Louisville football’s 2026 schedule is out, and the Cardinals officially know their path back to the ACC Championship game. Louisville has had back-to-back 9-4 seasons in 2024 and 2025, but they look to reach that double-digit win mark once again and return to Charlotte for the ACC Championship game.
The Cardinals fans have high expectations for this upcoming season, thanks to Jeff Brohm and Vince Marrow, who brought in the fifth-best transfer class. The Cards addressed their glaring areas of need with key additions like Lincoln Kienholz at quarterback, Tre Richardson and Lawayne McCoy at wide receiver, and Koen Entringer and TJ Banks at safety.
So, the roster is there, but now they have to go win games. And one game that is trending to be a whole lot easier is the Cardinals' Week 1 showdown with Ole Miss.
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Louisville football’s path to a statement Week 1 win just got clearer
The NCAA recently denied the Rebels' star quarterback, Trinidad Chambliss, the opportunity to return for another season, as he appealed for a sixth year. Louisville is set to take on Ole Miss in this epic Week 1 showdown in Nashville, and now that Ole Miss is likely without their star QB, Louisville’s chances of winning skyrocket.
BREAKING: The NCAA has denied Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss’ waiver appeal for a 6th season of eligibility, per @PeteNakos pic.twitter.com/yB975BlRfC
— SleeperCFB (@SleeperCFB) February 5, 2026
Now, it isn’t official, but Chambliss won’t play as he will now take the state of Mississippi to court, but the NCAA denying his appeal is a huge first step that he won’t play Week 1. Chambliss is trying to get that extra year, claiming he wasn’t able to finish his season at Ferris State due to an injury. However, the NCAA denied that appeal, and he will now be heard on Feb. 12 in the Chancery Court of Lafayette County.
The Cardinals are ranked as high as No. 14 in the nation according to ESPN’s way-too-early rankings, and with Ole Miss potentially without Chambliss, Louisville has a much better chance of earning a massive Week 1 win over an SEC team. Ole Miss is coming off a historic season in which Chambliss led the Rebels to their first College Football Playoff and semifinal appearances, after earning the most wins in program history.
Chambliss led this team to its highest ranking in over 64 years, to the program's first 11-win season, and to an impressive 13-2 record after beating Tulane and Georgia in the College Football Playoffs. The star quarterback transferred to Ole Miss and threw for 3,937 yards, 22 touchdowns, and just 3 interceptions. He also added 133 carries for 527 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns.
So, this hearing on Feb. 12 is a massive decision that will not only affect the Cardinals' Week 1 showdown but also the entire college football season. With Chambliss, Ole Miss is regarded as a top-10 team, and without their QB, they are ranked in the top 25. So, Louisville fans should keep an eye on this story, as it has major implications for the start of their 2026 season.
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