The outlook wasn't brilliant for the Ole Miss Rebs that day The offense had not scored, with one quarter left to play And just moments after darkness fell on their podunk little town Mauck found Devery on the sideline for another touchdown. A straggling few got up to go, leaving the rest Clinging to the hope which springs eternal in the human breast They knew that if Eli (did you know he's Archie's son?) Could lead another comeback, the West could still be won. The Rebs were quite determined; they refused to yield And Eli led them down the length of the field With ten minutes on the clock they scored their first TD And the crowd began to roar, the lead was only three. All throughout the Vaught, the fans cheered and jumped. Khaki-wearing frat boys even embraced and humped. Eli would lead a comeback like so many times before. All the Rebs needed was one more chance to score. With two minutes remaining the Rebels got the ball First and ten at midfield, as Eli made the call The center snapped the ball and Eli looked around And he threw a perfect spiral, but it fell to the ground With furrowed brow Eli looked to give his team a spark And he threw the ball toward Espy on the left hash mark But Hunt arrived there too and he rang Espy's bell And the ball came out of Espy's hands, and to the ground it fell "Interference!" screamed the angry metros. "The referee's a fraud!" But Eli wasn't rattled, and the Rebel fans were awed Eli called the snap count and the pigskin flew again And another incompletion, now it's fourth and ten Four decades of frustration now came down to just one snap Fifty thousand fans rose from their seats and clapped And now the center holds the ball, and now he lets it go And now Eli steps back as he looks downfield to throw Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright Somewhere the fans are cheering, and somewhere hearts are light And the Golden Band is sounding victory in Tigertown But there is no joy in Oxford. Mighty Eli done fell down.
