Can Oklahoma's Rematch With Ole Miss on Owen Field Deliver Sooners Revenge?

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With the SEC moving to a nine-game schedule in 2026—while attempting to retain traditional rivalries and build new ones based on geography—Ole Miss finds itself on a road trip once again to play the Oklahoma Sooners.

Ole Miss-Oklahoma is the only repeat game on the Sooners' schedule from the previous season (outside of the yearly battle with Texas). Looking at what the Sooners have accomplished in their short history in the SEC, it seems like the Rebels' return to Norman is one of the few symbolic hurdles for OU to overcome.

The Rebels will be different, of course. A well-documented shift in leadership from Lane Kiffin to Pete Golding saw Ole Miss be a few plays away from making the national championship. Now that the momentum has worn off, can Golding maintain Kiffin's success in Oxford?

How will the Sooners fare against the Rebels? But first, some history.

Past Battles

Sooners run on to the field vs. Ole Miss 202 — Oklahoma Sooners head coach Brent Venables leads his team onto the field prior to the game against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Bob Stoops' inaugural season saw Oklahoma return to a bowl game for the first time in five seasons. Their opponent, the Ole Miss Rebels, was led by eventual NFL Pro Bowl running back Deuce McAllister.

McAllister busted off an 80-yard touchdown run in the first half to help the Rebels lead OU 21-3 at the half. Oklahoma stormed back, outscoring Ole Miss 22-3 in the second half after a touchdown pass from Josh Heupel to Quentin Griffin. The Rebels drove the field in the closing minutes to kick the game-winning field goal as time expired.

That was the first time these two programs met on the field. The 2024 edition was Oklahoma's first road trip to the Magnolia State ever, while the return trip last season was Ole Miss's first game ever on Owen Field.

Three games and three wins for the Rebels.

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Returning Starters

The conversation for Mississippi begins and ends with quarterback Trinidad Chambliss. Ole Miss luckily found a judge in Oxford, Mississippi, who ruled favorably in the case of Chambliss against the NCAA—effectively allowing Chambliss to return to college next season.

Chambliss was one of the best play-making quarterbacks in the country last season. His excellent play in big moments shone in the road win against Oklahoma as well as their College Football Playoff run.

Running back Kewan Lacy had one of the more productive seasons at his position in recent memory. Along with three playoff games, Lacy rushed for over 1500 yards and 24 touchdowns last year.

Kicker Lucas Carnerio made waves after he kicked a 51-yard game-winning field goal in the Sugar Bowl to defeat Georgia last season (second-longest in Ole Miss history). Carnerio went 31-for-35 on the year, becoming a legitimate weapon for an explosive Rebel offense.

New Faces

Darrell Gill, Ole Miss Rebel — Syracuse Orange wide receiver Darrell Gill Jr. (15) warms up before a game against the Colgate Raiders | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Syracuse pass catcher Darrell Gill looks to lead a depleted Rebel receiving corps. Last year, Gill hauled in 32 catches for 506 yards and five touchdowns. At 6-3, 190-pounds Gill could be a replacement for De'Zhaun Stribling.

Left tackle Carius Curne comes from LSU to take a commanding spot on a retooled offensive line. He was the No. 2-ranked tackle in the transfer portal according to 247Sports. Former Sooner Troy Everrett is an early favorite to hold down the center position.

Last season, Baylor transfer Keaton Thomas started 12 games, logging 103 tackles. He should be a plug-and-play starter for Golding's defense.

2024 All-SEC Freshman corner Jay Crawford transferred in from Auburn following two seasons of solid corner play.

Key Departures

Jaden Yates, Ole Mis — \Mississippi Rebels linebacker Jaden Yates against the Miami Hurricanes during the 2026 Fiesta Bowl | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Linebacker Jaden Yates followed his old head coach to Baton Rouge after racking up 55 tackles last year and over 180 tackles and nine tackles for loss over three seasons.

Wide receiver Winston Watkins will also be attending LSU in 2026. He caught five touchdowns last year and had a season-high 111 receiving yards in the win over Oklahoma.

De'Zhaun Stribling's long college career that saw him excel at Washington State, Oklahoma State before an explosive season at Ole Miss came to an end. He's now at the NFL Combine preparing for the draft.

Defensive lineman Princewill Umanmielen also followed the Rebel exodus to LSU after a two-year run as one of the better defenders in the country. Umanmielen originally announced his desire to stay in Oxford before declaring for the portal late in the cycle.

Schedule Placement

Brent Venables, Oklahoma Sooner — Oklahoma coach Brent Venables shouts during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners and the Ole Miss Rebels | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It's a fool's errand to predict how two teams will fare in mid-November this far out. Each team has a difficult road before they ever start game planning for one another.

The Sooners will be on the front end of a back-to-back home slate when they face Ole Miss. This matchup symbolizes a chance for Venables and Oklahoma to rid themselves of a Rebel pest on their shoulder, while either staying alive in the season or pushing towards a playoff berth.

Ole Miss opens the season with a tricky neutral site game against Louisville before their year really begins: hosting Kiffin and LSU in Oxford. After that, they have tough road games against Florida, Vanderbilt and Texas before hosting Georgia the week prior to Oklahoma.