Ole Miss opened the 2023-24 campaign with a 73-7 shellacking of Mercer. Up next is Tulane on Saturday in New Orleans. The Green Wave defeated South Alabama, 37-17, over the weekend.
The Spirit, of course, was in attendance for the Rebels’ record-breaking performance against the Bears. Included in our immediate postage coverage was a pair of comprehensive photo galleries.
This third and final gallery — with pictures provided by Ole Miss Athletics — has more sights and scenes from the day that was. Excluded are actual game photos, however.
Because today we’re solely focused on everything else that went down.
THE GROVE/WALK OF CHAMPIONS
The Walk of Champions sits in the heart the heart of campusRebel cheerleaders gather at the entrance to the Walk of Champions to welcome the team prior to MercerThe Rebel band, The Pride of the SouthThe Rebel band, The Pride of the SouthJuice Kiffin, the unofficial-but-should-be-official on-field mascot of Ole Miss athletics, starts his trek down the Walk of ChampionsRebel head coach Lane KiffinThe Rebels reached each of the last three postseasons under KiffinOle Miss QB Walker Howard transferred in from LSU in the off-seasonRebel freshman QB Austin SimmonsTrue freshman wide receiver Cayden Lee caught his first career touchdown against MercerRebel freshman tight end Jayvontay Conner Spencer Sanders (left) didn’t enter the game Saturday until 8:08 remaining in the third quarter
PREGAME WARM-UPS
Jaxson Dart was 18 for 23 for 334 yards, four touchdowns and no turnovers in the winVeteran Rebel receiver Jordan WatkinsFirst-year Rebel defensive coordinator Pete Golding addresses his defenseRebel co-offensive coordinator and QBs coach Charlie Weis, Jr., addresses his offenseRBs coach Kevin Smith breaks it down with his position groupFourth-year head coach Lane Kiffin rallies his troopsQuinshon Judkins and his Rebel teammates go through stretch in advance of MercerDart warms up inside the Manning CenterVictor Curne (79) is a transfer from Washington who started at left tackle against MercerSpencer Sanders, the Oregon State transfer, is officially QB2 behind DartJaxson Dart and Rebel co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Charlie Weis, Jr.Rebel freshman QB Austin Simmons reclassifed two classes up to join the team this seasonFreshman Ole Miss WR Ayden Williams was ranked as a four-star in the 2023 recruiting classJordan Watkins is in his second season with the Rebels after transferring in from Louisville
OLE MISS TAKES THE FIELD
JJ Pegues (89) leads his fellow Rebels out onto the fieldDart and the Rebels head to the field to take on MercerJuice Kiffin retrieves the kickoff teeKiffin said Monday he was completely unaware Juice would be retrieving the kickoff teeDart and now-former Rebel wide receiver Malik Heath, officially a member of the Green Bay Packers
