MEETING INFO:

When: Sunday, September 6th, 7:30 p.m. (EST)

Where: Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tennessee

How To Watch: ABC

Meeting History: Louisville is 0-1 all-time against Ole Miss

Last Meeting: (2021) Ole Miss defeated Louisville 43-24 in Atlanta

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Nashville, Tennessee – The Cardinals will begin their 2026 campaign Sunday night when they take on No. 9 Ole Miss in the Music City Kickoff at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee. The matchup gives Louisville an immediate opportunity to make a statement against a top-10 opponent. For Ole Miss, the game marks the first full season of the Pete Golding era. This is after Lane Kiffin departed for LSU following a run to the College Football Playoff semifinals.

A Look at Louisville

The No. 24 Cardinals enter 2026 coming off a 9-4 season that ended with a Boca Raton Bowl victory over Toledo, and their third consecutive season with at least 9 wins. Since taking over in 2023, head coach Jeff Brohm has compiled a 28-12 record and remains undefeated in season openers, (3-0). Louisville has established itself as an ACC contender this season, at least on paper. However, the expectations are rising as the Cardinals look to compete for a conference championship and College Football Playoff berth.

One of the biggest storylines is at quarterback, where junior Lincoln Kienholz takes over after transferring from Ohio State. Kienholz spent three seasons in Columbus and battled eventual Heisman Trophy finalist Julian Sayin for the starting job last season. While he saw limited action, his athleticism and dual-threat nature make him an intriguing fit in Brohm’s offense.

Louisville returns star running back Isaac Brown, who earned Third Team All-ACC honors after rushing for 884 yards and seven touchdowns in nine games last season. Keyjuan Brown also returns after rushing for 704 yards and six touchdowns. He ended his 2025 season with three consecutive 100-yard games.

The receiving corps has undergone some changes, but Vanderbilt transfer Tre Richardson provides a big-play threat after recording 806 yards and seven touchdowns last season. Lawayne McCoy arrives from Florida State after a near-400-yard season. TreyShun Hurry and Drake transfer Jackson Voth provide additional reliable options. Meanwhile, 2025 First Team All-AAC tight end Brody Foley (Tulsa) joins the offense after recording more than 500 receiving yards.

The defense could be Louisville’s biggest strength after ranking 16th nationally in total defense last season. Clev Lubin returns after recording 8.5 sacks and earning Third Team All-ACC honors. In addition to Lubin, AJ Green and UNC transfer Tyler Thompson give the Cardinals a formidable pass rush; both combined for 11 sacks last season. Linebackers Stanquan Clark and TJ Capers have plenty of talent and are eyeing career years. The secondary returns veterans Antonio Watts and Tayon Holloway. Jabari Mack is expected to return as well after receiving a TRO, allowing him to play his fifth and final season with the Cardinals. Iowa transfer Koen Entringer adds leadership and plenty of experience at safety, capping off a really impressive unit.

A Look at Ole Miss

Ole Miss is coming off a historic 13-2 season that ended in a CFP Semifinals loss to Miami. Golding now takes over a program that has established itself as an SEC contender.

The Rebels had one of the most explosive offenses in the nation last year. This season, despite losing their head coach and offensive coordinator, they are not expected to take a step back.  The Rebels return quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, who threw for nearly 4,000 yards with a 22:3 touchdown-to-interception ratio last season. They also bring back running back Kewan Lacy, who rushed for 1,567 yards and 24 touchdowns. He finished second nationally in touchdowns and third in rushing yards. The Doak Walker Award finalist set Ole Miss single-season records in both rushing yards and touchdowns. Both come in with hopes of making it to NYC for the Heisman Trophy ceremony in December. 

Ole Miss will feature several new faces at receiver, including Syracuse transfers Johntay Cook and Darrell Gill. Both had over 500 receiving yards last year and will work to fill the shoes of Harrison Wallace and De’Zhaun Stribling. Deuce Alexander returns after recording 684 yards last season. As a result, he will see his role heightened heavily.

While it wasn’t a focal point of last season’s success, Ole Miss’ defense had a solid campaign and returns plenty of talent in 2026. Linebacker Suntarine Perkins headlines a talented group after recording 81 tackles and 4.5 sacks last season. On the line, Kam Franklin and Will Echoles also return after combining for 137 tackles. One of their highest touted transfer additions was former Cal linebacker Luke Ferrelli. Ferrelli led all ACC freshmen in tackles and was named the conference’s defensive rookie of the year.

The secondary is less proven after losing several contributors but returns Antonio Kite and Jaylon Braxton, who combined for 58 tackles in 2025. Transfers Jalyn Crawford, Joenel Aguero, and Sharif Denson add talent to a secondary that ranked top-40 nationally last season in pass defense. With a mix of returning production and new faces, the secondary has plenty of potential. Nevertheless, it is the most questionable with the amount of newcomers. 

Keys for the Cards:

• Establish the Run: Louisville shouldn’t put the game on Kienholz’s shoulders, especially with his first start being against a top ten team.
• Get to Chambliss: The defense cannot afford to let the Heisman-caliber QB get comfortable. Chambliss will pick the defense apart if you give him too much time.
• Don’t Depend on Special Teams: Louisville has been facing some inconsistency on special teams this offseason. To pull off the upset, Louisville won’t be able to settle on chip shots or comfortably rely on their kicker in a big moment.

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