The Ole Miss Rebels enter Nashville this Sunday to kick off their season in a highly anticipated neutral-site matchup against the Louisville Cardinals.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Eastern time at Nissan Stadium, where the Rebels have opened as 6.5-point favorites over the Cardinals.
The game marks the beginning of the post-Lane Kiffin era for Ole Miss after his departure for LSU.
Defensive coordinator Pete Golding remains in charge to steer the Rebels following their College Football Playoff semifinal appearance.
Trinidad Chambliss returns under center for his sixth year of eligibility to lead an offensive unit that averaged over 36 points per game.
Meanwhile, Louisville head coach Jeff Brohm looks to build on his successful tenure after posting nine- or 10-win seasons in each of his first three campaigns.
Under Brohm, the Cardinals will hand the starting quarterback duties to Lincoln Kienholz, the former Ohio State backup who was the national high school player of the year in 2023.
SportsLine handicapper Zack Cimini, who enters the season on a 22-9 run on college football point spread picks, expects a higher-scoring game and leans toward the over on the 55.5-point total.
Analyzing the scoring dynamics of both programs, Cimini pointed to the offense as the primary catalyst, explaining that “Ole Miss’s offense is the driver” for the matchup.
He pointed to Louisville’s new starter as a major variable, noting that “Kienholz is an x-factor” who is making his first career start behind a rebuilt offensive line.