MOBILE, Ala. – University of South Alabama Director of Athletics Dr. Joel Erdmann announced Thursday that the school has signed a contract to play Mississippi to open up the 2017 football campaign.

The date of the game in Oxford is Sept. 2 that season.  The Rebels will be the fourth Southeastern Conference school that the Jags are scheduled to face in the future.  USA has a three-game contract with Mississippi State that begins in 2012 and includes a matchup in Mobile in ’14, and will also visit Tennessee during the 2013 campaign and LSU in ‘16.

“It’s going to be a great opportunity for our program,” Jaguar head coach Joey Jones commented.  “When you play a team like Ole Miss at the beginning of the season, I think it adds a little bit of excitement because it’s something you can begin to focus on in the spring and use throughout the summer.

“When you play a big game like this early, I think it elevates your offseason program.  It will be very exciting for us.”

Although the Jags won’t complete a two-year transition to the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly NCAA I-A) level and become eligible for the Sun Belt Conference championship until 2013, the school has already agreed to deals to play North Carolina State, Southern Mississippi, Tulane, Navy and Kent State as well.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com.  Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

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