“This year’s matchup between Oklahoma State and Ole Miss embodies that objective as both schools have played a part in the Bowl’s rich past – Oklahoma State last competing here in 1946 and Ole Miss in 1970 when Archie Manning was the quarterback”.
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But perhaps the player that will be most excited to play at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans is starting defensive tackle Vincent Taylor – who spent part of his childhood in New Orleans before his family was displaced by Hurricane Katrina. Both losses against Ole Miss came in bowl games.
This is the first match-up of teams from the Big 12 and the SEC since a new agreement was signed by the Allstate Sugar Bowl and the two elite conferences. Ole Miss finished the regular season 9-3 overall, 6-2 in the SEC. If the Rebs can win this last game, they’ll not only finish with a 10-win season for just the second time in school history, but will likely land in the top 10.
The Rebels have now qualified for consecutive New Year’s Six bowl games.
At one point, Oklahoma State was being talked about as the Big 12 team who could get the playoff call.
Oklahoma State will be making its second appearance in the Sugar Bowl.
Gundy hadn’t watched a single play of the game that would decide the Cowboys’ bowl fate, but many of his assistant coaches were tuned in.
“Their fans have absolutely been burning up the phones to our offices and to the hotels”, Sugar Bowl Chief Operating Officer Jeff Hundley said. Ole Miss defeated Oklahoma State in the 2004 Cotton Bowl, 31-28 and the 2010 Cotton Bowl, 21-7.
Meanwhile, 20-point underdog Texas’ 23-17 upset of Baylor gives Oklahoma State the Big 12’s spot in the bowl, which is in its first year of a partnership with that league and the SEC. We beat Mississippi State and get some help, and we could be in the Sugar Bowl. This marks the third meeting between the Cowboys and Ole Miss. It’s the first Sugar Bowl appearance for Ole Miss since the 1969 season. “We’re looking forward to a great game in a historic bowl”. That year, as Oklahoma A&M, it completed an 8-0 season with a win against St. Mary’s behind Cowboy quarterback great Bob Fenimore.
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Indeed, since it was widely assumed for the previous week that Ole Miss would wind up in the Sugar Bowl, Rebels fans didn’t wait to make their plans.
