09/09/2026
No. 9 Ole Miss Football’s narrow triumph over No. 24 Louisville in Week 1 featured a poetic ending, but there are many questions surrounding the Rebels following the victory. Here is what we know about Ole Miss after Sunday night’s shootout win.
The Rebels are highly entertaining
For better or for worse, Ole Miss does not cease to captivate audiences. Taking into account the Rebels’ playoff run last season, it seems like every game Ole Miss plays turns into nominations for game of the year. Last year, both games against Georgia, the Arkansas win and the CFP semifinal against Miami were all incredible performances and exciting games to watch.
The high-powered Rebel offense scores regardless of their opponent. However, this excitement comes at a cost. The defense continues to disappoint despite defensive-minded head coach Pete Golding’s best efforts. The secondary played poorly against Louisville, allowing numerous touchdowns in the second half.
Both teams struggled to find their sparks in the first half, but entering the second half, the defenses turned to mush, and the game became a showdown reminiscent of the Big 12 air raid offenses of the 2010s.
It seemed like the safeties were confused and lacked proper play recognition. During a fake inside run during which Louisville wide receiver Tre Richardson took a sweep to the end zone, Anthony Robinson III got caught staring at the running back and looked lost.
Sophomore safety MJ Preston was jittery in his first live snaps. He came into the game and immediately abandoned his deep zone and crept towards the box, which allowed Richardson to catch a 62-yard bomb for a touchdown.
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