Hot Dog Eating Champion Joey Chestnut to Attend Ole Miss Rebels 'Grove Bowl Games'

The Ole Miss Rebels are pulling out all the stops in a new and inventive approach to their spring game this offseason.

The Ole Miss Rebels are taking an interesting approach to their spring football game this offseason, replacing the traditional scrimmage format with the "Grove Bowl Games."

The games will feature a seven-on-seven football competition as well as other contests, some that feature fans, fraternities and sororities. Head coach Lane Kiffin went into detail about some of these competitions on Tuesday, including a celebrity who will be on-hand for one of the trials in particular.

That would be none other than 16-time Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest Champion Joey Chestnut.

"I would kind of describe [the games] as like a Pro Bowl Plus, meaning the seven-on-seven would look like what you've watched the Pro Bowl before, the flag football part," Kiffin said. "The players have drafted teams, coaches, players, everything for that. There'll be some fan involvement in some different things, fraternity and sorority.

"There'll be an obstacle course. There'll be a dunk competition, and there'll be a hot dog eating competition, and Joey Chestnut will be here for that."

Ole Miss Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin

Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

A competitive eater seems like an odd choice for a celebrity appearance at a college spring football game, but if you're having a hot dog eating contest, it makes sense to bring in the best of the best. A natural question that follows, however, is how did Kiffin manage to secure Chestnut's trip to Oxford on a random Saturday in April?

"How everybody does nowadays," Kiffin said. "I just DM'd him. Slid in his DMs."

Out with the scrimmage, in with the hot dog eating contest. The Grove Bowl Games will be, if nothing else, a change of pace from the typical spring game atmosphere.

The games are set to begin at 3 p.m. CT at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Saturday, and the event will be televised on SEC Network+.