Rebels Grounded: FAA Shutdown Leaves Ole Miss Trip to Oklahoma In Doubt

Even with Ole Miss set to kick off in Norman, Oklahoma, tomorrow at 3:15 p.m. CT, the Rebels will be sleeping in Oxford tonight. Following Friday's nationwide grounding of all flights amid an FAA ordinance due to a telecommunication outage, leaving multiple programs scrambling for travel ahead of Week 11, it is still to be seen if Saturday's slate will go on without a hitch.

For the Rebels, who had yet to arrive at University-Oxford Airport when the FAA announced the closure of all US airspace, travel plans will wait for tomorrow morning. The ground stoppage has since been lifted but Ole Miss won’t be flying to Norman tonight.

While the FAA has since started allowing flights to takeoff, Ole Miss will either be left with a busy day tomorrow or see its game shifted to a new time slot. As Rebels' players and coaches hunker down for a rare Friday night at home, it is certain that Week 11 will be a mess far beyond Oxford, Mississippi.

To Play or Not To Play

Logistically, there are a significant number of issues that come with the prospect of adjusting games in accordance with the air shutdown. For Ole Miss, getting to Norman is just the beginning of a long process to get its game with the Sooners underway.

According to CBS Sports, the Rebels decided against flying to Oklahoma on Friday night, even after the FAA lifted its ground stoppage. An Ole Miss spokesperson told CBS Sports that the program was continuing to work through its options and coordinate with the appropriate groups regarding both travel and the game.

That leaves the Rebels with a difficult situation heading into Saturday. With a scheduled 3:15 p.m. CT kickoff, the program must coordinate a flight, arrive in Norman and complete its normal pregame preparations in a considerably shorter window than originally anticipated.

The possibility of a postponement has already entered the conversation. According to Chase Parham of 247Sports, Ole Miss players were initially instructed to return home and report back to the facility Friday evening, with the possibility of the game being moved to Sunday if travel arrangements could not be finalized.

It was later reported by On3's Pete Nakos that the Rebels would leave for Norman on Saturday morning, with no confirmation of whether the game would be rescheduled.

A Sunday kickoff would give the Rebels additional time to reach Oklahoma and prepare, but it would also create complications for both programs, their respective conferences and the broadcast schedule.

Ole Miss Is Not Alone

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While the Rebels' situation has drawn considerable attention, they are far from the only program facing uncertainty heading into Saturday.

According to CBS Sports, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and several other programs were among those affected by Friday's stoppage. Some teams were fortunate enough to have already reached their destinations, while others were forced to consider alternative transportation.

Within the SEC, Missouri had already arrived in Athens ahead of its matchup with Georgia, while South Carolina was also safely in Arkansas. Tennessee, meanwhile, was able to arrange a Friday night flight to College Station after the FAA lifted its restrictions.

Auburn took a different approach, opting to travel by bus to Starkville for its matchup against Mississippi State. Texas, which had been sitting on the tarmac when the ground stop was announced, also had to reassess its travel plans before heading to Baton Rouge.

The disruption extends beyond the teams themselves. CBS Sports also reported that the SEC was evaluating whether any officiating crews for Saturday's games had been affected. Television broadcast personnel and behind-the-scenes staff could face similar complications as programs attempt to get their operations back on schedule.

The SEC released a statement Friday night acknowledging the potential impact of the ground stop and confirming that it was communicating with member institutions to assess possible disruptions.

A Waiting Game in Oxford

For Ole Miss, the immediate priority is getting to Norman with enough time to prepare for a pivotal conference matchup.

The Rebels entered Week 11 looking to keep their postseason hopes alive against an Oklahoma team that will have the benefit of playing at home. Any disruption to the normal travel routine could add another obstacle to an already important road test.

Although the FAA has resumed flight operations, the damage to Friday's travel schedule has already been done. Ole Miss must now work through the remaining logistical challenges and determine whether Saturday's original kickoff time is still realistic.

For now, the Rebels are waiting in Oxford, with their Week 11 plans still hanging in the balance.

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