WSU is still working to complete its 2025 football schedule but added a seventh opponent Monday afternoon. WSU will travel to Oxford, Miss. To face off with the Ole Miss Rebels Oct. 11, 2025.
The matchup is the first ever between the two schools, with the contract being a one-off game for the 2025 season.
“The opportunity to face the University of Mississippi, with its rich football history, will be one our student-athletes, coaches and fans will certainly enjoy,” said WSU Director of Athletics Anne McCoy.
The Rebels hail from the Southeastern Conference; A league which WSU has not faced an opponent from since Auburn to open the 2013 season. The Cougs are also set to face an SEC foe in 2030 and 31′ when they take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs in a two-game home and away series.
Ole Miss has been one of the best teams in the SEC in recent history, having gone 34-15 since 2020 under head coach Lane Kiffin. The Rebels were 11-2 in 2023, and 5-1 in 2024. They are currently No. 9 in the most recent AP Poll and are 10-1 at home since 2023, where the Cougs will face them in 2025.
Ole Miss has a decorated football history with three National Championships in 1959, 60’ and 62’ and three NFL Hall of Famers in Frank M. Kinard, Gene Hickerson and Patrick Willis. It also produced National Quarterback Club Hall of Famer Archie Manning.
The matchup presents a huge boost to the Cougs 2025 schedule which already features home games against Idaho, San Diego State, Oregon State and Washington, as well as road matchups against North Texas and Virginia. It is the third Power 4 matchup of the 2025 season so far for WSU, which could have more matchups announced soon, head coach Jake Dickert said.
“Hopefully a lot more announcements are coming here very shortly about our schedule before the new Pac-12 starts in 2026. So obviously a big challenge, top-10 team on the road. I think Coug fans will be very excited to go down there and have a great experience,” Dickert said.
WSU was challenged to create an off-script 2025 schedule in the wake of the Pac-12 disbandment, followed by the decision not to renegotiate the 2024 scheduling agreement with the Mountain West Conference.
“The administration has been hard at work since the Mountain West partnership fell apart. You gotta scramble far and wide to go find a game,” Dickert said.
Current fellow Pac-12 member Oregon State made a similar move, buying out Wake Forest to add to its 2025 schedule.
As the Pac-12 is being rebuilt for a return to having a conference schedule in 2026, WSU has to make its schedule this year. With seven opponents now on the docket, Wazzu can continue the hunt for five more.
