OXFORD — A sea of red and blue tents filled the Grove at the University of Mississippi as tens of thousands of people converged on campus Saturday for the long-anticipated Top 10 game between LSU and Ole Miss.

The longstanding rivalry became a grudge match after Lane Kiffin ditched his job as the Ole Miss head coach before the end of the 2025 season for a bigger paycheck in Baton Rouge. Ole Miss fans toted hand-lettered signs that mocked Kiffin, calling him a traitor and worse.

ESPN broadcast its “College GameDay” from the Grove, and Ole Miss student James Whitehead won $1 million by kicking a field goal on air.

Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman — a Mississippi native and resident, and frequent front-row fan at Ole Miss basketball games — served as the celebrity guest picker for the weekend’s college football games, wearing an Ole Miss baseball hat and choosing the Rebels to win.

“If I go for what’s his name,” Freeman said, as the ESPN hosts said Lane Kiffin, “I will not be able to go home tonight.”

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The vibe varied widely on campus. Some families and friends who have opposing allegiances shared food and drinks at tailgate parties.

“I’m not going to show up and not wear purple and gold,” Brock McGoogan said, sporting the Tigers’ colors as he stood with his girlfriend, Summer Huerkamp, who is an Ole Miss fan

In other areas, Ole Miss and LSU fans shouted at each other — some of them, after getting their fill of chicken fingers, potato salad and beer or bourbon.

As kickoff drew closer and the Mississippi heat beat down even harder, the crowd was elbow-to-elbow and many partiers grew rowdier.

Ole Miss fans erupted in cheers as their team walked through the Grove on the way to Vaught Hemingway stadium. The Rebels were led by two star players who declined to transfer to LSU with Kiffin and are now being being promoted by Ole Miss as Heisman candidates — quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and running back Kewan Lacy.