A rare nationwide shutdown of all departing flights Friday, Nov. 13, has left the Ole Miss team plane unable to leave for Oklahoma ahead of Saturday's OU footballgame against the Rebels.

Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter confirmed to the Clarion Ledger that the Rebels have been impacted by the FAA's nationwide ground stop order. The Rebels were set to leave earlier Friday.

The Sooners and Rebels are scheduled to kick off at 3:15 p.m. Saturday (SEC Network) from Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman.

The Federal Aviation Administration described the ground stop as being necessary "due to extraordinary circumstances and for reasons of safety.”

The FAA had not provided any other details as of 5:45 p.m. Friday, but the alert came just a day after Microsoft dealt with unexplained global slowdowns and outages with its email and other online services.

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What caused the nationwide FAA ground stop?

USA TODAY is tracking the shutdown and its impact on the USA. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the ground stop followed a communication issue affecting all Air Route Traffic Control Centers.

Duffy posted on X that "FAA technicians are investigating the issue."

SEC issues statement on travel problems, prioritizing safety

The SEC issued a statement on social media at 5:33 p.m. on Nov. 13. It says in full:

The Southeastern Conference is aware of the FAA’s nationwide ground stop and the potential impact on team travel for this weekend’s competitions.

We are in close communication with our member institutions to assess potential disruptions and coordinate appropriate responses. The safety and well-being of student-athletes, coaches, and team personnel remain our highest priority.

We will continue to monitor developments and work with our institutions to determine whether any adjustments to scheduled competitions become necessary.

Statement from the Southeastern Conference on FAA nationwide ground stop: pic.twitter.com/IIU4TnwMVJ

— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) November 13, 2026

How rare are national groundings from the Federal Aviation Administration?

The national grounding is only the second shutdown since the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. The last outage was reported on Jan. 11, 2023, due to computer/communications breakdowns.

Markwayne Mullin, secretary of Homeland Security and a former senator from Oklahoma, held a press conference about 4 p.m. Friday saying the shutdown is "a crisis," but cautioned against assumptions it might be terrorism related.

"There is no reason for the public to be afraid or scared for your loved ones," Mullin said. "This is not another 9/11."

What channel is Oklahoma vs Ole Miss on Saturday, Nov. 14? Where to watch Sooners-Rebels SEC game

  • TV channel: SEC Network
  • Streaming: ESPN app, Fubo (free trial)

Oklahoma vs Ole Miss will air live on SEC Network, with streaming options on the ESPN app or Fubo, which offers a free trial.

What time does OU football play Saturday? When is Oklahoma vs Ole Miss game?

  • Time: 3:15 p.m. CT
  • Date: Saturday, Nov. 7
  • Location: Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman

The Sooners-Rebels game is set for a 3:15 p.m. CT kickoff on Saturday, Nov. 14, from Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman.

OU football schedule 2026

  • Week 1 | Friday, Sept. 4: OU 51, UTEP 0 | Box score
  • Week 2 | Saturday, Sept. 12: Michigan 17, OU 10 | Box score
  • Week 3 | Saturday, Sept. 19: OU 14, New Mexico 6 | Box score
  • Week 4 | Saturday, Sept. 26: Georgia 41, OU 13 | Box score
  • Week 5 | Bye week
  • Week 6 | Saturday, Oct. 10: OU 27, Texas 24 | Box score
  • Week 7 | Saturday, Oct. 17: Kentucky 21, OU 13 | Box score
  • Week 8 | Saturday, Oct. 24: OU 23, Mississippi State 15 | Box score
  • Week 9 | Saturday, Oct. 31: South Carolina 42, OU 25 | Box score
  • Week 10 | Saturday, Nov. 7: OU 23, Florida 7 | Box score
  • Week 11 | Saturday, Nov. 14: vs. Mississippi, 3:15 p.m. (SEC Network)
  • Week 12 | Saturday, Nov. 21: vs. Texas A&M, 11 a.m. (TBA)
  • Week 13 | Saturday, Nov. 28: at Missouri, between 2:30-3:30 p.m.

Jeff Patterson is the sports editor for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Jeff? He can be reached at jpatterson@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @jeffpattOKC. Support Jeff's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing adigital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Nationwide FAA stoppage grounds Ole Miss plane before OU football game: Latest updates

Source: Yahoo Sports