The University of Oklahoma and the SEC announced a schedule change for the Sooners Week 11 matchup with Ole Miss early Saturday morning.
The decision came after an FAA ground stoppage on Friday afternoon prevented the Ole Miss team from traveling to Norman as originally planned, according to Yahoo Sports.
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey ordered the game to be moved to Sunday at noon CT, as reported by USA Today.
Oklahoma athletic director Roger Denny stated that the conference forced the university to accept the change under the threat of a forfeit.
Denny noted that the school strongly objected to the move, as noted in his official statement.
“Commissioner Sankey informed us of his decision to move our game to Sunday, over our strong objection,” Denny said.
The athletic director further explained that the conference threatened that a failure to play on Sunday would result in a forfeit for the Oklahoma Sooners, per USA Today.
Denny expressed significant concern regarding the logistical impact this decision has on fans who had already made travel arrangements for the original Saturday kickoff.
“Those who have made travel arrangements, accommodations and personal plans around a Saturday game now face unnecessary disruption and hardship,” Denny stated.
The university remains critical of the conference’s handling of the situation, arguing that the outcome was not in the best interest of the athletes or the fans.
Despite the disagreement, the university is now moving forward with the rescheduled timeline.
The original broadcast information for the game is currently being adjusted, as network schedules must now be shifted to accommodate the Sunday slot.
This development follows a recent road victory for the Sooners against the Florida Gators, according to USA Today Sports Data.
The team is now preparing to face Ole Miss under the new Sunday schedule.