The Ole Miss Rebels hit the road and defeated the Wake Forest Demon Deacons on Saturday, 40-6, proving why they were considered one of the best teams in the country.
Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin later revealed that Wake Forest decided to opt out of its two-way contract that would have taken them to Oxford, Mississippi, next season for another matchup.
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Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin looks on before a game against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on September 14, 2024. (Images by Jim Dedmon-Imagn)
“We called and (Wake Forest athletic director) John Currie said 'we're not playing next year' and he backed out of the game,” Kiffin said, via 247 Sports. “So I thought it was a good message to our players, that someone would want to pay money for them not to play. It says a lot about where our program is right now.”
Kiffin spoke out on the topic again Monday, saying Wake Forest broke an “unwritten rule” with its decision to withdraw from play next season.
“That's rarely done,” he said. “I've never heard of it being done and it really puts us at a huge disadvantage. It is what it is. Obviously it wasn't very well received that we were put in that situation.”
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Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin during the first half against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on September 14, 2024. (Images by Jim Dedmon-Imagn)
“Now we have to find someone and most people already have a contract. And even when you find someone, you have to pay them. It's actually kind of an unwritten rule not to do that.”
A person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press that Wake Forest has indeed canceled its trip to the SEC school.
Ole Miss now has to find an opponent to fill the void.
Mississippi head coach Lane Kiffin discusses a call with a referee during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, N.C., Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
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“I actually find it surprising that you would wait until game week to tell the team,” Kiffin added.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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