Air Traffic Stop Puts Oklahoma-Ole Miss Game Travel in Doubt

Ole Miss had not departed for Norman when a nationwide Federal Aviation Administration ground stop began around 3 p.m. on November 13. The Rebels’ players and staff were told to return home and check back at 7 p.m. in case they could leave later that evening. If the team could not fly out Friday, the game could be delayed.

The matchup is set for 3:15 p.m. on November 14 at Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. The SEC said it was in contact with member schools to assess travel disruptions and would keep monitoring whether any changes to scheduled games were needed, emphasizing the safety of players, coaches and staff.

The travel disruption could affect other college football games as well. Ten Power 4 teams had been affected, including Tennessee and Texas. Tennessee is slated to play at Texas A&M in a 2 p.m. Saturday matchup, and Texas is due to play at LSU at 6:30 p.m.

Oxford, Mississippi, is about 550 miles from Norman, a drive of at least eight hours. Oklahoma has not played on a Sunday since its 2019 season opener against Houston. The Sooners are seeking consecutive wins for the first time this season after beating Florida 23-7. The Rebels most recently fell 42-7 to Georgia.

The Rebels are visiting Norman for a second straight season under the SEC’s nine-game schedule. They won 34-26 there last year and have won all three meetings with Oklahoma.