Ole Miss vs. Louisville Features One of Week 1's Most Exciting QB-RB Matchups

When it’s time to tee it off at Nashville, Tennessee’s Nissan Stadium, the hype and media circus will primarily focus on the storyline of Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding kicking off his first full season in charge. Yet, while the clash with No. 24-ranked Louisville will provide a national stage in Week 1 on Labor Day weekend, what may go under the radar is the backfield battle set to unfold.

Sunday night will not only mark the season opener for both squads, but it also marks the start of potential end-of-season award competitions for four players: quarterbacks Trindad Chambliss and Lincoln Kienholz, along with running backs Kewan Lacy and Isaac Brown.

Both Chambliss and Lacy already boast the national pedigree from last season. Chambliss, the former Division II quarterback at Ferris State, started as the backup in Oxford before ascending into the top-10 finalists for the Heisman, leading the Rebels to the College Football Playoff.

Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy — Sep 20, 2025; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss (6) hands the ball off to running back Kewan Lacy (5) during the first quarter against the Tulane Green Wave at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Meanwhile, Lacy, a transfer from Missouri, ran into stardom, winning the Doak Walker Award with 1,567 yards and 24 touchdowns on 306 carries.

Both Chambliss and Lacy are the known quantities heading into this game. They formed a dynamic duo together last season, boosting the Rebels to a deep run in the playoffs, only coming up a play short of potentially playing for a national championship.

Yet, while the duo of Chambliss and Lacy is already known, there is intrigue for Jeff Brohm’s Cardinals. He managed to retain Brown, his star running back, despite obvious interest from other programs after he rushed for 884 yards and seven touchdowns last season, when he led the ACC in yards per carry at 8.8.

But he also landed Kienholz via the transfer portal from Ohio State. A former four-star quarterback coming out of high school never got his chance as the starter in Columbus, playing behind Kyle McCord, Will Howard, and most recently Julian Sayin.

Yet, his time behind the scenes could prove most valuable. He spent three seasons learning behind capable starters ahead of him, along with having head coach Ryan Day.

Sunday will be his first career start, making him a complete unknown. However, given Brohm’s recent history of success in the portal at quarterback, taking Miller Moss from USC and Tyler Shough from Texas Tech in the previous two seasons, it’s hard to bet against him.

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