Oregon State Adds Ole Miss and New Mexico to Future Football Schedules

CORVALLIS – Oregon State University and the University of Mississippi have agreed to two-game home-and-home football series, Beaver Vice President and Director of Athletics Scott Barnes announced Wednesday. Barnes also announced a two-game series with Mountain West Conference opponent New Mexico for future seasons.

The Beavers and Ole Miss will begin the series Sept. 18, 2027 in Oxford, Miss., with the Rebels returning to Reser Stadium to open the 2030 season on Aug. 31. OSU and Ole Miss have never met in football and a current SEC program has never played in Corvallis.

“Scheduling for success is a pillar of our Beaver football program,” Barnes said. “The goal is to play a Power 5, Group of 5 and FCS (football championship series) opponent on a yearly basis to complement the nine-game Pac-12 Conference schedule; for the most part we have been able to adjust future schedules to achieve that goal.”

The Mountain West Conference’s New Mexico Lobos return to OSU’s schedule for the first time since 2004. The Lobos will travel to Reser Stadium Sept. 11, 2027, with OSU returning to Albuquerque for Sept. 9, 2028. The Beavers and Lobos have played four times historically, including a 55-14 OSU win in the 2003 Las Vegas Bowl.

“Our scheduling philosophy also includes creating unique experiences for Beaver Nation to follow the team home and away in addition to the conference matchups,” Barnes added. “Our fans are tremendously valuable for this program, its continued growth, and ultimately to the success, we all strive for.”

The addition of Ole Miss adds to a current FBS two-game series with Oklahoma State that concludes this September 3 in Stillwater, Okla. Future two-game series’ with Purdue and Texas Tech are on the horizon as well as Mountain West Conference opponents Hawai’i, Boise State, Fresno State, Colorado State, San Diego State, San Jose State and the newly announced contest with New Mexico.

“It’s important to understand the competitiveness of the Pac-12 Conference, but to also develop an attractive non-league schedule that enables the program to grow,” OSU head football coach Jonathan Smith said.

The Portland State Vikings, an opponent for the upcoming season, will also make Reser Stadium appearances in 2025 and 2027. Fellow Big Sky Conference member Idaho State joins the future slate with a 2024 season opener in Corvallis while Fresno State, originally a ’24 contest at Reser Stadium has moved to 2025.

The Beavers open the 2020 season Thursday, September 3 at Oklahoma State in a season that features seven home games for the first time since 2016. The home schedule includes games with Oregon, Washington State, California, Arizona, UCLA, Colorado State, and Portland State.

Future Football Schedule Briefs (subject to change):

OSU is in the midst of a seven-year schedule span that has it playing a non-conference Power 5 program (Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Purdue).

The Beavers will play a Power 5 (outside of the Pac-12), Group of 5 and FCS opponent in 2020, 2021, 2024, 2025, 2026, and 2027.

OSU currently does not play a non-conference game vs. a Group of 5 opponent outside of the regionally located Mountain West Conference.

Portland State represents three FCS games in the coming seasons – 2020, 2025 and 2027.

The Beavers will play a seven-game home schedule in 2020, 2022 and 2024.

Oregon State Athletics