Sunday, September 6th cannot get here fast enough for Cards fans. This offseason’s hype around the team has brought an anticipation with it that hasn’t been around for a long time. With the season starting off against last year’s National Semifinalist Ole Miss, a statement may be made with either a win or a loss.
The season opener brings as much change for these two schools as any, with new coaches, new players and new expectations for both. Lane Kiffin’s highly publicized departure from Ole Miss for LSU during last year’s playoff run left the program to first-year head coach Pete Golding. Louisville has its fourth new starting quarterback in as many years under head coach Jeff Brohm. For both Golding and Louisville QB Lincoln Kienholz, this year comes with high expectations for two people who have little prior experience in their current roles.
Louisville is currently a 6.5-point underdog for the primetime ranked matchup in Nashville. If the Cardinals are going to pull off the upset, they will need big plays on both sides of the ball. This Ole Miss team may have a new feel to it, but it still has the SEC talent that helped bring the Rebels to the National Semifinals last year.
Here are three players who must step up against Ole Miss if Louisville wants to come home with the victory.
1. Clev Lubin, DL
Clev Lubin led Louisville last season with 8.5 sacks. His pressure helped close out games in key moments, with seven of his sacks coming in Louisville victories in 2025. If Louisville’s defense is going to stop Ole Miss’ offense, it starts with getting pressure on the quarterback.
Senior Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss announced his presence last season in a big way, saving some of his best play for late in the season and the CFP. He accounted for over 4,400 yards of total offense and 30 total touchdowns while throwing just three interceptions. He is the real deal, and the Rebels’ offense runs through him.
On top of the great offensive production by Chambliss, Ole Miss did not allow many sacks last season. Allowing just 19 sacks in 15 games, it was not easy to get into their backfield. That will have to change if Louisville wants to have a chance to win this game.
Louisville’s defense was very much a bend-but-don’t-break type of defense last season, but it also racked up 31 sacks in 13 games. The transfer portal helped Coach Brohm add depth to his defensive line in hopes of keeping fresh legs in there all game long. The strength of Lubin, combined with that depth on the line, could help Louisville create pressure on Chambliss unlike anything he saw last season.
2. RB's (Isaac Brown and Keyjuan Brown)
It is no secret that Louisville wants to run the ball with its star running backs, Keyjuan Brown and Isaac Brown. The two players combined for over 1,500 yards and 15 touchdowns on almost 200 carries last year. Most importantly, their big-play ability was off the charts, as Keyjuan Brown averaged 7.3 yards per carry and Isaac Brown averaged 8.8. With both players returning to the same offense, in combination with an inexperienced quarterback and a skilled offensive line, look for the offense to go through these two backs.
That is good news when looking at the matchup in Week 1. Last year, Ole Miss ranked 69th in the country, giving up 149 rushing yards per game to its opponents. If that is any indication of how their defense may look this year, Louisville should be able to run the ball effectively against the Rebels.
Better yet, with Kienholz’s ability to use his legs to extend plays and even take off and run himself, Louisville could be running for days against the Rebels. If the Cardinals can establish the run early, it could take some of the pressure off Kienholz and give Louisville a chance to control the game.
3. Lincoln Kienholz, QB
As probably expected, the new Louisville quarterback will need to show up and step up if the Cardinals want to win their season opener. Lincoln Kienholz comes in with very limited experience, but he could be a difference-maker for Jeff Brohm in this offense.
At the very least, if Kienholz can just manage the offense, not turn the ball over and lean on his veteran running attack, it could be enough. Anything after that would just be icing on the cake. If he can make a few plays with his accurate arm, maybe even one or two with his legs, Louisville should be able to compete against a top-10 team.
Ole Miss ranked 37th in the country last year, giving up just over 21 points per game. In their two losses, the Rebels’ defense gave up an average of 37 points in those contests. If Kienholz can match scoring drives with Ole Miss and just take what the defense gives him, Louisville has the scoring power to match the Rebels. If it is a close game late on a neutral field, then the result could go either way. Kienholz doesn’t have to step up and be the reason Louisville wins. He just can’t be the reason Louisville loses.
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