Wake Forest Cancels Scheduled Game with Ole Miss, Citing Financial Concerns

Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin expressed disappointment after Wake Forest canceled the second game of a home-and-home contract, requiring the Rebels to find a replacement opponent for next season.

**Winston-Salem, North Carolina** - In a surprising move, Wake Forest University has canceled a scheduled football game against the University of Mississippi for next season, citing financial concerns.

The news was announced by Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin, who revealed that Wake Forest athletic director John Currie informed him of the decision just days before the teams were set to face off in Winston-Salem.

Wake Forest Cancels Scheduled Game with Ole Miss, Citing Financial Concerns

"We called over and (Wake Forest athletic director) John Currie said 'we're not playing next year' and bought out of the game," Kiffin said, as reported by 247 Sports. "So I thought that was a good message for our players -- that somebody would want to pay money not to play them. Says a lot about where our program is right now."

Kiffin expressed disappointment about the cancellation, noting that it violated an "unwritten rule" in college football.

Wake Forest Cancels Scheduled Game with Ole Miss, Citing Financial Concerns

"That's rarely ever done," he said. "I've never really heard of doing it, and it really puts us at a big disadvantage. It is what it is. It obviously wasn't appreciated very much, them putting us in that situation."

Wake Forest has reportedly paid a financial penalty to Ole Miss to cancel the game, which was part of a two-year home-and-home series. The Demon Deacons were scheduled to travel to Oxford, Mississippi, for the 2024 matchup.

Wake Forest Cancels Scheduled Game with Ole Miss, Citing Financial Concerns

The cancellation leaves Ole Miss with an unexpected hole in its schedule for next season, forcing the athletic department to scramble to find a replacement opponent.

"Now we've got to go find somebody and most people are all scheduled up. And even when you find somebody, you've got to go pay them. It's kind of an unwritten rule not to do that, actually," Kiffin said.

A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed to The Associated Press that Wake Forest had indeed canceled its trip to Ole Miss, citing financial constraints.

Wake Forest's decision has raised questions about the financial viability of some college athletic programs, particularly those in non-Power Five conferences. The Demon Deacons competed in the Atlantic Coast Conference, which generates significantly less revenue than conferences like the Southeastern Conference, where Ole Miss resides.

The cancellation has also sparked debate about the ethics of breaking contractual agreements in college athletics. Kiffin questioned why Wake Forest waited until the week of the game to inform Ole Miss of its decision.

"I really find it amazing that you wait until the week of the game to tell the team," he said.

Ole Miss, which is ranked No. 11 in the latest AP Top 25 poll, is now seeking a replacement opponent for next season. The Rebels will likely have to pay a financial penalty to secure a new game, adding to the financial burden created by Wake Forest's cancellation.