Ole Miss Rebels Face Louisville Cardinals in Season Opener Under New Coach Pete Golding
Quick Look
- The ninth-ranked Ole Miss Rebels open their first full season without former coach Lane Kiffin against the No.
- 24 Louisville Cardinals at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, with Pete Golding now leading the team after guiding them to the College Football Playoff semifinals last year.
- Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Lane Kiffin left Ole Miss for LSU before the College Football Playoff, after which Pete Golding was promoted from defensive coordinator to head coach and led the team to the playoff semifinals.
The ninth-ranked Ole Miss Rebels begin their first full college football season without coach Lane Kiffin with a Sunday night game against the No. 24 Louisville Cardinals at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn. The Rebels made a historic run to the College Football Playoff semifinals after Kiffin bolted to LSU before the start of the playoff. Pete Golding was promoted from defensive coordinator to take over after coaching the team on an interim basis during its CFP run. The Cardinals went 9-4 under Jeff Brohm, who starts his fourth season at Louisville. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. Bet on Louisville vs. Ole Miss and more college football action with the latest DraftKings promo code to get up to $200 n bonus bets after spending $5+:
The Rebels are 6.5-point favorites, per the latest DraftKings odds, and the Over/Under for total points scored is 55.5. Here's a closer look at the college football betting landscape for Louisville vs. Ole Miss at the best betting apps, with some notes on what bettors should keep in mind for this matchup. Bet college football at BetMGM Sportsbook and get up to $1,500 in bonus bets with the promo code CBSSPORTS:
Louisville vs. Ole Miss betting odds (via DraftKings)
Louisville vs. Ole Miss money line:Ole Miss -258, Louisville +210Louisville vs. Ole Miss over/under:55.5 (Over -105, Under -115)Louisville vs. Ole Miss spread: Ole Miss -6.5
Louisville vs. Ole Miss betting preview
Pete Golding was immediately put behind the 8-ball last season when he was handed the reins to Ole Miss just before the College Football Playoff. Lane Kiffin had built an indisputably strong team, but Golding had no head coaching experience. Between that and the shock of Kiffin bailing for LSU right on the eve of the CFP, it would have been understandable for the Rebs to stumble.
Instead, Golding took Ole Miss to the semifinals. The Rebels now enter the 2026 season ranked No. 9 in the nation and look poised to make another run to the Playoff. Breakout star quarterback Trinidad Chambliss remains on the roster, as does leading rusher Kewan Lacy. The offense will need a new leading receiver with both of last year's top options now departed, but Chambliss will be able to get the ball to whoever steps up.
Louisville will turn to Ohio State transfer Lincoln Kienholz, who has attempted 36 passes over three seasons, at quarterback. Breaking into the Buckeyes' offense is obviously no easy task, and recent years are littered with QBs who broke out after transferring away from Ohio State, but Brohm can't say he has a proven passer. Leading rusher Isaac Brown is still in the building. The Cardinals are still talented enough to be No. 24 in the poll, but Brohm will need Kienholz to step up if Louisville is going to make a run this season.
Bet on college football and more at DraftKings and get up to $350 in bonus bets:
Louisville vs. Ole Miss picks, prediction
Ole Miss -6.5
Open Questions
- How will Ole Miss replace its departed leading receivers?
- Can Lincoln Kienholz effectively lead Louisville's offense after limited playing time at Ohio State?
- Will Pete Golding's first full season as head coach meet expectations after last year's playoff run?
