Ole Miss’ season opener officially has a new date.
While it had been rumored for some time now, Ole Miss has announced that its season opener against Baylor in the 2020 Texas Kickoff at NRG Stadium in Houston has been moved from Saturday, September 5th to Sunday, September 6th.
The move will bring an added level of exposure for the beginning of the Lane Kiffin era at Ole Miss.
“As preparations continue in hopes of starting the 2020 athletics season as scheduled, we are excited to see Ole Miss showcased on this national stage as our football program begins a new era under Coach Kiffin’s leadership,” said Keith Carter, Ole Miss Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics. “With decisions and planning surrounding the college football season ongoing, we hope the Ole Miss family is able to make their plans to join us in Houston, particularly our large family of Texas Rebels.”
While things can change between now and then, Texas Governor Greg Abbot recently announced that stadiums in the state can operate at 50% capacity. This plan would allow for 36,110 fans to be in attendance NRG Stadium, the home of the Houston Texans.
Kiffin won’t be the only one making his coaching debut as former LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda will now be roaming the Baylor sideline.
When the teams meet in September, it’ll be just the second meeting between the two programs. Back in the 1975 season opener, Baylor took down Ole Miss 20-10 in Waco.
The Rebels are no stranger to the Texas Kickoff after beating Texas Tech in the 2018 installment of the annual neutral-site game.
