Vaught–Hemingway Stadium is the home football field of the Ole Miss Rebels in Oxford, Mississippi, and one of the oldest stadiums in the Southeastern Conference. It opened on October 1, 1915, originally as Hemingway Stadium, named for law professor and athletics committee chairman Judge William Hemingway. In 1982 the university added the name of legendary head coach Johnny Vaught, whose teams won multiple national championships, creating the stadium’s current name.
Known affectionately by fans as ‘The Vaught,’ the stadium sits at the heart of a gameday tradition centered on The Grove, Ole Miss’s famous tailgating grounds just outside its gates. Over more than a century, the venue has grown from a modest campus field into a modern facility seating more than 64,000, having undergone rounds of renovation that added luxury suites, a bowl-shaped seating structure, and upgraded video and turf technology.
Stats at a Glance
- Team(s): Ole Miss Rebels (NCAA football, SEC)
- Location: University/Oxford, Mississippi
- Opened: October 1, 1915
- Capacity: about 64,038
- Field name: Hollingsworth Field (named 1998)
- Notable fact: Renamed for coach Johnny Vaught in 1982; major renovations in 2002 and 2016
A Century of History
Since opening in 1915, the stadium has been rebuilt and expanded many times. It was among the first stadiums in the country to install artificial turf in 1970, before reverting to natural grass in 1984. In 2009, Ole Miss became the first SEC program to play home games on FieldTurf, and in 2016 the stadium was reconfigured into a full bowl shape with natural grass restored and additional seating added.
Gameday at The Vaught
The 2002 expansion added luxury boxes and club seating in the south end zone, boosting capacity by roughly 10,000 seats, while a 2008 video board upgrade modernized the in-game experience. The stadium’s biggest recorded crowd came on December 20, 2025, when 68,251 fans packed in for a game against Tulane, showing how the venue’s atmosphere still draws well beyond its official seating figure on marquee occasions.
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Vaught–Hemingway Stadium FAQs
Why is it called Vaught–Hemingway Stadium?
It combines the names of Judge William Hemingway, who chaired the athletics committee when the stadium opened in 1915, and Johnny Vaught, the Ole Miss head coach whose name was added in 1982 in recognition of his decades of success leading the program.
What is the stadium’s capacity?
Vaught–Hemingway Stadium seats about 64,038 fans, though official attendance has exceeded that figure for high-demand games, including a recorded high of 68,251 in December 2025.
What team plays at Vaught–Hemingway Stadium?
The Ole Miss Rebels football team, a member of the Southeastern Conference, has played its home games at the stadium since it opened in 1915.
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Photo: Matthew Nichols / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.