Oklahoma AD Blasts SEC Over Sunday Shift of Ole Miss Game After FAA Delay

WHO:

Fox News - Oklahoma athletic director Roger Denny said Oklahoma strongly objected to moving its game against Ole Miss to Sunday.

Fox News - SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey made the final scheduling decision and told Oklahoma that refusing to play at the directed Sunday time would result in a forfeit.

Fox News - The teams involved were the Oklahoma Sooners and Ole Miss Rebels; the SEC made the scheduling decision.

NY Post - Oklahoma objected to the game being moved, describing the outcome as “wrong.”

Pro Football Network - Denny criticized Sankey and the SEC for moving the game.

IJR - Oklahoma’s athletic director called the decision unfair to the team and its fans.

WHAT:

Fox News - The SEC moved the Oklahoma–Ole Miss game from Saturday to Sunday after Ole Miss could not travel to Norman in time for the scheduled game.

Fox News - Denny said Oklahoma was told it must play Sunday or forfeit. He said the decision was made “over our strong objection.”

Fox News - Denny said the move disrupted fans’ travel arrangements, accommodations, and personal plans, and called the result unfair to the athletes, institution, and “Sooner Nation.”

Fox News - Oklahoma officials sought to play Saturday, including by moving kickoff to the evening.

Fox News - The SEC said Ole Miss could not depart Oxford Friday night and that its departure was delayed until Saturday afternoon.

NY Post - Oklahoma had a “strong objection” to the game being moved.

IJR - The SEC’s rescheduling decision followed a nationwide FAA flight ground stop.

WHERE:

Fox News - The game was scheduled in Norman, Oklahoma; Ole Miss was in Oxford, Mississippi, awaiting travel.

Fox News - The FAA ground stop affected nationwide air travel. Other teams mentioned included Texas, traveling to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Tennessee, traveling to College Station, Texas.

WHEN:

Fox News - The FAA ground stop ended Friday night; Ole Miss was unable to depart that night.

Fox News - The SEC issued its explanation early Saturday morning and said Ole Miss’s departure was delayed until Saturday afternoon.

Fox News - The game was moved from Saturday to Sunday.

WHY:

Fox News - The FAA ground stop prevented Ole Miss from traveling as planned. After it ended, the charter company could not accommodate a late-night departure; sources cited flight-crew duty limits and the lack of an available crew.

Fox News - Oklahoma objected partly because the rescheduling significantly affected fans who had made plans for a Saturday game.

HOW:

Fox News - Denny said Oklahoma and the SEC had multiple conversations about the game; he said Sankey communicated the decision and the forfeit consequence.

Fox News - Ole Miss players and staff returned to the football facility after being required to deplane and waited for word on when they could leave for Norman.

The SEC moved Oklahoma’s game against Ole Miss to Sunday after travel delays. Oklahoma objected, but Commissioner Greg Sankey said refusing to play would mean forfeiting. Oklahoma’s athletic director called the decision unfair to players and fans, whose plans were disrupted.