The Ole Miss Rebels have added the Jacksonville State Gamecocks to their 2031 football schedule, FBSchedules.com has learned. A copy of the game contract with Jacksonville State University was obtained from the University of Mississippi via a state open records request.
Ole Miss will host Jacksonville State at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss., on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2031. The Rebels will pay the Gamecocks a $1.45 million guarantee for the game, according to the copy of the contract that was executed on Jan. 21, 2025.
There is a stipulation in the contract that allows for the game to be rescheduled for the 2029 or 2030 season. If that happens, Ole Miss will then schedule an additional football game with Jacksonville State for the 2033, 2034 or 2035 season. Below is the full language of that stipulation:
1.1 In the event, the HOME TEAM has an FBS guarantee game opening in 2029 or 2030, the HOME TEAM will offer VISITING TEAM the opportunity to reschedule the game subject to this agreement, to the earlier date as required by HOME TEAM and amend this agreement to change the date.
1.2 If the game subject to this agreement, is rescheduled to 2029 or 2030 and the Southeastern Conference still permits the scheduling of FBS guarantee games, HOME TEAM will offer VISITING TEAM a second game in either the 2033, 2034, or 2035 season, on a mutually agreeable date and will formalize the second game in a new agreement to be executed by both parties once the date is confirmed.
If the game is moved to either 2029 or 2030, the guarantee will remain at $1.45 million. Should the game be rescheduled and a second contest added in 2033, 2034 or 2035, the guarantee for that agreement will be $1.5 million.
In their first and only meeting on the gridiron on Sept. 4, 2010, Jacksonville State upset Ole Miss in Oxford, 49-48. The Gamecocks pulled off the upset on the final play of the game, as quarterback Coty Blanchard lofted a two-point conversion pass toward the end zone, which found running back Calvin Middleton.
Jacksonville State previously competed in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) before moving up to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and joining Conference USA in 2023. The Gamecocks won the Conference USA Championship in 2024 under head coach Rich Rodriguez, who returned to his alma mater, West Virginia, following the season.
Jacksonville State is the first scheduled non-conference opponent for Ole Miss for the 2031 season.
Jacksonville State has one other scheduled non-conference opponent in 2031. The Gamecocks are slated to host the Buffalo Bulls at AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Ala., on Sept. 6.
Football Schedules
Did Ole Miss not learn the first time?