Ole Miss has won every meeting in this brand-new SEC rivalry, and Oklahoma gets one more crack at flipping the script when the Rebels come to Norman on Friday, November 13.
Bush’s Picks
MISSOU
MISSOU
OverUnder
Best BetOle Miss
Ole Miss has won every meeting in this series, including last year's upset in Norman, and now brings back its best offensive pieces in Chambliss and Lacy. Oklahoma's defense is legitimate, but until Mateer proves he's fully past last year's hand injury, betting against the Rebels' track record in this matchup is a tough sell.
Ole Miss
+Won all 3 all-time meetings with Oklahoma
+Chambliss and Lacy both back, Heisman buzz
+Top-ranked transfer portal class nationally
−Golding's first full season as head coach
−New OC installing a new offense
−Replacing roughly 10 starters after Kiffin exodus
Oklahoma
+Defense led SEC in total defense and sacks
+11 returning starters on defense
+Preseason top-10-ish rankings nationally
−Offensive line and run game struggled in 2025
−Mateer's health/growth after hand surgery unproven
−Lost defensive leader Danny Stutsman
This one lands in the middle of a brutal stretch for both sides. Ole Miss is reportedly running through Texas, Auburn, Georgia and Oklahoma in four straight weeks, while Oklahoma opens a gauntlet of ranked SEC opponents right here. Pete Golding takes on his first full season as a head coach after going 2-1 down the stretch last year, including a CFP win over Georgia, and now he has to do it with a retooled roster. Brent Venables, in year 5, is chasing the SEC breakthrough that has eluded him in Norman.
The quarterback plots are the whole story here. Trinidad Chambliss is back after winning his eligibility fight, and Ole Miss is betting his arm plus running back Kewan Lacy can carry a new-look offense under new OC John David Baker. Oklahoma's answer is John Mateer, the Washington State transfer who was still working back from hand surgery the last time these two teams met. If Mateer looks healthier this fall, Oklahoma's offense finally has a real shot at matching its defense.
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MISS Ole Miss
OU Oklahoma
And that defense is Oklahoma's actual calling card. The Sooners led the SEC in total defense and sacks a year ago and bring back 11 starters on that side of the ball, which is the reason anyone is picking Oklahoma to hang around in a rebuilt SEC field. Ole Miss, meanwhile, is replacing something like 10 starters overall after the Lane Kiffin exodus, even with a transfer class ranked near the top of the country.
Ole Miss Rebels
Nov 6?vs Georgia—
Oct 30?vs Auburn—
Oct 16?vs Missouri—
Oct 9?@ Vanderbilt—
Sep 25?@ Florida—
Sep 19?vs LSU—
Sep 12?vs Charlotte—
Sep 6?vs Louisville—
Oklahoma Sooners
Nov 6?@ Florida—
Oct 30?vs South Carolina—
Oct 16?vs Kentucky—
Oct 10?vs Texas—
Sep 25?@ Georgia—
Sep 19?vs New Mexico—
Sep 12?@ Michigan—
Sep 4?vs UTEP—
Recent form.
History says don't overthink this. Ole Miss has taken all 3 meetings between these programs, including last year's trip to Norman, where Oklahoma was favored and still lost after a fumbled punt return and a costly procedure penalty handed the Rebels a safety. That's the kind of self-inflicted mess Venables is trying to coach out of this program, and it's exactly the kind of game where Ole Miss has made its living against Oklahoma so far.
Ole Miss Rebels
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Fully healthy — no injuries on ESPN's report
Oklahoma Sooners
(0)
Fully healthy — no injuries on ESPN's report
Injury report — info via ESPN.
Both programs are being talked about as CFP contenders in the preseason chatter, which means this game isn't just a rivalry checkpoint — it's a genuine playoff-positioning game buried in the middle of November. A three-peat for Ole Miss over Oklahoma would say a lot about how fast Golding has this thing rebuilt. A win for the Sooners would say the defense-first formula under Venables is finally enough.
