By JOHN ZENOR AP Sports Writer
Mississippi coach Lane Kiffin says Wake Forest violated “an unwritten rule” by buying its way out of next year’s matchup, leaving the Rebels in search of another major-conference opponent.
The fifth-ranked Rebels beat the Demon Deacons 40-6 on Saturday in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, as part of a scheduled home-and-home series. There won’t be a rematch next season in Oxford, Mississippi.
A person with knowledge of the decision confirmed that Wake Forest had canceled next year’s trip to Ole Miss and said the school is closing in on alternative scheduling options. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Monday because the school isn’t commenting publicly on details.
Kiffin broke the news about that decision in his postgame news conference and was still unhappy about the timing two days later.
“That’s rarely ever done,” Kiffin said Monday. “I’ve never really heard of doing it, and it really puts us at a big disadvantage. It is what it is. It obviously wasn’t appreciated very much, them putting us in that situation.
“Now we’ve got to go find somebody and most people are all scheduled up. And even when you find somebody, you’ve got to go pay them. It’s kind of an unwritten rule not to do that, actually.”
The decision leaves Ole Miss having to try to find another Power Four conference — or major independent — opponent for next season or seeking a waiver from the Southeastern Conference on that requirement. Getting a waiver would mean facing four nonconference teams, without an opponent from one of the four most prominent leagues.
“That’s not what we want to do, but they may have put us in an unavoidable situation not to,” Kiffin said.
He took issue with the timing of the decision.
“I really find it amazing that you wait until the week of the game to tell the team,” Kiffin said.
The game was scheduled for Sept. 13, 2025.
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AP Sports Writer Aaron Beard contributed to this report.