Football
SEC Releases Two Non-Divisional Games to Conference Slate
By Adam Brown
Sports Editor
adam.brown@hottytoddy.com
The Southeastern Conference announced on Friday afternoon that Ole Miss will add South Carolina and Kentucky to its non-divisional slate for the 2020 season. The teams are the last to be added to finalize the Rebel’s 10-game conference-only schedule.
Ole Miss will face South Carolina at home, and on the road against Kentucky. The two games will serve as substitutes for non-conference games originally scheduled against Baylor, Southeastern Missouri, UConn and Georgia Southern. The SEC is limiting schools to playing within the conference as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s exciting to see our league take another step forward towards finalizing the schedule, and I’m grateful that our players and fans will have the opportunity to experience these additional matchups with South Carolina and Kentucky along with our eight other opponents,” Head Football Coach Lane Kiffin said in a statement. “As planning continues toward a 2020 season, we will continue to keep the safety and well-being of all those involved at the forefront of our discussions.”
The Rebels were already scheduled to face two other SEC East teams, Florida and Vanderbilt.
The SEC is expected to announce a complete schedule with official dates for games at some point next week.The Lane Train will officially leave the station on Sept. 26 as the Ole Miss Rebels open the 2020 season.
The league announced that they would be going to a 10-game conference-only slate on July 30. This 10-game schedule will have five games at home and five games on the road for everyone.
“We made every effort to create a schedule that is as competitive as possible and builds on the existing eight Conference games that had already been scheduled for 2020,” said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey. “This schedule is a one-year anomaly that we have developed under unique circumstances presented by the impact of COVID-19.”
During the games, this season all coaches and non-competing student-athletes will have to wear a mask as the SEC Task Force announced Friday.