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Ole Miss and USC have called off their home-and-home series. Michael Katz of the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal shared the news Tuesday.
The Trojans were set to host the Rebels in Los Angeles next year. The return of Lane Kiffin to the Los Angeles Coliseum, where he worked the sideline as a USC head coach and assistant coach for many years added national intrigue to the series.
Kiffin’s Rebels were set to host Lincoln Riley’s Trojans in Oxford in 2026. The cancelation has brought renewed attention to the fact that the SEC has not decided on a football scheduling model for 2026.
The SEC announced a one-off scheduling model for 2024, the conference’s first season with 16 teams. It has since been announced that the same conference matchups will be played in 2025, flipping home-and-away from the previous year.
It has not yet been reported how Ole Miss plans to fill the open spots on its ’25 and ’26 schedules. The USC series was originally announced in May of 2020.
Fans take aim at Lincoln Riley
Tuesday’s news has made the rounds on social media. Many fans are accusing Lincoln Riley of ducking the Rebels.
Last month, SDS’ Matt Hayes reported, per sources, that Riley tried to get USC out of its 2024 Week 1 matchup with LSU in Las Vegas. Sources shared with SDS that Riley even got Trace Armstrong, his agent who also represents Brian Kelly, involved in trying to get the LSU coach to change his mind about playing the game.
As such, many fans see the USC coach as trying to avoid playing SEC teams in the regular season. Here’s a sample of the Riley-related reactions to Tuesday’s news:
BREAKING
USC home and home vs Ole Miss have been officially CANCELLED!!!!
Ole Miss Athletic Director Kieth Carter told @MichaelLKatz this morning.
Lincoln Riley runs away from yet another SEC team. pic.twitter.com/mU344DX4MW
— College Football Headlines (@CFBHeadlines) June 18, 2024
Lincoln running from SEC again…?
— SECSooner_Life (@Sooner_kyle7) June 18, 2024
Is lincoln really that scared?
— Sutterledbetter (@Sutter61680779) June 18, 2024
Lmfao. Lincoln Riley is SO soft bro
— Sean Phillips, CSCS (@sean_phillips_) June 18, 2024
Lincoln Riley does not want any smoke from the SEC. Lol
— Donald Bateman (@donaldbateman78) June 18, 2024
Lincoln Riley ducking good teams again pic.twitter.com/c0Rmtmu7qj
— Samuel Parker (@SamuelParkerNBA) June 18, 2024
Death, Taxes, and Lincoln Riley’s fear of the SEC.
— Marc (@RealistMarc) June 18, 2024
Riley really is scared to play the SEC
— Nathan Scoggins (@NathanScoggins) June 18, 2024
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
