University of Mississippi

Oxford, MS · founded 1848 · 24,000 students · public research university · SEC

Known for: A flagship public university known for its beautiful, historic campus, strong programs in accounting and law, and a deep literary tradition, being the home of William Faulkner and the annual Oxford Conference for the Book.

Rankings

U.S. News national: #163
Times Higher Education: #801
Forbes: #267

Top programmes

Accountancy
Law
Pharmacy
Journalism
Business
Liberal Arts

Notable alumni

William Faulkner — Nobel Prize-winning author
John Grisham — Best-selling legal thriller author
James Meredith — Civil rights activist, first African American student at Ole Miss
Shepard Smith — Television news anchor
Eli Manning — NFL quarterback, two-time Super Bowl MVP
Jim Barksdale — Former CEO of Netscape
Michael Oher — Former NFL offensive lineman, subject of 'The Blind Side'
Archie Manning — Former NFL quarterback, football legacy figure

Traditions

Tailgating in the Grove
Hotty Toddy cheer
Walk of Champions
The annual 'Mississippi vs. Mississippi State' Egg Bowl football game

If University of Mississippi were…

As a food: Shrimp and grits at City Grocery — Refined Southern comfort, elevated but not pretentious, best enjoyed slowly with good company and a cocktail. It's traditional at its core but knows how to impress—just like Ole Miss dresses up its Deep South roots.
As an athlete: Eli Manning — Pedigreed, charming, more polished than his brother, and forever associated with Oxford glory days. Both represent a certain genteel excellence—successful without being loud about it, beloved by their people.
As a person alive today: John Grisham — Ole Miss law grad who turned Southern storytelling into a global brand. Both are steeped in literary tradition, know how to spin a good yarn, and have a knack for making the regional feel universal.
As a historical figure: William Faulkner — Literally lived in Oxford, defined Southern Gothic literature, and embodied the complicated beauty of Mississippi—brilliant, troubled, and impossible to separate from the place. His ghost still haunts every creative writ
As a movie or TV show: The Help — Set in Mississippi, grapples with Southern tradition and complicated history, beautifully shot, and ultimately about people trying to do better while honoring where they came from. It's polished, a little romanticized, b
As a US president: John F. Kennedy — Charismatic, well-dressed, from a complicated legacy, and associated with a certain idealized American moment. Both represent aspiration and tradition intertwined, with a dash of controversy that only adds to the mystiqu
As a city: Charleston, South Carolina — Gorgeous, historic, deeply Southern, and knows exactly how charming it is. Both trade on tradition and aesthetics, attract visitors who fall in love instantly, and have complicated histories they're still working through
As an element: Silver — Elegant, traditional, polished to a shine, and associated with both old money and Southern hospitality. It's not the most valuable metal, but it's the one you display at formal dinners—just like Ole Miss dresses up for e
As a car: 1985 Mercedes-Benz 560SL — Southern elegance with German engineering—Ole Miss combines literary tradition (Faulkner's alma mater) with Grove tailgate refinement. Classic convertible charm that costs more to maintain than you'd expect, just like th

Campus life

Offers a charming Southern collegiate experience in the literary town of Oxford, with a strong Greek life system and social scene centered around the Grove, one of the nation's most famous tailgating venues. The atmosphere blends academic rigor with social tradition.

The film, scored

This profile answers “if University of Mississippi were a movie or TV show?” with The Help (2011). Set in Mississippi, grapples with Southern tradition and complicated history, beautifully shot, and ultimately about people trying to do better while honoring where they came from. It's polished, a little romanticized, but rooted in real place and pain. It sits in the 82nd percentile on rankquant, which re-centres every critic score on the reviewer who gave it, so a percentile means position against peers rather than a raw star average. The full film & TV catalogue ranks the rest the same way.