Jake Gibbs
Sugar Bowl Hall of Fame
Ole Miss
Sugar Bowls: 1960, 1961
Inducted: 2021
Jake Gibbs keyed back-to-back Sugar Bowl wins for Johnny Vaught and Ole Miss. After throwing a 43-yard touchdown pass in the 1960 Sugar Bowl win over LSU, Gibbs ran for a pair of touchdowns while leading the Rebels in passing to earn Most Outstanding Player recognition in Ole Miss’ 14-6 victory over Rice in the 1961 Sugar Bowl. In addition to leading the Rebels to the SEC Championship in 1960, Gibbs keyed Ole Miss’ SEC baseball championship in 1959 as he also starred for that team. While he had offers to play professional football, Gibbs opted for baseball and played for the New York Yankees from 1962-71. While he wasn’t a traditional star, he was a fan favorite who dedicated himself so completely to the organization that he was honored with Jake Gibbs Day at Yankee Stadium in 1971. He would go on to coach the Ole Miss baseball team, directing it to the 1972 SEC Championship and the College World Series.
