A scheduling change involving Oklahoma and Ole Miss escalated into a public disagreement after the Southeastern Conference moved their game from Saturday to Sunday. Oklahoma athletic director Roger Denny criticized the decision, saying it left fans facing unnecessary disruption. ESPN commentator Paul Finebaum, in turn, accused Denny of pandering to Oklahoma supporters. Denny later responded with a sarcastic remark aimed at Finebaum’s criticism.
In an interview with *SoonerScoop*, Denny was asked whether the decision had harmed Oklahoma’s relationship with the SEC. His answer suggested he expected Finebaum to criticize him again.
“They’ll probably send their carnival barker out there to accuse me of pandering again. And candidly, I don’t care,” Denny said.
The dispute began after Ole Miss encountered travel problems ahead of the teams’ scheduled Saturday matchup. The SEC ultimately moved the game to Sunday. Denny said Oklahoma had objected to the change, but the conference told the school that refusing to play at the directed time would result in a forfeit.
“After continued discussions, he further informed us that our failure to play on Sunday at the directed time would result in a forfeit,” Denny said in a statement.
He emphasized that the change affected supporters who had organized their plans around the original schedule.
“Rescheduling the game has a significant impact, particularly on our fans,” he said. “Those who have made travel arrangements, accommodations, and personal plans around a Saturday game now face unnecessary disruption and hardship. Their time, commitment, and investment deserve greater consideration than they were afforded in the conference’s decision tonight.”
Denny’s frustration was not limited to the change of date. His comments focused on the consequences for Oklahoma fans, many of whom had made travel and accommodation arrangements for a Saturday game. The move meant those plans could be disrupted, even though supporters had no part in the conference’s decision.
The change also prompted questions in Oklahoma about whether Ole Miss could have traveled by road instead. The university’s campus in Oxford is roughly an eight-hour drive from Oklahoma’s stadium in Norman. Some argued that the Rebels could have made the trip and played on Saturday. The SEC, however, moved the game after Ole Miss’ charter flight was delayed.
Finebaum sharply criticized Denny during the disagreement, accusing the athletic director of appealing to Oklahoma’s fan base rather than accepting the conference’s decision. He also defended SEC commissioner Greg Sankey, describing the decision as one made for the conference and for safety.
“What I don’t think is correct is Roger Denny, the athletic director there, pathetically pandering to his fan base at midnight to try to cover up whatever, I don’t know,” Finebaum said.
“But Mr. Denny, the commissioner of the Southeastern Conference, made a decision for the entire conference and for the safety of everyone. He’s not concerned about what you’re doing with your fan base. And what Roger Denny has been doing all year is pandering to his fan base.”
The circumstances behind Ole Miss’ travel difficulties involved a nationwide ground stop that disrupted air travel and affected sporting events across several leagues. Ole Miss’ travel arrangements added further complications. The team flies out of Tupelo Regional Airport, about an hour from Oxford, and its JetBlue crew timed out on Friday night.
Because Tupelo is not a JetBlue hub, a replacement crew was not readily available. The airport also had no incoming commercial flights that could bring one in. Even after the crew completed the required 10-hour rest period, the team would still have needed time for travel, boarding, and ground transfers.
Those delays made reaching Norman in time for a Saturday kickoff difficult. The SEC’s decision to move the game to Sunday followed the travel disruption, while Denny’s public objections centered on the effect the change would have on Oklahoma and its fans. Finebaum defended the conference’s handling of the situation, and Denny’s later “carnival barker” comment kept the disagreement in the public eye.
