It’s never too early to start circling the best road trips on the Ole Miss calendar, and the 2026 slate has a few that stand out right away. If you’re thinking about making the trip with the Rebels, there are some obvious factors at play: distance, opponent, timing, and whether the destination is actually worth the haul.
At the bottom of the list sits Norman, Oklahoma, where Ole Miss goes on November 14 to face what is likely the Rebels’ last ranked opponent before postseason play. The game itself has some weight, but the drive is the real drag. Oklahoma - and Arkansas, for that matter - is described as an absolutely brutal trip.
Nashville shows up twice, but the second visit lands at No. 4.
Ole Miss opens the season there already, then has to go back on October 10 to face Vanderbilt. Diego Pavia may or may not be under center, or behind center or whatever, but the matchup apparently never seems to care.
The route is simple enough - 55 north to 269 to 40 and straight into Broadway - but after already making the trip once to start the year, the appeal fades a bit for what is being called a lesser opponent after the next stop on the list.
Gainesville comes in at No. 3, and the timing makes it especially interesting. Ole Miss heads to Florida on September 26 to play the Gators in The Swamp, right at the end of the opening four-game stretch before the first bye week.
There’s a sense that Florida will be more competitive than it was with Billy Napier, though he beat Ole Miss down there too. By then, the Rebels should have a much clearer picture of what kind of team they are.
The No. 2 trip is Austin, Texas, where Ole Miss meets Texas on October 24. It’s the longest drive from Oxford by nine whole minutes, and it could be a massive day for both teams.
Trinidad Chambliss and Arch Manning are set to square off, and everything could be hanging in the balance. Georgia and Oklahoma would still be waiting later on the schedule, but Ole Miss’ SEC Championship and CFP hopes could be shaped in Austin.
If both teams are undefeated, the game could carry Top 5 or even Top 3 status, with the loser still alive. If either side has already taken a loss, the stakes only climb higher.
And at No. 1, it has to be Nashville again - this time for the season opener. That’s the shortest trip by far, and it comes with all the buildup that only an opener can bring.
It’s Pete Golding’s first season opener as the head coach, and Trinidad’s first season opener for the Rebels as well. After a night or day on Broadway pregaming, the anticipation finally gets settled on the field.
It’s being framed as one of the most anticipated season openers since that dud against Florida State.
In Other News...
Ole Miss Finally Added A Tackle As Fall Camp Pressure Builds
Ole Miss has spent the summer trying to shore up its offensive line depth, and the latest addition comes in the form of Roman Womack, a sophomore tackle who arrived from Northwest Mississippi JUCO. At 6-foot-6 and 320 pounds, Womack gives the Rebels another body at a position group that has been a clear focus as fall camp approaches, and he joins a transfer class that already includes Carius Curne, Enoch Wangoy and Tommy Kinsler IV.
The timing matters because Pete Golding has already made it clear the tackle spots are still very much a work in progress, with Terez Davis in line to compete for the starting left tackle job. Even with Womack in the fold, the bigger question for Ole Miss is how quickly the group can settle, especially on the right side, where the Rebels are still sorting through options for John Garrison and trying to build enough depth to survive camp. [Read more 🡒]
One Ole Miss Freshman May Be Impossible To Keep Off Field
Ole Miss spent much of its offseason building up the defensive front through the transfer portal and leaning on experienced veterans, but the freshman who keeps drawing attention is Landon Barnes. The defensive end arrived as a highly rated recruit and has the kind of frame and skill set that can fit into a rotation quickly, especially for a team looking to get tougher against the run.
Bryan Brown and the Rebels staff have been upbeat about Barnes potential, and that matters because Ole Miss likes to keep its defensive linemen fresh. If Barnes handles the jump from high school to the SEC the way the staff believes he can, he could carve out real snaps before long and make the kind of early impression that changes how the front is managed all season. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Freshman Could Change The Receiver Picture Sooner Than Expected
Jase Mathews arrived at Ole Miss with plenty of buzz after a standout high school career in Leakesville, and the freshman receiver is already on campus as the Rebels sort through their post-spring depth chart. Signed for the 2026 season, Mathews brings the kind of talent that can force its way into a conversation quickly, especially for a program that has been looking for more answers at receiver.
Ole Miss coaches view him as one of the most intriguing true freshmen in the mix for playing time, and the timing matters with the room taking hits from recent departures. Mathews is still working his way back after missing most of his senior year, so the Rebels will have to balance patience with the possibility that he could push for a role sooner than expected. [Read more 🡒]