As folks continue to count down the days for college football’s return, the men’s basketball programs at Ole Miss and Mississippi State have given fans a better look at the conference schedule.
Though SEC foes for the Rebels and Bulldogs were announced back in June, the dates of these matchups were not finalized by the conference until Wednesday. Now, we know when these games will be played.
For the Rebels, coming off a Sweet 16 appearance, conference play will begin on the road in a Jan. 3 battle at Oklahoma, ahead of Jan. 6’s SEC home opener versus Arkansas. Chris Beard, entering his third year in Oxford, will then prepare his squad for a Jan. 10 home game against Missouri, before preparing to hit the road to play Georgia on Jan. 13. Ole Miss will continue its road venture against bitter archrival Mississippi State on Jan. 17.
A little back-and-forth will follow, with Ole Miss hosting Auburn on Jan. 20, traveling to Kentucky on Jan. 24, and returning to the SJB Pavilion to welcome Vanderbilt on Jan. 31. The Rebels will close out the first half of SEC play at Tennessee on Feb. 3 or 4, then head to Texas to face Beard’s former employer on Feb. 7. The red and blue will head back to Oxford and face Alabama on Feb. 10 or 11, then host Mississippi State on Valentine’s Day — though there is no love between the two programs.
Beard and company will then travel to Texas A&M for a matchup on Feb. 17 or 18, then head home to face defending national champions, Florida, on Feb. 21. LSU will be the next visitor to Oxford on Feb. 24 or 25. Ole Miss will round out the regular season at Auburn on Feb. 28, at Vanderbilt on March 3 or 4, and at home against South Carolina on March 7.
The 2026 SEC schedule has ARRIVED! 🔥 🔥 🔥
— Ole Miss Men’s Basketball (@OleMissMBB) August 6, 2025
Entering year four of the Chris Jans era, the Bulldogs will tip off SEC action on the road at Texas on Jan. 3, before their conference home opener against Oklahoma, scheduled for either Jan. 6 or 7. Mississippi State will then hit the road to play Oklahoma on Jan. 10, then return home for a matchup versus Alabama on either Jan. 13 or 14. Staying put at home, the Bulldogs will welcome fierce in-state foe Ole Miss on Jan. 17.
Jans and company will travel west to battle Texas A&M on Jan. 20 or 21, ahead of a home game versus Vanderbilt on Jan. 24. Mississippi State will conclude the first half of its SEC schedule at LSU on Jan. 27 or 28, and at Missouri on Jan. 31. Turning the chapter, the back-end of conference action will open up with home matchups against Arkansas on Feb. 7 and Tennessee on Feb. 11.
The first road test of the second half of SEC play will be a Feb. 14 battle at Ole Miss, followed by a Feb. 17 or 18 contest against Auburn at home. A pair of road games will follow, with the first occurring at South Carolina on Feb. 21, and the second taking place at Alabama on Feb. 24 or 25. Mississippi State will host Missouri on Feb. 28, then close out the regular season at Florida on March 3 or 4, and at home versus Georgia on March 7.
Mark your calendars 📆
📰: https://t.co/Ntu0ciDoPM#HailState pic.twitter.com/qs9bUTpdgg
— Mississippi State Men’s Basketball (@HailStateMBK) August 6, 2025
Both Ole Miss and Mississippi State will enter the 2025-26 campaign with a new look. For the Rebels, the roster is a mostly new collection of transfer portal prospects and freshman newcomers, along with veteran returners Malik Dia and Eduardo Klafke. Ole Miss is also eagerly anticipating the arrival of French guard Ilias Kamardine.
The Bulldogs will have star pupil Josh Hubbard once more as the star guard elected not to pursue a professional career in the offseason. Jans also reeled in a myriad of transfers to complement Hubbard’s game, while making up for production from former players who either ran out of eligibility or hit the transfer portal.
Both schools’ nonconference schedules have not been announced at this time, but the 2025-26 campaign will begin in November. As always, Ole Miss and Mississippi State games will air on participating SuperTalk Mississippi stations.
