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Tennessee football vs. Ole Miss: Five reasons there’s bad blood between the schools

By Caleb Calhoun

Jul 20, 2021; Hoover, Alabama, USA; Ole Miss Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin speaks to the media during SEC Media Days at Hyatt Regency Birmingham. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 20, 2021; Hoover, Alabama, USA; Ole Miss Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin speaks to the media during SEC Media Days at Hyatt Regency Birmingham. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mississippi quarterback Archie Manning (18) looks for a receiver against Vanderbilt. The nationally ranked Ole Miss went on to a 26-16 victory over the Commodores before 34,000 at Dudley Field Oct. 24, 1970.Title Sec Classic
Mississippi quarterback Archie Manning (18) looks for a receiver against Vanderbilt. The nationally ranked Ole Miss went on to a 26-16 victory over the Commodores before 34,000 at Dudley Field Oct. 24, 1970.Title Sec Classic /

2. Steve Kiner, “Archie Who?” and a 38-0 blowout

Let’s take you back to 1969. Tennessee football is rolling under Doug Dickey. Two years earlier, the Vols went 9-2 and won the SEC Championship along with a share of the national championship. Now, loaded with All-American talent everywhere, they are at 7-0 and ranked No. 3 with huge wins over Auburn, Alabama and the Georgia Bulldogs when all were in the top 20.

A national championship is in the picture, and on Nov. 15, UT is set to face an Ole Miss team in Jackson, Miss. that is 5-3 with losses to Alabama, the Kentucky Wildcats and the Houston Cougars. Sure, they shocked the No. 8 LSU Tigers two weeks earlier, but how good could they be?

Well, Ole Miss was ranked No. 18 nationally. That didn’t stop Vol fans from dismissing them. Asked about the “horses” at Ole Miss, in reference to the players, two-time UT All-American linebacker Steve Kiner said they weren’t horses, they were mules. Tired of all the hype behind junior Ole Miss quarterback Archie Manning, UT fans had “Archie Who?” buttons at the game.

How did this all turn out? Ole Miss embarrassed the Vols and all their talk, winning 38-0. Manning became an even bigger legend that day, and while UT won the SEC Championship again that year, their hopes for a national title were ruined. Ole Miss has every reason to have bad blood after that disrespect, but they certainly got their revenge.

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