Oklahoma-Ole Miss game faces flight disruption

Saturday’s Oklahoma-Ole Miss football game could move to Sunday after a Federal Aviation Administration ground stop left the Rebels in Mississippi ahead of the scheduled 3:15 p.m. kickoff in Norman.

The FAA halted all U.S. flights because of what it called extraordinary circumstances and safety concerns. It remained uncertain when flights would resume or whether Ole Miss could reach Norman in time for Saturday’s game.

Chase Parham of CBS Sports reported that Ole Miss players were told to go home and return at 7 p.m. Parham described talk of a flight later Friday night or a possible Sunday game as “scuttlebutt,” making that a reported possibility rather than a finalized change.

George Stoia of On3 Oklahoma reported that Oklahoma’s athletic administration had been communicating with Ole Miss and the SEC while monitoring the stoppage. A move to Sunday was among the options being considered.

Tennessee and Texas also had not departed for their trips, along with Baylor, Kansas State, Utah, Arizona State, Minnesota and Washington. Continued delays could force schedule changes beyond the Oklahoma-Ole Miss matchup.

Why it matters

Ole Miss must reach Norman before the scheduled 3:15 p.m. Saturday kickoff for the game to proceed as planned. A longer flight stoppage increases the possibility of moving the matchup to Sunday.

What to watch next

The next development is whether the FAA allows flights to resume and Ole Miss can travel Friday night. Oklahoma, Ole Miss and the SEC were monitoring the situation and considering a Sunday game.