The Oklahoma Sooners and Ole Miss Rebels football game has been rescheduled for Sunday following a nationwide FAA ground stop that disrupted travel, according to Yahoo Sports.
While other programs adjusted their schedules, Ole Miss was reportedly unable to reach its destination in time for the original Saturday kickoff, as noted by Awful Announcing.
Oklahoma athletic director Roger Denny issued a statement expressing frustration with the change, claiming the SEC threatened a forfeit if the school did not agree to the new date, per Awful Announcing.
Broadcaster Paul Finebaum rejected these complaints during a recent appearance on SEC Nation, arguing that the conference acted in the interest of safety, as reported by Yahoo Sports.
Finebaum characterized Denny’s public remarks as an attempt to appease an unhappy fanbase during a difficult season, stating, “What I don’t think is correct is Roger Denny, the athletic director there, pathetically pandering to his fanbase at midnight to try to cover up whatever.”
The commentator further criticized the athletic director for his leadership style and for publicly challenging commissioner Greg Sankey during a crisis, labeling the move as “against the code of the SEC.”
Finebaum also noted that the administration’s decision to criticize the league is unbecoming for an athletics leader, according to the reporting from Awful Announcing.
This public dispute comes during a week where commissioner Greg Sankey also addressed the need for greater deference toward league officials, as detailed by Awful Announcing.
It remains to be seen if the tension between the university and the conference will influence the team’s performance when they finally take the field on Sunday, per Yahoo Sports.