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.
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