College Football’s Top 50 Fanbases

28. Ole Miss

The good

The Grove. The Walk of Champions. Hotty Toddy. Football tradition and pageantry reach their peak every Saturday in Oxford, MS when the Rebels prepare to take the field. There’s not much more the Rebels could do to weave themselves into the fabric of the SEC.

The bad

As integrated as they are, Ole Miss has seldom competed for a conference title. Their last conference championship came in 1963. For reference, head coach Matt Luke was born in 1976.

The bottom line

Under Hugh Freeze in the 2010s Ole Miss looked poised to break out of their decades-long slumber. That never materialized, but the aftereffects that set the football team back significantly didn’t appear to weaken the fanbase. The Rebels support their team with fervent passion, showing up in force whether the opponent is Alabama or Alabama State.

The road to sustained success is long, and most understanding Rebels realize their odds of reaching the pinnacle are slim. But that “What if” keeps them in their seats, waiting, for that one magical season when the stars align and everyone wants to know what’s going on in Oxford.