OXFORD, Miss. — Ole Miss’ new schedule taking shape but there’s one game that will jump out to fans very early.
With the combination of Lane Kiffin and a team with high expectations again, the Rebels will be in prime-time slots with heavyweight matchups.
Coming off a 10-3 season in 2024, the Rebels enter 2025 with momentum and a new face of the program.
Austin Simmons, who will be a college graduate before taking his first snap as the starting quarterback, leads a revamped offense that aims to maintain the explosive production that has become Kiffin’s trademark.
The season kicks off on August 30 with a 6:45 p.m. matchup against Georgia State on SEC Network, but the real tests begin early.
A September 6 showdown at Kentucky (2:30 p.m., ABC) offers a chance for redemption after last season’s stunning 20-17 home loss to the Wildcats. That loss ultimately kept the Rebels out of College Football Playoff contention.
“Every game matters in this conference,” Kiffin reflected during spring practice. The sixth-year head coach has already become the fastest in Ole Miss history to reach 40 wins, doing so in just 57 games.
The schedule features strategic placement of key matchups, including a potentially season-defining stretch in October.
The Rebels host Washington State on October 11 (11:45 a.m., SEC Network) before traveling to Georgia on October 18.
The Georgia game carries extra significance after Ole Miss’s shocking 28-10 upset of the then-third-ranked Bulldogs in 2024, a victory that announced the Rebels as legitimate contenders in the SEC.
Perhaps the most intriguing addition to the 2025 slate is Ole Miss’s first-ever trip to Norman to face Oklahoma on October 25.
Simmons, who has been working extensively with the coaching staff on a revamped offensive scheme, will have multiple opportunities to showcase his development.
The young quarterback provided a glimpse of his potential during the 2024 Georgia upset, engineering a crucial game-tying touchdown drive while completing five of six passes for 64 yards in relief of an injured Jaxson Dart.
The November schedule presents its own challenges, with Florida making just its third trip to Oxford in 20 years on November 15.
The Gators’ visit carries additional weight after their upset victory in the Swamp last season denied Ole Miss a potential playoff berth.
As always, the regular season concludes with the Egg Bowl against Mississippi State on November 28 (11 a.m., ABC/ESPN), a rivalry game that has often had bowl implications for both programs.
The Rebels’ 2025 recruiting class, ranked 16th nationally, suggests the program continues to build for sustained success.
With nine SEC games and challenging non-conference matchups, the schedule provides multiple opportunities for Ole Miss to strengthen its case for both SEC and national championship contention.
Television coverage reflects the program’s rising profile, with multiple games scheduled for ABC and ESPN broadcasts, while the SEC Network will carry at least four contests.
Several key matchups remain in flexible time slots, allowing networks to maximize exposure for potentially crucial late-season games.
The release of the 2025 schedule marks another step in Ole Miss’s evolution under Kiffin.
The program has steadily accumulated wins while building depth through strategic recruiting and transfer portal management.
With Simmons at quarterback and a schedule balanced between opportunity and challenge, the Rebels appear positioned to compete at the highest level of college football.
