You’ve been there. It’s Saturday morning, the grill is smoking, and you’re frantically scrolling through a dozen different sports apps trying to figure out when the Dawgs and the Rebels actually start. It sounds simple. It should be simple. But with the way the SEC handles TV flex windows and the absolute chaos of the 2024 and 2025 seasons, finding the ga ole miss game time can feel like trying to solve a riddle from a coach who doesn’t want to reveal his starting quarterback.
Honestly, the schedule is a moving target. If you’re looking at the most recent matchup history, you’ve likely noticed a pattern: these two don't play as often as they used to, but when they do, the networks treat it like a heavyweight prize fight. In 2024, the game at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium was locked in for a 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff on ABC. That mid-afternoon slot is the "sweet spot" for SEC football—it’s late enough for a legendary Grove tailgate but early enough that the winner still has time to celebrate before the midnight news.
But things changed fast. By the time 2025 rolled around, the rivalry hit a fever pitch. On October 18, 2025, when Ole Miss traveled to Athens, the game was again scheduled for that 3:30 p.m. window. However, the most recent and arguably most significant meeting wasn't a regular-season Saturday at all. It was the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Sugar Bowl on January 1, 2026. That one kicked off under the lights at 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.
The Confusion Behind the Kickoff Clock
Why is it so hard to get a straight answer three weeks out? It’s basically because of the "six-day window."
The SEC and their broadcast partners (Disney/ABC/ESPN) love to wait. They want to see if both teams are still ranked, if Lane Kiffin has tweeted anything spicy, or if Georgia just dropped an unexpected game. If the stakes are high, you’re looking at a night game. If one team is struggling, you might find yourself eating breakfast at an 11:00 a.m. local kickoff.
- Network Priorities: ABC usually takes the biggest game of the day for the 3:30 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. slot.
- Travel Logistics: For fans driving from Athens to Oxford, a 3:30 p.m. start is a blessing; an 11:00 a.m. start is a nightmare.
- The "Flex" Factor: Sometimes the league marks a game as "Flex," meaning it could land anywhere between mid-afternoon and late evening.
You've probably noticed that the ga ole miss game time is almost never announced before the season starts. Most fans make the mistake of assuming the time on their printed schedule from August is permanent. It’s not. It’s a placeholder.
What Really Happened in the Recent Matchups
Looking back at the 2024 clash in Oxford, the Rebels actually pulled off a stunner. It wasn't just about the time on the clock; it was about the atmosphere. That 3:30 p.m. start allowed the "Party in the 'Sip" to reach a crescendo. Ole Miss ended up winning that game 28-10, breaking a long-standing drought against Kirby Smart’s squad.
Then came the 2025 regular season. Georgia wanted revenge. On October 18, 2025, inside a deafening Sanford Stadium, the Bulldogs managed to outlast the Rebels in a 43-35 thriller. If you were looking for the game time that day, you saw a flurry of 3:30 p.m. updates all week leading up to it. Gunner Stockton, stepping in as the new leader of the offense, put up five touchdowns. It was a classic "Between the Hedges" afternoon.
But the real shocker? The New Year's Day 2026 Sugar Bowl.
That game was a different beast entirely. Kicking off at 8:00 p.m. ET, it was the culmination of a season where both teams proved they belonged in the elite tier of the new 12-team playoff format. Ole Miss won that one 39-34. The Rebels' quarterback, Trinidad Chambliss, orchestrated a final drive with less than a minute left to seal it. If you missed the kickoff because you thought it was a daytime bowl game, you missed the best game of the year.
💡 You might also like: Who Played Last Night in the NFL: Why the Playoff Silence is Actually Good News
How to Check the ga ole miss game time Without Losing Your Mind
Stop relying on the magnets on your fridge. Seriously.
The best way to get the ga ole miss game time is to check the official "SEC Football TV Schedule" page which updates every Monday afternoon. If the game is two weeks away, they usually announce the "window." If it's the Monday before the game, they announce the "final."
- Official Team Apps: Both the "Georgia Bulldogs" and "Ole Miss Rebels" official apps push notifications the second the time is confirmed.
- Local Radio: Tune into WSB in Atlanta or the Ole Miss Radio Network. They live and breathe these logistics.
- The "12-Day Rule": Usually, the network will give you 12 days' notice. Occasionally, they invoke the "6-day rule" for the absolute biggest matchups.
The Evolution of the Series
It’s weird to think that from 1966 to 2002, these teams played every single year. It was a staple. Then the SEC expanded, and the rivalry went into a sort of hibernation. We only saw them play a handful of times over two decades.
Now, with the division-less SEC, we’re seeing them more often. This is great for the fans but terrible for your Saturday planning because these games are now "high-value inventory." That means they are almost always going to be in the late-afternoon or primetime slots. You’re rarely going to see Georgia and Ole Miss relegated to the "nooner" on a secondary channel.
Recent History at a Glance
- Nov 9, 2024: 3:30 p.m. ET (Ole Miss 28, Georgia 10)
- Oct 18, 2025: 3:30 p.m. ET (Georgia 43, Ole Miss 35)
- Jan 1, 2026: 8:00 p.m. ET (Ole Miss 39, Georgia 34)
The volatility of the scores matches the volatility of the schedule. If you're planning a trip to the next one, don't book your "victory dinner" for 7:00 p.m. if the game starts at 3:30. These SEC games are running longer than ever—often pushing four hours with reviews and commercials.
Final Logistics for the Next Game
When you’re looking up the ga ole miss game time, remember to account for the time zone difference. Oxford is in Central Time; Athens is in Eastern Time. This confuses people every single year. If the SEC says the game is at 2:30 p.m., they are usually talking about the local time in Birmingham (Central). If you're in Georgia, that's 3:30 p.m.
Double-check the channel too. Since the SEC moved away from CBS, almost everything is on the Disney family of networks (ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, or SEC Network). ABC is the new home for the "Game of the Week," which is where this matchup usually lands.
To stay ahead of the curve for the next meeting, make sure your notification settings for the ESPN app are set to "Alert" for both teams. The "TBA" status on your calendar will usually flip to a hard time by the Monday prior to kickoff. Plan for a long day of tailgating and a late night of post-game analysis, because whenever these two programs meet lately, the clock is just the beginning of the story.
🔗 Read more: Is Super Bowl Live? How to Watch the Biggest Game of 2026 Without a Cable Bill
Next Steps for Fans:
- Sync your digital calendar with the official SEC schedule to get automatic updates when "TBA" becomes a fixed time.
- Confirm the time zone of your source (Eastern vs. Central) before booking travel or restaurant reservations.
- Monitor the Monday morning SEC Media teleconference for any potential "flex" announcements that could shift the game by several hours.