Arkansas, Ole Miss baseball fans already raised $26,000 for charity ... with Jell-O shots
OMAHA, Nebraska — Arkansas and Ole Miss baseball fans are finally getting to put their tailgating skills to good use.
As of Tuesday night, Ole Miss and Arkansas fans have combined to purchase 13,326 jello shots from Rocco's Pizza and Cantina, a bar across the street from Charles Schwab Park, home of the College World Series. In Year 4 of the challenge, both schools have shattered the previous record of 2,965 shots from one fan base (Mississippi State last year) with less than half the tournament completed.
Arkansas fans hold the current record with 7,399 shots purchased and Ole Miss fans trail close behind at 5,927. Texas A&M is in a distant third place of the eight-team field with 1,241.
A note from the owners about how great y'all have been. #CWS2022 #CWSS #RoccoOmaha pic.twitter.com/seOcqiRjYL
— CWS Jello Shot Challenge (@CWSShotBoard) June 21, 2022
BOTTOMS UP: The real Ole Miss-Arkansas College World Series rivalry is in the Jell-O shots competition
Rocco's management announced Tuesday that it will be giving back to Ole Miss and Arkansas for their patronage. The bar will now give $2 from every jello shot sold to an Ole Miss or Arkansas fan to food banks benefiting the Oxford and Fayetteville communities.
That means before Ole Miss and Arkansas face off on the diamond Wednesday night, Razorbacks fans have already raised $14,798 for the June B. Gearhart Full Circle Food Pantry and Rebels fans have raised $11,854 for The Grove Food Pantry.
"Being a small business that barely survived the pandemic, our family and our staff cannot thank everyone enough for supporting Rocco's and Lefty's this year, especially when we know there are many people still struggling to get their lives back in order," owners Kevin and Bonnie Culjat wrote in a statement.
If anyone can accurately prognosticate the Arkansas and Ole Miss totals after tonight we'll give you a $100 gift card and you get a picture with the board. Good luck! #CWS2022 #CWSS #RoccosOmaha pic.twitter.com/Lvhrt9xAZP
— CWS Jello Shot Challenge (@CWSShotBoard) June 22, 2022
WHAT'S AT STAKE: Why Monday's win was so important for Ole Miss baseball's College World Series hopes
Ole Miss and Arkansas battle head-to-head Wednesday (6 p.m., ESPN). With a win, Ole Miss advances to the College World Series finals and eliminates Arkansas. An Arkansas win forces a winner-takes-all matchup Thursday.
Rocco's is giving out a $100 gift card to anyone who correctly guesses how many jello shots Arkansas and Ole Miss fans purchase during Wednesday night's game.
Contact Nick Suss at 601-408-2674 or nsuss@gannett.com. Follow @nicksuss on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Arkansas, Ole Miss baseball raised $26,000 for charity in Jell-O shots
