Page 102 - South Mississippi Living - October, 2026

SPORTS & OUTDOORS
Fallen Oak Collegiate Invitational
Fifteen of the Nation’s Best Programs Will Play Mississippi’s Top Course in Mid-October
story and photos courtesy of Beau Rivage Resort & Casino
With college back in session,
golf programs are announcing
their 2026-2027 schedules, and 15
of the nation’s top teams have
made the field for the prestigious
Fallen Oak Collegiate Invitational,
set for October 16-19, 2026, on the
Mississippi Gulf Coast.
The Board of Directors of the
Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic
Foundation, Inc., are proud to
present the Fallen Oak Collegiate
Invitational for its fourth year.
Mississippi’s three universities—
Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and
Southern Miss —will once again
host the NCAA event. Participating
teams include Alabama, Arkansas,
Florida State, Georgia, Illinois,
Iowa, LSU, Ohio State, South
Carolina, Tennessee, Wake Forest,
and Wisconsin.
“We are honored to host some
of the top teams in the country,”
said SEC Coach of the
Year and Fallen Oak
Collegiate Invitational Co-Host
Chris Malloy. “This is just the
beginning, and I can’t wait to see
what’s ahead.”
The 2026 SEC Champions, Ole
Miss Rebels, as well as Mississippi
State, advanced to the NCAA
Championship Tournament
this summer, with Rebel senior
Cameron Tankersly advancing to
the final day of stroke play. Seven of
the 15 teams in the 2026 FOCI made
the NCAA championship field and
were ranked in the final Top 25 of
the season.
MGRCF Board Chairman, Billy
Thornton, said, “We are pleased
to showcase our Gulf Coast to
visitors, while also bringing in some
of America’s future golf pros to an
extraordinary, free event that also
gives back to our community. It’s a
win for all!”
The competition will take place
on the Tom Fazio-designed Fallen
Oak, which hosted the world’s
best golfers and a PGA TOUR
Champions event for more than a
decade, and now the next generation
of champions will compete on
what is consistently ranked by
Golf Digest and Golfweek as
Mississippi’s top course.
The three-day, 54-hole tournament
will begin on Saturday, October
17 and will conclude on Monday,
October 19. Each university will
compete for the team championship
with five male student-athletes
playing and four low scores
counting each day. A collegiate-am
day will precede the tournament
on Friday, October 16. Make-A-
Wish Mississippi is the designated
charity for the event.
The Fallen Oak Collegiate
Invitational will offer a family-
friendly College Game Day
atmosphere with tailgating on
the finishing hole. Spectators are
encouraged to wear school colors
and cheer on their favorite team.
The event is free and open to the
public. For more info, visit www.
fallonoakinvitational.com.
102 | October 2026 www.smliving.net | SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living