Ole Miss made College Football Playoff history Saturday afternoon in Oxford before the game even fully settled in.
A crowd of 68,002 fans inside Vaught-Hemingway Stadium officially set a Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of people wearing Santa hats, surpassing the previous mark of 30,333 set by the Anaheim Angels.
The sea of red and white provided a festive backdrop as the Rebels hosted Tulane in a first-round CFP matchup.
The yule tide spirit will be alive in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium this Saturday! 🎅 pic.twitter.com/kx5j06AO20
— Ole Miss Athletics (@OleMissSports) December 19, 2025
The celebration carried onto the field early. Ole Miss Rebels jumped out to a 14-0 lead by the end of the first quarter, controlling the tempo on both sides of the ball
The Tulane Green Wave began to show signs of life late in the opening period behind quarterback Jake Retzlaff, who helped steady the offense after a slow start.
Ole Miss entered the weekend looking to become the SEC’s second team to advance to the quarterfinals, following Alabama Crimson Tide’s win over Oklahoma Sooners. Texas A&M Aggies, however, saw its season end earlier in the day on a last-minute end-zone interception against the Miami Hurricanes.
The winner between Ole Miss and Tulane will advance to face the Georgia Bulldogs in the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day.
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