Ole Miss Defense Doesn't Need to Be Perfect Against Charlotte; It Needs to Do This

Pete Golding, in his first regular season game as the head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels, had his ups and downs during the Rebels' 41-38 win against a ranked Louisville team in Nashville.

Ole Miss played tight offensively in the first half, as quarterback Trinidad Chambliss had two turnovers, and the offense under new offensive coordinator John David Baker really struggled to create anything downfield. The Rebels only scored 10 points in the first half.

The offense really picked it up in the second half as Ole Miss finally found dynamic playmaking. Deuce Alexander really shined for the Rebels, scoring two long touchdowns, while Trinidad Chambliss found Caleb Odom up the seam for another touchdown as Ole Miss finally found its rhythm late in the game.

Rebels Need to Fix Defensive Miscues

Sep 6, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Ole Miss Rebels linebacker Suntarine Perkins (4) sneaks a peak into the backfield against the Louisville Cardinals during the second half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Ole Miss needs a lot of work in the secondary, as the Rebels had many defensive back miscues, and the Cardinals had big play after big play, which led to a Louisville comeback late in the second half.

Pete Golding has a lot to figure out as the Rebels head home to play the Charlotte 49ers, as the Rebels will look to create advantages and potentially rotate new defensive players throughout the game. This will be a good bounce back spot for Ole Miss as they enter the game as heavy favorites in what should be a blowout.

The Rebels' defense needs to fix a lot of the communication issues in the secondary, as the Cardinals took heavy command of both the rushing and passing games. Ole Miss easily looked like the worse team in the second half, mostly due to the Rebels' injury concerns.

Rebels' Injury Concerns Loom

Nov 22, 2025; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Tennessee Volunteers running back Desean Bishop (18) rushes with the ball towards Florida Gators defensive back Sharif Denson (0) during the first half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Keaton Thomas, the green dot linebacker for the Rebels, played extremely well in the first half of the game, recording three solo tackles, including a tackle for loss, before getting injured in the second half against the Cardinals.

Ole Miss defensive back Sharif Denson did not play for the Rebels, as the defensive back was a highly touted transfer addition for Pete Golding and company. The former Gator defensive back saw a lot of snaps for Florida in 2025.

Antonio Kite is another highly touted defensive back from the historic team last season that won two playoff games in 2025. Kite did not appear much in the game as the Rebels desperately need his health to recover before Ole Miss goes into the SEC stretch.

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