The Ole Miss Rebels are taking an inventive approach to their spring game this year, replacing the typical scrimmage format with the “Grove Bowl Games.”
The games will pit the “red team” against the “blue team” in a series of challenges, including 7-on-7 drills, a dunk contest, and a hot dog eating contest. As reported earlier this week, head coach Lane Kiffin was able to secure world champion hot dog eater Joey Chestnut’s appearance in Oxford for Saturday, but the Rebels have now released who will be judging the dunk contest portion of the afternoon.
The panel of judges is somewhat of a who’s who list from Ole Miss’ past, and you can view the entire group below.
Murphy Holloway — Emcee
Cody Core — Judge
Elijah Moore — Judge
Chris Beard — Judge
AJ Brown — Judge
READ MORE: Hot Dog Eating Champion Joey Chestnut to Attend Ole Miss Rebels ‘Grove Bowl Games’
That’s a wide range of personalities, but all have been fan favorites in Oxford at some point through the years. Holloway, who will serve as the emcee for the event, played basketball at Ole Miss from 2008-13, averaging 11.2 points per game throughout his career.
Current men’s basketball coach Chris Beard will also serve as a judge for the event. Beard recently galvanized the Rebels fan base by announcing his intent to remain in Oxford despite being pursued by the Arkansas Razorbacks for their then-vacant head coaching position.
The remaining judges all played wide receiver during their time at Ole Miss. Cody Core suited up for the Rebels from 2012-15 and was selected in the sixth round of the 2016 NFL Draft. AJ Brown has had the most successful professional career since leaving Oxford, being selected by the Tennessee Titans in 2019 and since becoming a focal point of a strong offense with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Elijah Moore is the most recent member of the Ole Miss football team to make this panel, having spent one season under Lane Kiffin (2020) to conclude his three-year collegiate career. He now plays for the Cleveland Browns in the NFL.
The Grove Bowl games are set to begin at 3 p.m. CT on Saturday afternoon, and they will be televised on SEC Network+.