Number Nine: The Independence Bowl

The Number Nine spot on Ole Miss sports memories over the last five years would be the 2002 Independence Bowl. Everyone knows that for about 5 years it appeared that the Independence Bowl would be a permanent home for the Ole Miss football fans come the end of December. The 2002 season was up and down and lost several close games including a 14-13 game to LSU. The 2002 football season wrapped up and some were unsure if the Rebels would go to a bowl with a 6-6 record. In the end the Rebels would be making the trip to Shreveport yet another time.

Many students decided not to attend this game, because after all it was Shreveport and who wanted to spend part of their break in that town. I had been to Shreveport once before to watch Ole Miss play Oklahoma in the last game of the 20th century a couple of years before. So I knew what the atmosphere was like and I myself had no plans of going to the game also.

However I received a phone call the day before the game and was offered two tickets and two RebelClub of Jackson bus tickets to go to the game. I decided what the heck, might as well go, not much else going on in Greenwood on a December night. So I called Lenwood Brooks, he was going to make the trip with me. I woke up at 4:30 in the morning to make it to Jackson by 6:00 to catch the bus and make the trip to Shreveport. Upon arriving in Shreveport we made a stop by the casinos to east and headed over to the game.

It was Eli's junior year and some thought this bowl game might be his last. Ole Miss squared off against Big 12 powerhouse Nebraska in the bowl. The game was an eventful one. Not a huge crowd, but a large number of Rebel faithful in attendance. The game went back and forth for most of the afternoon/night. Former Pillow Academy great and Groza award winner Jonathan Nichols made a kick with about 4:30 minutes left to seal a 27-23 victory for the Rebels.

All in all it was a great trip and one to remember. Yeah it was the Independence Bowl, but a bowl win is a bowl win. Out of four years we only went to two, so I look back on it and am thankful that I made the trip.