14 of nation’s best programs will play Mississippi’s top course in mid-October
BILOXI, Miss. (August 7, 2026) – With college back in session, golf programs are announcing their 2026-2027 schedules, and 14 of the nation’s top teams have made the field for the prestigious Fallen Oak Collegiate Invitational, set for Oct. 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, and participating teams include Alabama, Arkansas, Florida State, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, LSU, 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. Six of the 14 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, Oct. 17 and will conclude on Monday, Oct. 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, Oct. 16., at 8 a.m. 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 fallonoakinvitational.com.
High-resolution artwork can be found at 2026 Fallen Oak Collegiate Invitational
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CONTACTS
Ashley Comstock, FOCI Tournament Director, 228.234.9953, FallenOakCollegiate@gmail.com
Mary Cracchiolo, Fallen Oak/Beau Rivage, 228.547.8473, mspain@mgmresorts.com
ABOUT FALLEN OAK
The Tom Fazio-designed Fallen Oak joins the heralded Shadow Creek as the only golf courses built by MGM Resorts International for its guests. Located 15 minutes outside of Biloxi at the edge of the DeSoto National Forest, Fallen Oak is exclusive to guests of Beau Rivage and has earned more than 30 national honors for a masterful design that epitomizes strategy from tee to green as it encompasses the area’s natural terrain and beauty. The 7,487-yard course features dramatic elevation changes rare for a Gulf Coast design and played host to the PGA TOUR Champions Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic for more than a decade. Since opening in 2008, Fallen Oak has received numerous compliments from many of the game’s legends for its beauty, design and the quiet elegance found in many of the world’s great golf courses. or www.beaurivage.com
