Here's how much Ole Miss football paid to put together its 2023 nonconference schedule
OXFORD — Ole Miss football's 2023 nonconference schedule will come at a cost.
It's standard practice for power programs to pay smaller institutions to travel and play against them. It helps Group of Five and FCS programs keep the economic wheels turning in their athletic departments, and it ensures Power Five programs can fill their slates.
Ole Miss will dish out cash for three of its home nonconference games against Mercer, Georgia Tech and Louisiana-Monroe this season, and it will bring in some funds when it takes a trip to Tulane.
For the 2023 season, the Rebels' net outlay for its out-of-conference games is $2.1 million, though some of this year's financial considerations are part of multiyear agreements.
Here's the full breakdown:
Mercer
The Rebels begin their season Sept. 2 with a home game against an FCS opponent for the first time since 2015.
This agreement, signed in 2016, calls for the Rebels to pay Mercer $500,000.
Tulane
The agreement with Tulane is a bit more complex because it is part of a three-game arrangement agreed upon originally in 2009.
The current terms of the agreement, amended once in 2011 and again in 2015, dictate that Tulane will visit Ole Miss twice. One of those instances already took place: The Rebels topped the Green Wave 61-21 in 2021. Ole Miss is due another visit from Tulane on Sept. 20, 2025.
In exchange, the Rebels agreed to play in New Orleans this season. For each of the three games, the away team will receive $250,000. During the length of the contract, Ole Miss will dish out $500,000 and bring in $250,000.
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Georgia Tech
Likewise, the Rebels' game against Georgia Tech, scheduled for Sept. 16, is part of a multi-game agreement.
Ole Miss traveled to Atlanta last season, where it beat the Yellow Jackets 42-0.
This contract stipulates the home team pay the away side $250,000 for each game, so it's a net neutral for Ole Miss.
Louisiana Monroe
The priciest game on Ole Miss' schedule will act as its pre-Egg Bowl tune-up.
In 2019, Ole Miss agreed to play Louisiana-Monroe $1.6 million to visit Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Nov. 18.
David Eckert covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at deckert@gannett.com or reach him on Twitter @davideckert98.
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This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Here's Ole Miss football's price tag for 2023 nonconference schedule
