players begin to rush the 50-yard line for a "meeting". Coaches and officials separate the players and determine both teams should next exit the field to their locker rooms.

L.S.U.'s team enters the field first to play the game. The band is playing whatever, and now fireworks are going off in the south end zone where I'm positioned. Now where is that coke/water vendor with the ear plugs again?

I had positioned myself where the Florida Gators would enter the field to see about Tim Tebow. (This was his first game since the concussion.) The second string quarterback came out leading the team with Tebow at the very back.

Florida won the toss and chose to receive the kickoff. In the huddle before the kickoff was the second string quarterback for Florida. Tebow is on the sidelines. Interesting, made you believe Tebow would not be playing tonight.

Following the kickoff, Tebow's in the huddle with the offense and ready to start the game. Probably a little cat and mouse with the L.S.U. coaches as to who would start at quarterback.


The game was close for most of the game, but when Tebow completed the only touchdown in the game, I was once again right where the action took place. The Gator receiver caught the pass on the five yard line approximately 10 feet from where I was positioned! He scores and I'm caught on CBS television. Our friends watching the game back in Jackson thought they saw me, backed up their tevo unit, and there I was! Of course, since we don't own a tevo unit, Dianne and the girls didn't catch me on the sidelines wearing a yellow shirt, blending with everyone else!

Following the game was the drive back home, getting in bed at 2am. But, I could now saw I have been on the sidelines of an L.S.U. game with #1 playing #4 in the country and experienced the history of L.S.U. style SEC football.