Eli Manning To Lead Walk of Champions On Saturday

The Ole Miss legend will lead the team in its pregame march through the Grove

If the Ole Miss brand is synonymous with one name, it is Manning. 

On Saturday, the school will honor the most recent member of the first family of football to attend the university, Eli Manning, when they retire his number during Saturday's Magnolia Bowl matchup vs. LSU. 

Manning will become just the third Rebel, alongside his father Archie, and Chucky Mullins to have his number retired.

“We couldn’t be prouder or more excited to officially add Eli’s No. 10 to its rightful place among the retired jersey numbers in our football history,” Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter said this summer. “Like Chucky and Archie, Eli left an indelible impact on our program and the game of football as a whole. His dedication, humility and kindness over the course of his career epitomizes what it means to be a Rebel, and we look forward to celebrating him as a player and a person.”

Before that happens, however, Eli will have the prestigious honor of leading the Rebels through the Grove on the Walk of Champions to the stadium.

A four-year letterman for the Rebels from 2000-03, Manning won the 2003 Maxwell Award, the award given to the best all-around player in college football. 

The youngest of the Manning brothers, Eli set or tied 47 Ole Miss single‑game, season, and career records during his time in Oxford.

“I owe so much credit to the coaches and all the wonderful teammates that I had here during my time in Oxford that put in all the hard work right alongside of me,” Eli said. “It’ll be special to see the number go up there next to my dad and Chucky Mullins.”

Ole Miss has also designed another special honor for Manning during the game, with the program announcing it will also mark each end zone with the Manning name for all to see.

Saturday is likely to be a family affair for the Mannings with Archie, his father, also to be in attendance, as well as the class of 2023's top recruit Arch Manning, also expected to be at Vaught-Hemmingway. The junior is the most talked-about college football recruit in the country.

Kickoff between LSU and No. 12 Ole Miss is set for 2:30 p.m. CT and the game will be televised on CBS.

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