Gameday is finally here for the 2026 Ole Miss Rebel football team. It’s the first opening game for Pete Golding as a head coach, as well as Trinidad’s as a starting quarterback at the D1 level.
The moment won’t be too big for either after knocking off Georgia in the playoffs together last season. But this is a new season, with new players and new coaches who may not have had this kind of pressure on them before. The pressure from the outside is immense. The pressure to win the opener against a ranked
opponent after LSU absolutely dismantled Clemson in their opener. The pressure to make the playoffs. The pressure to prove it wasn’t the previous regime.
There are questions about playmakers on the outside, the protection up front, and the play calling chops of John David Baker. Despite those questions, Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy are preseason Heisman candidates and the defensive side of the ball looks more like the dominant 2024 version of itself.
The Louisville Cardinals are no slouch of an opponent. In fact, they went into Miami and knocked off the same Hurricanes team that ended the Ole Miss season one game shy of the National Championship. They feature two dynamic running backs that average more yards per carry than some quarterbacks average per completion.
Louisville head coach Jeff Brohm is a known quarterback whisperer and will deploy Ohio State transfer Lincoln Kienholz. There’s not much tape on the former Buckeye, but it is a tall task to make your first career start against a front seven as stout as the Rebels. If Ole Miss can limit the explosive runs and force a first time starter to beat him with his arm, that should play into their favor.
Everyone will be watching to see what receivers step up for Ole Miss. As long as that offensive line comes together and gives Lacy space and Chambliss time, Ole Miss should be able to pull away.
How to Watch: Ole Miss vs. Louisville
Date: Sunday, September 6
Time: 6:30 p.m. CT
Location: Nashville, Tennessee
Site: Nissan Stadium
TV: ABC
Live Stream: ESPN App
