Travel plans for the Ole Miss football team were disrupted on Nov. 13 after a nationwide ground stop order was issued by the Federal Aviation Administration.
The Rebels were scheduled to depart for Oklahoma but found their aircraft unable to leave the airport, according to Yahoo Sports.
Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter addressed the situation directly regarding the impact on the university’s football program.
Carter confirmed the team’s predicament to the Clarion Ledger, stating that the Rebels have been “impacted by the FAA’s nationwide ground stop order.”
The No. 17 ranked Rebels hold a 6-3 record and are currently 4-3 in SEC play this season.
They are slated to face Oklahoma, which holds a 5-4 record, in a game scheduled for Nov. 14.
The matchup is set to kick off at 3:15 p.m. and will be broadcast on the SEC Network, per USA Today Sports data.
Logistical challenges often arise in college athletics, but a federal ground stop presents a unique hurdle for teams relying on air travel.
The team was prepared to depart on Wednesday before the regulatory action halted operations across the country.
It remains unclear how the delay will affect the team’s final preparations for the conference game against the Sooners.
The situation highlights the reliance of major collegiate sports programs on the stability of the national aviation network.
As of late Wednesday, the team continued to monitor the status of the FAA order to determine when they might be cleared to depart.
Representatives for the university have not provided further updates on a revised travel schedule.
Fans and officials are waiting to see if the delay will force any changes to the scheduled kickoff time for the Thursday afternoon contest.
The game remains a significant focal point for both programs as they navigate the final weeks of the regular season.