SEC shifts Ole Miss to Oklahoma game to Sunday due to flight grounding

The Southeastern Conference announced late Friday that the football game between No. 19 Ole Miss and Oklahoma will move from Saturday to Sunday. The change follows the Federal Aviation Administration decision to ground all flights.

The SEC stated that the Ole Miss team was unable to depart Oxford on Friday night. A charter company contracted to transport the Rebels could not accommodate a late-night departure after the flight stoppage ended. The game, originally set for 4:15 p.m. Eastern Time on Saturday, will now begin at 1 p.m. Eastern Time on Sunday. Ole Miss will travel to Norman on Saturday afternoon.

Roger Denny, the athletic director at Oklahoma, criticized the scheduling change. He said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey made the decision over the Sooners strong objection. Denny noted that the SEC threatened Oklahoma with a forfeit if the team did not agree to the new date.

Denny posted on X that Ole Miss explored every avenue to travel to Norman and play on Saturday as planned. He argued that other teams traveling for competition that day found solutions, but Ole Miss did not. He described the change as causing unnecessary disruption and hardship for fans.

In his statement, Denny acknowledged that difficult decisions are sometimes required under extraordinary circumstances. He said the outcome was not fair to the athletes, the institution, or Sooner fans. Denny added that Oklahoma remains steadfast in its belief that the wrong outcome was reached that evening.