OXFORD, Miss. (WGNO) — With lame-duck head coach Ed Orgeron in tow, the LSU Tigers (4-3) limp across the state line to Oxford to face off with SEC West rival Ole Miss (5-1) on Saturday.
Except this time, when the Tigers step into Vaught-Hemingway Stadium against the 12th-ranked Rebels, the flagship university of Louisiana will be met with a few familiar faces, the ‘Royal Family’ of New Orleans football will be in attendance but not in support of LSU.
The two-time Super Bowl winner with the New York Giants and former Rebels quarterback Eli Manning – youngest son of Saints legend Archie and brother of NFL Hall-of-Famer Peyton – is being honored in a ceremony to retire his jersey. Manning, will become only the third Rebel to have his number (No. 10) retired.
The two others include Chucky Mullins (No. 38) and the Manning patriarch, Archie (No. 18).
Ole Miss is also honoring the school’s all-time leader in passing yards (10,119) and touchdowns (84) with a special on-field paint scheme. Manning’s nephew Arch is also expected to be in attendance during the game.
Arch Manning, who is the nation’s top recruit in the Class of 2023, attended the Ole Miss-Alabama game two weeks ago. The Isadore Newman quarterback has already paid a visits to Georgia and Texas as well.
The ceremony was intended to take place last year, but was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.