With apologies to all the rest, the best and most meaningful college football rivalry involving a Mississippi team has been the one that matches Ole Miss against LSU. Historically, nothing else comes close.
The two teams play again Saturday at Oxford. Both are undefeated. Both have looked like FBS playoff teams. LSU is ranked No. 4, and Ole Miss is ranked No. 13. Surprisingly, at least to this column, Ole Miss is favored, albeit by the slimmest of margins.
I have covered probably 30 Ole Miss-LSU games in person, but my introduction to the rivalry was not in person or even on TV. No, it came on Halloween night, 66 years ago. LSU was ranked No. 1, Ole Miss No. 3. My father and I listened to the radio at our kitchen table with a yellow formica top on 26th Avenue in Hattiesburg. Our beige Ph