SEC Football Career Look Back: Ole Miss QB Eli Manning

Eli Manning was a three-year starting quarterback at the University of Mississippi (commonly known as Ole Miss) from 2001 to 2003. His biggest accomplishment in his college career at Ole Miss was winning the Cotton Bowl against Oklahoma State in 2003. Here is a look back at his SEC Football career.

Looking back at the SEC Football career of Eli Manning

Before Eli Manning’s whole recruitment process, his older brother was a three-year starter for another SEC school (Peyton Manning at Tennessee). Coming out of high school, Eli Manning was a heavily-recruited QB. Among the schools that recruited him (which included a majority of the country), Manning was considering Texas, Virginia, LSU, Ole Miss, and Tulane. Obviously, Manning chose Ole Miss.

Eli Manning did not play a lot during his first year at Ole Miss. The freshman sat behind four-year senior Romaro Miller. Manning only ended up appearing in 6 games during his freshman year. He did not have a touchdown and had one interception. On the season, he threw for 170 yards on 16 completions. Ole Miss lost to West Virginia in the Music City Bowl after finishing 7-5.

During his second year at Ole Miss, Manning won the starting job. He threw for 2,948 yards on 259 completions. He had 31 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. He had a completion percentage of 63 percent. Ole Miss had no difference in their regular season record after switching QBs, as they finished 7-4. The Rebels were not selected for a bowl game that year.

During his third year at Ole Miss, Manning had a so-so year in terms of individual improvement. The sophomore QB threw for 3,401 yards on 279 completions. Obviously, that is more yards and completions than he threw the year before. Although he had a great year in terms of throwing yards, Manning threw a lot of turnovers in 2002.

Manning threw 15 interceptions in his sophomore year. Compare that to the 21 touchdowns he threw that year, that is a touchdown to interception ratio of 1.4. While that is not completely horrible, that is not ideal. Despite the so-so year in terms of individual improvement, Ole Miss went 7-5 and won the Independence Bowl against Nebraska.

He ended up vastly improving in his senior year. Manning threw for 3,600 yards on 275 completions. He threw for 29 touchdowns and had 10 interceptions. That is a touchdown to interception ratio of 2.9. He had an amazing completion percentage of 62 percent. Manning was third place in the Heisman vote that year. He finished behind Larry Fitzgerald and Jason White.

Ole Miss had a record of 10-3 and won the Cotton Bowl against Oklahoma State. Manning had a great game in the Cotton Bowl. The senior threw for 259 yards on 22 completions. Additionally, he threw for two touchdowns. Finally, Manning had a completion percentage of 71 percent during the bowl.

After declaring for the 2004 NFL Draft, he was drafted first overall by the Chargers. After forcing a draft-day trade to the New York Giants, Manning won two Super Bowls with the Giants (2007, 2011). In both Super Bowls, he was named MVP. He was named to the Pro Bowl four times along with his two Super Bowls. Manning played 16 seasons in the NFL, retiring in 2019. Currently, he serves as an unofficial ambassador for the Giants and hosts alternative showings of Monday Night Football on ESPN2.