Eli Manning’s number retired at Ole Miss, says most memorable moment was beating Alabama

Former New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning addresses the crowd during a ceremony to retire his jersey number 10 and honor his tenure with the team during half-time in an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Sept. 26, 2021, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
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Eli Manning’s No. 10 was retired Saturday by the Ole Miss Rebels, hanging near dad Archie’s No. 18 in Vaught Hemingway Stadium.

During halftime of the Rebels’ game with LSU (which is being live streamed on fuboTV and Paramount+), he was asked by SEC on CBS’ Jamie Erdahl what his most memorable moment during his time in Oxford.

“So many of them through the friendships, mentors and coaches that I still talk to,” he said of the memories. “But beating Alabama here my sophomore year, the first time in 12 years we had beaten Alabama, on a two-minute drive to beat them was a special one,” Manning said.

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He also added his final season was special, too.

“My whole senior year, big games, winning games,” he said. “We played LSU my senior year, didn’t come up with that win, but it had the same environment that it has today.”

Back in 2001, Manning threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Joe Gunn with 46 seconds left to lead Ole Miss to beat Alabama 27-24 on a rainy Saturday.

The Rebels (4-1, 2-1 SEC) scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns to erase a 10-point deficit and snapped a losing streak against the Crimson Tide (3-3, 2-2).

Lanier Goethie picked off Tyler Watts’ pass from his own end zone with 20 seconds left to end Alabama’s last hope and set off a long-awaited celebration.

Manning, a sophomore in his first years as a starter, ran off the field with the game ball from a victory that will stand with some of biggest in school history, including those directed by his famous father, Archie.

“I need that football for my memories,” Manning said, per The Associated Press.

The win improved the Manning families’ record against Alabama to 6-2. Archie Manning was 2-1 against the Crimson Tide from 1968-70 and Peyton Manning won three of four against Alabama while at Tennessee.

Two years later, Manning threw for 230 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score as Ole Miss scored the first 24 points of the game and went on to beat Alabama 43-28.

Mark Heim is a sports reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim.

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