Rebs vs. Wazzu: Ole Miss Football Adds New Non-Conference Opponent For 2025 Season

The Ole Miss Rebels have added a new non-conference opponent to their schedule for the 2025 season.

Sep 7, 2024; Pullman, Washington, USA; A pirate flag on the back of Washington State Cougars helmet in memory of Mike Leach during a game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the first half at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images / James Snook-Imagn Images

The Ole Miss Rebels were left in a bind when the Wake Forest Demon Deacons canceled their return trip to Oxford in the programs' 2024-25 home-and-home series, but that saga reached a resolution on Monday.

Ole Miss announced this week that it has scheduled a new non-conference opponent for the 2025 season, one that will fulfill the power conference requirement from the SEC. The Rebels are set to host the Washington State Cougars in 2025, one of the two remaining programs in the Pac-12.

This will mark the first-ever meeting between Ole Miss and Wazzu, and it is only the second time the Rebels have faced a current or former member of the Pac-12 (California in 2017, 2019). Washington State joins The Citadel, Georgia State and Tulane as the Rebels' non-conference opponents for the 2025 season, and the 2025 Ole Miss schedule is set to feature eight home games for the first time in school history.

Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin was not pleased when Wake backed out of its scheduled trip to Oxford for next season, and he proved that with some quotes after the Rebels beat the Demon Deacons 40-6 earlier this year. Now, however, it appears he can breathe easy.

"Really a very abnormal thing for Wake to do," Kiffin said. "You usually don't do that in the season before. It's hard. There aren't people to play. That's why you do scheduling in advance. That rarely ever done, and it puts us at a big disadvantage.

"It is what it is. Obviously wasn't appreciated very much, and now we've got to go find somebody. Most people are all scheduled up, and even when you find them, you've got to go pay them. Kind of an unwritten rule not to do that, actually."

The date for this game between Ole Miss and Washington State has yet to be announced.