SEC Nation skips over Kentucky vs. Ole Miss in favor of a non-conference matchup

Photo of SEC Nation bus by Dr. Michael Huang | Kentucky Sports Radio

There is only one intra-conference matchup between SEC schools on the Week 2 schedule — and yet, the SEC Nation crew is headed elsewhere.

It was announced Sunday morning that Kentucky’s home game against No. 21 Ole Miss on Saturday, Sept. 6 (ABC), will not be the host site of the SEC Network’s traveling pregame show. Instead, they’ll head out to CoMo for Missouri’s rivalry showdown at home against the Kansas Jayhawks — two unranked teams for a game broadcast on ESPN2. Of the 15 games featuring an SEC school next week, Kentucky vs. Ole Miss is the only one with two from the league.

Both SEC Nation and Marty & McGee will be live at Missouri’s campus from 9 a.m. ET through noon ET. The Finebaum Show will set up shop that Friday from 3-7 p.m. ET.

COMO HERE WE COME 🚨

See you Saturday, @MizzouFootball 🐯 pic.twitter.com/EG29uPbS0X
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) August 31, 2025

Missouri vs. Kansas is certainly a relevant football rivalry (nicknamed the Border War) for those two programs, and they’re a combined 3-0 on the season thus far. But it feels like an odd choice for the conference to stray away from the only SEC vs. SEC game on the Week 2 schedule, especially when Ole Miss is ranked and will have revenge on its mind after last season’s loss to Kentucky in Oxford.

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Granted, the Wildcats didn’t look spectacular by any means in Saturday’s 24-16 win over Toledo, but there will still be plenty of buzz around the Big Blue Nation for this potentially season-defining game. This might have been Kentucky’s best shot at getting to host SEC Nation this year, as well. UK will also host Texas, Tennessee, and Florida at home for conference games this season.

Unfortunately for the BBN, this decision from the SEC might be more of a reflection on the state of the program as opposed to the conference preferring a non-conference rivalry game. Most years, Kentucky vs. Ole Miss would be a lock to host SEC Nation. Just not in 2025, apparently.

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