Ole Miss chose to skip the less than eight-hour bus trip from Oxford, Mississippi, to Norman, Oklahoma, for their Saturday game, a decision that points directly to a desperate, outside chance at making the College Football Playoff. Even with a police escort potentially shaving an hour off that run, they didn’t make the drive. They won’t admit it in their official statements, but this whole reschedule to Sunday afternoon is about putting absolutely no undue stress on a team that needs to be perfect these final three weeks, plus a whole lot of help from other teams, to even sniff the CFP. It’s a pipe dream, pure and simple.
The “Cooked Up” Story and Everyone Else Who Made It Work
Here’s the deal: Ole Miss didn’t want to play the game after driving through the early hours of Saturday morning. That’s the real reason they’re playing Sunday. Of course, they can’t actually *say* that, or admit their last-gasp CFP hope was behind the SEC agreeing to a Sunday game. So, they came up with a story about flight personnel and their expiring clocks. Sure, it probably sounds good, and it might even be true on some level. But here’s the kicker: Ole Miss got the same nationwide FAA ground stop notice at 3:54 p.m. ET (2:54 CT) on Friday afternoon as every other college football team planning a road trip. Every. Other. Team. Made. It. Work. They found alternate plans. They got on buses. They figured it out. Ole Miss, apparently, just decided not to.
The SEC’s Jaw-Dropping Call and the “Health” Farce
So, how did this Sunday game even happen? The SEC, for reasons unknown, actually told Oklahoma that Ole Miss “tried” to travel and that they *would* be in Norman for the game on Sunday. And if Oklahoma wasn’t? They’d forfeit. Seriously? Check me if I’m wrong, but the SEC should’ve told Ole Miss, “Game’s Saturday at 9 or 10 p.m. local. Be there or forfeit.” Short of an act of God, we play football on Saturdays. If that means a little inconvenience, tough luck. These are professionals, getting paid to play and coach. And please, let’s not hear any self-serving garbage from Oklahoma, Ole Miss, or the SEC about “the health and welfare” of student-athletes. That ridiculous 24-team CFP, starting in 2027, is lining up eight teams to potentially play 17 games. These are 18-22-year-olds, young men in the best shape of their lives. They can handle a seven-hour bus trip and arriving in Norman in the early morning hours of Saturday. Ole Miss should have immediately made alternate bus plans when that ground stop hit, or at least set a deadline for a flight confirmation. Get in town by 4 a.m., grab eight hours of sleep, and get ready for a late kick. It’s what any other team would’ve done.
So, Sunday afternoon, Ole Miss and Oklahoma will finally face off. For Ole Miss, every snap is about clinging to that long-shot CFP dream, a dream they clearly prioritized over a bus ride. For Oklahoma, it’s about showing up and playing the game they were told they *had* to play, on a day they shouldn’t have been forced to.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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