Ole Miss vs. Louisville: Where Each Team Has An Advantage

No. 9 Ole Miss will open the season as 8.5-point neutral-site favorites over No. 24 Louisville at Nissan Stadium in Nashville.

Vegas favors the Rebels, but that doesn't always mean it will 100% happen. The Cardinals are still a tough-ranked opponent that Ole Miss shouldn't take lightly, but the Rebels still could dominate the matchup.

This game could definitely stay tight going into the second half, and both teams have an advantage over the other in certain regards.

Schematic Advantage for the Cardinals?

Louisville Cardinals defensive back Tayon Holloway celebrates with his teammates after his interception against Kentucky | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

A handful of mismatches could put a lot more pressure on the Rebels than expected.

The Louisville defense is a perfect example of this; forcing turnovers is what the unit thrives on and could serve as a deciding factor. Ole Miss' newest offensive coordinator, John David Baker, runs a high-volume passing attack, the exact kind of system that struggles against that kind of defense.

Outside of the defense, the Cardinals have a pretty good ground game headlined by Isaac Brown. Brown was the first true freshman in program history to run for 1,000 yards at Louisville; he's a proven weapon that won't depend on their new quarterback settling in immediately.

Many evaluators have acknowledged Louisville's defensive line as a real strength, and with Ole Miss' right tackle being a question mark, a retooled offensive line could turn the tide in this matchup.

Beyond the players on the field, the Rebels will debut a whole new coaching staff this week. Head coach Pete Golding and John David Baker will be tested for the first time, and season-opener chemistry issues are common even for talented rosters.

The Cardinals will not be a pushover, but Ole Miss still has a couple of tricks up its sleeve as well.

Where Ole Miss Has the Advantage

Ole Miss obviously has an advantage at two major positions: Quarterback and running back. Lincoln Keinholz and Isaac Brown are both elite players, but Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy are arguably both the best at their positions in the country.

Talking about quarterbacks, the experience gap between the starters on each side is part of the advantage for the Rebels. Chambliss returns with almost a full season of starting experience against SEC opponents, while Kienholz will be making his first career start with only 36 career pass attempts to his name.

However, Ole Miss is also elite elsewhere offensively.

While the Rebels' right tackle will be a swing factor, the interior line couldn't have a better foundation. Ole Miss returned all three members of its interior: center Brycen Sanders, guard Delano Townsend, and guard Patrick Kutas. A proven trio that will hold up while the tackles get settled.

Not to mention the return of budding stars like Deuce Alexander at wide receiver and Luke Hasz at tight end.

That amount of continuity offensively, alongside a talented group of newcomers, gives Ole Miss a clear talent advantage.

So if the Rebels can avoid the turnovers against the opportunistic Louisville defense, the offense has more than enough firepower to pull out a win in Nashville.

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