The No. 9 Ole Miss Rebels will take on the No. 24 Louisville Cardinals on Sunday, Sept. 6, at 6:30 p.m. in Nissan Stadium. Though the neutral site game in Nashville may seem like a simple season opener for the powerhouse Rebels, it will be a great test against a tough Power Four team. The matchup presents a few interesting challenges for Ole Miss.
The Cardinals only returned three starters on offense. Most notably, they have a new quarterback and have rebuilt the offensive line. How the new pieces mesh after significant roster turnover will determine much about this Week 1 contest.
Still, the Rebels will encounter a Louisville team eager to begin its season with a win and improve on last season’s 9-4 record, which led to a mediocre ACC finish.
The first difficulty for the Rebels is dual-threat Ohio State transfer quarterback Lincoln Kienholz. Because he saw very limited action last season as the Buckeyes’ backup, there are many unknowns about his skillset. Last season, Kienholz racked up 66 yards and two rushing touchdowns on 11 carries, and he went 11-of-14 on pass attempts with one touchdown.
Despite Kienholz having no career starts, the Rebel defense should not underestimate him. Kienholz was a highly sought-after quarterback out of high school and comes from one of the best programs in the country.
“From an athletic standpoint and skillset, you’re looking at his previous tape where you actually get to see him play the game,” Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding said in a press conference on Aug. 31. “Is he a dual-threat guy? (We are looking at his) arm strength and all those types of things. You also go back (and consider), ‘Okay, when (head coach Jeff) Brohm had a first-year starter at the position, what’s that look like early in the season?”
With Kienholz’s arm talent in question, Louisville likely will not rely on him to carry their attack. Instead, the Cardinals will turn to their running backs, particularly star Isaac Brown.
Brown only saw action in nine games last season because he suffered a hamstring injury in November 2025. In spite of that, Brown averaged 8.8 yards per carry on 101 carries, which was the highest average among all running backs last season.
Golding spoke about going up against an elite back like Brown and how the Rebels are prepared to deal with him. Golding said the Rebel defense is prepared, in part, because the unit competes against running back Kewan Lacy every practice.
“Number one, I think it’s really good for us. We go against an elite running back (in practice) every day, thank goodness, because (Isaac Brown) is special. He’s explosive on tape (and) really good in space. He’s got top-end speed.”
Brown is a threat, but fellow running back Keyjuan Brown should not be overlooked. Last season, he nearly matched Isaac’s production with six total touchdowns and 704 yards on 96 carries.
The Rebel defense must be ready to stop the run, because if they do not contain this duo, it could spell trouble. Last year, Ole Miss struggled to stop the ground game. The defense gave up 149 rushing yards per game, which was fifth worst in the SEC.
This year’s Rebel defense could be elite. The unit added depth and top-end talent in the offseason, forming a dangerous front seven.
Apart from players, the Rebels must also be prepared to battle Cardinal head coach Brohm, who enters his fourth season in this role. During his coaching career, Brohm has become notorious for catching top teams by surprise. Golding told the Talk of Champions about the challenge Brohm poses.
“I think Brohm does an unbelievable job calling and packaging plays. He’s had a lot of success (with that),” Golding said. “Being at a neutral site versus a Top 25 team with a head coach that’s had a lot of experience play-calling — it’s a really good test.”
Last October, Louisville took down the then-No. 2 Miami Hurricanes 24-21 on the road, picking off quarterback Carson Beck four times en route to the win.
That defensive effort against Miami was a staple for the Cardinals last season, who ranked No. 1 in passing defense and No. 2 in yards allowed per game with 303. For comparison, the Rebels conceded 348 yards per game.
The Cardinal defense will be stout, but the Ole Miss offense is as high-tempo and talented as ever. Rebel fans should not worry much about the Rebel offense. New offensive coordinator John David Baker said during fall camp that in order to play winning football, the key for him is not to operate the offense differently than in the past, but rather to tweak a few small things.
“I don’t think it’s so much putting my stamp on things,” Baker said. “We’ve been very successful here over the last five, six years because we’ve understood, ‘Okay, what are our pieces?’ Then (it’s) using those guys the right way.”
Last season, the Rebels ran the ball 53 more times than they threw it. That should stay consistent against the Cardinals and throughout 2026.
Only Deuce Alexander returns from last season’s top five wide receivers. However, Baker has lots of pieces at his disposal, especially at the running back position.
Johntay Cook will likely be the WR2. Cook was a star at Syracuse last season and should be an explosive and versatile piece for the Rebels, who can excel when lined up inside or outside of the slot.
Horatio Fields will look to have a breakout game, his first as a Rebel. Fields transferred from Auburn and is expected to be a top-three receiver for Ole Miss.
Star running back Lacy will lead the way for the Rebels. Michigan State transfer Makhi Frazier will also be a top option, and transfers Joshua Dye and JT Lindsey should also see carries.
The Ole Miss offensive line returned its interior. Terez Davis has secured the all-important left tackle spot, while Tommy Kinsler IV will likely start at right tackle, with Carius Curne getting snaps early in the season to determine the long-term starter on that side of the line.
Overall, with the game slated as the only ranked matchup of Week 1, the nation’s attention will be on Ole Miss as the Rebels begin their journey back to the College Football Playoff.
