SEC and Ole Miss Monitor FAA Ground Stop Impact on Oklahoma Game

“We are continuing to work through our options and coordinate with the appropriate groups regarding both travel and the game,” an Ole Miss spokesperson told CBS Sports.

The scramble unfolded across college football on Friday, November 14, 2026, when a nationwide Federal Aviation Administration ground stop threw travel plans for No. 19 Ole Miss and at least nine other Power 4 teams into total chaos.

The ground stop took effect around 3 p.m. Friday, catching the Rebels before they had left for Norman, Oklahoma, according to Oklahoma Sooners On SI. Players and personnel were initially told to return home and report back at 7 p.m., then 8:30 p.m., for a possible departure.

Statement from the Southeastern Conference on FAA nationwide ground stop: pic.twitter.com/IIU4TnwMVJ

— Post by @SEC on X

Ole Miss will not travel Friday night, CBS Sports Brandon Marcello reported.

The Federal Aviation Administration subsequently canceled the nationwide ground stop, making it likely Saturday’s game will go forward as scheduled. Saturday’s matchup is scheduled for 3:15 p.m. at Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.

Ole Miss will not fly to Oklahoma tonight. "We are continuing to work through our options and coordinate with the appropriate groups regarding both travel and the game," an Ole Miss spokesperson tells @CBSSports. https://t.co/2BCYZFBRga

— Post by @bmarcello on X

The disruption marked just the second nationwide ground stop since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks halted civilian air traffic until September 13 of that year. The only other nationwide ground stop since then occurred in January 2023.

ESPN reported that 10 Power 4 teams had their travel affected by the outage, including SEC programs Tennessee and Texas alongside Ole Miss. Tennessee is scheduled to play at Texas A&M at 2 p.m. Saturday, while the Longhorns are set to play at LSU at 6:30 p.m.

Now 8:30 for Ole Miss to report back to facility. https://t.co/tRDN1q6y5O

— Post by @ChaseParham on X

Before the FAA lifted the order, speculation swirled about alternative plans. Chase Parham posted that scuttlebutt suggested the Rebels might fly out Friday night or see the game pushed to Sunday. Parham later reported that the SEC had not currently given the option to move the game time.

The Southeastern Conference addressed the emergency in a statement posted to its official X account on Friday night.

Ole Miss players told to go home and report back at 7 pm. Scuttlebutt is the Rebels will fly out tonight or game could get pushed to Sunday.

— Post by @ChaseParham on X

“We are in close communication with our member institutions to assess potential disruptions and coordinate appropriate responses,” the statement said in part. “The safety and well-being of student-athletes, coaches, and team personnel remain our highest priority.”

The SEC added that it would continue to monitor developments and work with institutions to determine whether any adjustments to scheduled competitions become necessary.

Oxford, Mississippi, sits approximately 550 miles from Norman, a bus trip that would take at least eight hours if flights remained grounded. The Sooners have not played a Sunday game since their 2019 season-opening 49-31 win over Houston.

Oklahoma enters the weekend looking to win back-to-back games for the first time this season after defeating Florida 23-7 last week in Jason Witten’s first game as interim offensive coordinator. Ole Miss comes to town following a 42-7 loss to then-No. 2 Georgia.

The Rebels are making their second consecutive trip to Norman due to the SEC’s nine-game schedule. Ole Miss beat the Sooners 34-26 on Owen Field last season, leaving Oklahoma still searching for its first win in the series after dropping all three prior meetings.