Ole Miss Opens 2025 Baseball Season Against Top 25 Foes

OXFORD, Miss. – The Ole Miss Rebels baseball team begins its 2025 season this weekend at the Shriners Children’s College Showdown in Arlington, Texas. The tournament kicks off on Friday, February 14, with the Rebels facing No. 21 Arizona, marking a high-stakes start for a revamped roster.

All three games in Arlington feature formidable opponents, with Ole Miss also taking on Texas and Clemson. The Rebels will be tested early, facing ranked teams in quick succession as they look to establish momentum for the season.

Projected pitching matchups include Ole Miss’ Hunter Elliott, returning to the mound after a long injury hiatus, against Arizona’s Collin McKinney on Friday. Elliott expressed his excitement about the upcoming games after significant time away from competitive play.

“I’m feeling great, the healthiest I’ve felt in a long time,” Elliott said during a media day. “Elbow’s feeling good, learning how to bounce back. This fall was really big for me to kind of get some starts, get some weekends under me, and just kind of get back in the new routine. But I’m feeling great. Ready to go.”

The Rebels will then face Texas on Saturday night, with Riley Maddox slated to pitch against Texas’ Luke Harrison. Sunday features a matchup against Clemson, where Mason Nichols is expected to take the mound for Ole Miss versus Justin LeGuernic of Clemson.

The televised games will be available to watch on FloCollege, with radio coverage provided by Gary Darby on play-by-play and Brad Henderson as color analyst.

Head coach Mike Bianco’s squad includes several new faces and some returning veterans looking to make a statement. Ole Miss enters the season with a strong recruiting class ranked fourth nationally, including several highly touted freshmen.

One rising star is Hunter Elliott, who was named to the Preseason All-SEC Team after being sidelined for nearly two years. His impressive freshman record included 102 strikeouts and a 2.70 ERA in 20 appearances.

As the Rebels gear up for the competition, they hope to build on their foundational successes and prove that they can compete with elite teams right from the opening weekend.

Fans can catch all the action live as the Ole Miss Rebels look to set the tone for a promising 2025 season.