Coach set to return to Oxford

When Ole Miss and Liberty in 2017 agreed to play in a home game for the Rebels in 2021, there was no way of knowing Hugh Freeze would be on the visiting sideline for Saturday’s matchup at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

Freeze, who led the Rebels to a 64-39 record as their coach from 2012-16, was fired prior to the 2017 season for off-the-field reasons.

After sitting out of coaching for two seasons, Freeze was hired in 2019 at Liberty, which he quickly has turned into one of the top mid-major programs in the country.

The Flames are 18-6 under Freeze, including 17-3 since 2020 and 7-2 this season.

So what five years ago figured to be an easy victory for Ole Miss is hardly a break from SEC play.

“I would like this to be some opponent that you had never heard of before that didn’t have a first-round draft pick quarterback,” Rebels Coach Lane Kiffin said, referring to Liberty senior Malik Willis, a transfer from Auburn. “That would be nice, but it’s basically like having another SEC game.”

Freeze said playing the No. 16 Rebels will probably be the toughest game in his three seasons at Liberty.

“The strangest thing will be being in the visitors locker room and on the visitor sideline,” Freeze said.

Freeze said he’s choosing to remember the good times he had at Ole Miss, including two victories over Alabama and beating Oklahoma State in the Sugar Bowl.

“Man, there were a lot of great wins in that stadium that I have great memories of,” Freeze said. “I appreciate the people there. They’re good people and happy that they’re winning again and competing again like I knew you could there.

“But there will be some different feelings for sure.”

Ole Miss is paying Liberty a $1.5 million guarantee.

(AP/Matt Stamey) Liberty Coach Hugh Freeze, who was the coach at Ole Miss in 2012-16, returns to Oxford, Miss., to face the Rebels on Saturday.