Clemson-Ole Miss Set to Face Off
By: Jason Priester July 29, 2026

Ever since Luke Ferrelli left Clemson in the wee hours of the portal window back in January, fans have been clamoring for a matchup between Clemson and Ole.

Come November, it appears those fans will get their wish. At least in a way, as this battle will take place on the hardwood, rather than the football field.

The Clemson basketball team will open the Maui Invitational against Ole Miss.

The 2026 Southwest Maui Invitational is set to take place November 23-25 at the historic Lahaina Civic Center in Maui, Hawaii.

The two programs have met twice in the past, with the Tigers taking down the Rebels 89-68 in the second round of the 2007 NIT. Ole Miss returned the favor the following season, knocking off Clemson 85-82 on a neutral court in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The two schools have been embroiled in controversy since the Ferrelli saga back in January. The linebacker signed with Clemson during the portal window and was attending class and taking part in team activities when, with just hours remaining in the portal window, he suddenly decided to bolt for Ole Miss.

Head coach Dabo Swinney accused Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding of “blatant tampering,” laying out all of his evidence in a detailed press conference in January. According to a report from ESPN, the NCAA opened an investigation into the Ole Miss football program the same day that Swinney accused Golding of tampering with Ferrelli.

“First of all, we did everything right,” Swinney said during that press conference in January. The kid goes in the portal, we reach out, he’s interested. Comes and visits Clemson, says this is where he wants to go, and we sign him. He moves to Clemson, rents an apartment, buys a car, goes to class for a week. Trains, team meeting, position meetings. Writes out his goals for the semester. Full-blown Clemson student. Like, we’re rolling. And then all of a sudden, not here anymore.”

While this meeting will not take place on the gridiron, it should provide plenty of fodder for two fan bases that have been going back and forth at one another for months.