Eli couldn’t pull an Archie last Saturday, and his Ole Miss Rebels were mowed down 44-34. Eli Manning, I’m talkin’ about, and you knew it was Ole Miss.

And it was pesky Memphis (used to be Memphis State) of all adversaries! Give Danny Wimprine and his Tigers credit &045; they took it to the Rebels, and the Rebels couldn’t return the favor.

The team that used to be MSU reeling off two straight victories to start a season? You better believe it, I don’t care if it was pesky Memphis doing the honors.

You know the story, but let’s talk it again a little bit. Manning actually threw for 292 yards and four touchdowns, but late interceptions spelled late problems. But even more important, Memphis’ Danny Wimprine showed up and took center stage from favored Ole Miss.

Wimprine fired three touchdown passes with 355 yards to offset Eli’s four TDs on 292 passing yards during a miserable afternoon for the Rebels. Miserable for Ole Miss, but hog-heaven for the hot Tigers.

Actually it wasn’t merely the two late Tiger interceptions, just credit Memphis’ head-knocking and heads-up play. You just have to, and you have to remember as well that the Tigers always shoot for SEC fans &045; particularly against neighbors Ole Miss and Mississippi State.

Eli bemoaned Ole Miss mistakes, but whatever they put on the scoreboard for Memphis is just the way this game of football goes. Memphis will always be hard for Ole Miss or State to handle. Just mark it down.

And 17 Auburn fell in yet another surprise Saturday, dropping a 17-3 shocker to Georgia Tech. Writers just have to remind readers that Auburn was supposed to be almost unbeatable. Georgia Tech forgot to read how good Auburn was. Of course, all of us know how college football goes.

And, hey, let’s hear it for the comeback kids &045; USM’s Golden Eagles. UAB gave USM fits as usual, but late USM heroics turned what looked like a defeat into an Eagle for the Eagles.

Junior running back Timmy Blackwell was hard-nosed with the football in his possession, and the Eagles defense whacked Alabama-Birmingham all over the place in a game that went down to the wire.

Hand salute to Southern’s junior running back (Blackwell), who gained 88 yards and scored. A conference victory always makes practicing fun next week for the &8220;hero&8221; and all the other blockers and tacklers. Just college football, that’s all.

And State: One coffee-drinker came up with &8220;Mississippi State did everything but play against Oregon!&8221; I wouldn’t go that far, although the Bulldogs did do a little fadeaway. But the Dawgs lost only 42-34, and that’s football.

MSU had things going its way nearly through the third quarter Saturday. But, here again, games don’t end at the end of the third quarter.

But State shows more than a little promise all along on the football field, and things could go well for the Bullies yet. After all, the opposition gives you a clue, and Saturday’s clue is that Oregon just might be a worthy opponent.

Glenvall Estes is a longtime columnist for The Natchez Democrat.