Yes, Ole Miss fans and Mississippi State fans are going to be emotional. They are always involved in any matchup that pits a Bulldog against a Rebel. Two of the most beloved athletes from their respective schools will be playing in Sunday’s match. All those emotionally invested in the game should be aware that Eli and Dak are best friends. They are friends. The Manning family is the most admirable of Prescott. Archie Manning said, “It’s almost like I told a New York writer yesterday, in Mississippi, we refer to someone like Dak Prescott as good people.” Dak Prescott is a good person.” Archie Manning distinctly remembers the first time Prescott was seen up close at Manning Passing Academy, Thibodaux, La. Archie Manning stated, “Dak’s big ol’ strapping guy. But the first thing that I noticed was those humongous calves.” His calves reminded of Hoyle Granger, a former Mississippi State fullback. Hoyle had some of the most impressive calves and Dak had some of the largest calves that I’ve seen on a quarterback. Prescott was a camp counselor and a player in high school. Archie Manning stated that Dak came to Thibodaux to learn. He soaked up every detail. He was attentive on the set and in the cinema. He was serious about what we call the “payback”. We stress with counselors that their reward is working hard with the children on the field. Dak did this. “He was very into it with campers and they replied to him,” Archie Manning said. Prescott keeps in touch via text messaging with Manning, which he also tries to do with college players who attend the Manning passing camp. Archie Manning stated that Dak is one of the people who texts back. “He’s definitely among our guys.” Archie Manning was surprised to see a fourth-round draft pick play in his first pro game. He’s not surprised Prescott accepted his chance to play due to an injury to Cowboys veteran No. Tony Romo, the No. 1 quarterback, took it and ran with. Archie Manning stated that Dak has the intangibles. “He has such poise and it translates onto the field.” Manning spoke of Prescott in a teleconference. “You could see him throwing the ball naturally and you can clearly see his athletic ability on game day.” What does Dak most remember about Eli? Prescott stated this week in teleconference that Eli was a very laid-back man. Eli’s calm demeanor was the most important thing I learned from him. Peyton and Eli would have a throwing competition. Peyton would challenge Eli and be serious about it. But Eli would always hit all the targets and Peyton would go mad. Eli would laugh. It’s hard to believe that while Prescott, 23, starts his first NFL regular-season game, Eli Manning, 35, will be starting his 13th professional season. Dak was 10 when Eli began his first professional game. Truth be told, Eli was compared to his older brother, Peyton. This is even before he wore an Ole Miss uniform. Many observers have missed the many accomplishments of Eli, including two Super Bowl MVPs. Eli Manning, for instance, is one of four NFL quarterbacks with at least 44,000 yards and 290 touchdowns. He also has four Pro Bowl appearances as well as two Super Bowl titles. What about the other three? John Elway and Tom Brady, Peyton Manning. Eli Manning would never talk about that. Like Dak, he doesn’t ramble on his own. Eli, just like Dak is a “good person” — something we should all remember as we approach the NFL’s version of Egg Bowl. Mississippi Today’s sports columnist is Rick Cleveland. Check out his past columns. Check out his Sports Daily blog. To support this work, you can make a regular donation to the Spring Member Drive today. This will allow us to continue important work such as this story. Our reporters give a human face to policy’s impact on everyday Mississippians by listening more closely and understanding their communities. To ensure that our work is aligned with the priorities and needs of all Mississippians, we are listening to you. Click the button below to let us know what you think.