Ole Miss vs Louisville: Everything to Know About the Rebels' Next Opponent

It is officially game week. The days of offseason storylines and speculation are over, and actual football can be played.

The No. 9 Ole Miss Rebels will face the No. 24-ranked Louisville Cardinals on Sunday at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee. It will mark Pete Golding's first regular-season game as the Ole Miss head coach.

Expectations are high for both teams as the Rebels try to stay atop the SEC and the Cardinals look to sneak into the higher ranks of the ACC.

Louisville in Review

Head coach: Jeff Brohm

2025 record: 9-4 (5-4 conference record)

Key departures: WR Chris Bell, LB TJ Quinn

Key additions: QB Lincoln Kienholz (Ohio State), SS Koen Entringer (Iowa), WR Tre Richardson (Vanderbilt)

The Rebels will have their work cut out for them with Louisville. Brohm has built a consistent program, and the expectations are to improve from last season's results. At quarterback, they turn to Kienholz, who was a backup at Ohio State.

Kienholz is a dual-threat quarterback. He can utilize his legs and escape the pocket. Ole Miss must prepare for that and keep him contained. But the combination of Kienholz's speed and an elite running back room will make life difficult for the defense.

The Cardinals will heavily lean on junior running back Isaac Brown. He finished with 884 rushing yards and seven total touchdowns. The Rebels allowed 149.1 rushing yards per game last season, so stopping the run should be a point of emphasis in preparation this week.

Other Key Players to Watch

Louisville Cardinals defensive lineman Clev Lubin. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Louisville lost wide receiver production this offseason, but they used the transfer portal to rebuild the room. They brought in Florida State transfer Lawayn McCoy and Richardson from Vanderbilt. The Cardinals typically have one clear leading wide receiver, and Richardson could be that. He posted 806 receiving yards and seven touchdowns with the Commodores last season.

On defense, Louisville retained its sack leader from last season, Clev Lubin. That'll be a key player for the Rebels' offensive line to focus on. The defensive line is arguably Louisville's biggest strength, so protecting Trinidad Chambliss will be a priority.

Entringer was a big addition to the secondary. He was a defensive captain at Iowa and will be a difference-maker. They have an experienced secondary and will be tough to confuse.

Louisville isn't a team to look past. Brohm did an excellent job in the transfer portal to address needs, and they have an underrated roster. The Rebels would love to start Golding's first full season as head coach with a win, but it won't come easy.

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