Traveling 4,200 Miles for the Ole Miss Playoff Game? Damn Right
Service member takes red-eye flight home to watch the Rebels face Tulane
OXFORD, Miss. – When the Rebels earned the right to host a College Football Playoff game for the first time, alumnus AJ Stone (BA 21) knew he couldn't miss it, even if that meant flying 4,200 miles on a red-eye and spending fewer than 72 hours in Mississippi to celebrate the red and blue.
"I honestly did not think I would make the trip at first because of the logistics and cost of flying back," he said. "But this season has been the most special in Ole Miss football history, and I felt I needed to experience at least a part of it in person because a playoff game in Oxford is something not to take for granted."
Stone, a member of the U.S. military stationed outside the continental U.S., has not been able to attend any games this season, but that hasn't stopped him from keeping up with the Rebels.
"I'll do just about anything to make sure I watch the team play, no matter where I am," he said. "Because of the time zone difference, I would have to get up at 6 a.m. to watch our 11 a.m. kickoffs this year."
For Stone, making the journey to Oxford is about more than just watching the game. His mother, Lisa Stone, has worked for the university for nearly 30 years, and his father, Adam, is an alumnus of the School of Law. That has meant a lifetime of memories centered around Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, the Grove and family.
"One of my earliest Ole Miss memories is going to an Ole Miss vs. Kentucky game in 2005 with my family and my parents' friends and their children," he said. Stone was 6 years old at the time.
"I don't remember much about the game other than it was low scoring, I was arguing with my sister during the game a lot, and that Ole Miss ended up winning."
He has experienced many of the ups and downs of being a fan, including attending many of Ole Miss' highs over the last 25 years, such as the 2008 Florida upset, Chad Kelly's 66-yard touchdown pass against No. 2 Alabama in 2015, the 2016 Sugar Bowl blowout of Oklahoma State and the stadium-rocking 2024 win against Georgia.
"Having experienced so many of these Ole Miss football moments in person, it is only fitting that I am in person for the biggest game ever hosted on Ole Miss's campus," he said.
After every win, Stone said his favorite tradition is yelling the Hotty Toddy chant while the Pride of the South plays "The Hey Song."
"It hits hard to tell the opposing team, 'We just beat the hell out of you' after an upset or beating a high-ranked team"
Like many Ole Miss fans, Stone said Hotty Toddy is more than just a cheer.
"I think it symbolizes the deep bond that is formed between all alumni and supporters of Ole Miss," he said. "Oxford is a special place, and anyone who spends time there loves it and has fond memories of Ole Miss.
"Hotty Toddy is an acknowledgement between two people who were lucky enough to get the experience that Ole Miss provides, and that is rare to find anywhere else in the world."
Top: Brothers Benjamin (left) and AJ Stone pose for a photo during the 2022 Ole Miss vs. Auburn game at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. AJ Stone is flying more than 4,000 miles to attend the Rebels' first College Football Playoff game against Tulane University. Submitted photo