Louisville football is taking on the Ole Miss Rebels this Sunday in a thrilling Week 1 showdown. The Cardinals enter the year ranked in the preseason polls for the first time since 2017, and now they will look to make a statement and shock the No. 9 Rebels.
Ole Miss enters the 2026 season with a lot of hype and expectations as they return two preseason All-Americans on offense, including their star quarterback Trinidad Chambliss. So, this is trending as the top game of Week 1, and while Ole Miss is the 6.5-point favorite, Louisville is confident they have what it takes to pull off the upset.
If Louisville wants to pull off the upset, it will come down to a few players, including their star running back Isaac Brown. Earlier this week, Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding spoke about the Cardinals' star tailback, and he didn’t sugarcoat it, giving extremely high praise to the Cardinals' preseason All-American.
Ole Miss head coach gives Isaac Brown huge praise leading up to week 1 showdown
When looking at how Louisville can upset Ole Miss, many analysts and fans are circling Brown. The star running back is trending as a top-five running back in the nation, and Golding just made it clear that Ole Miss must try to limit him to avoid a Week 1 upset.
“It is really good for us that we go up against an elite running back every single day because this kid is special,” Golding stated about Isaac Brown. “He is explosive on tape. Really good in space. He’s got top-end speed to be able to finish, so super impressive, and I think he is one of the best backs we will actually see all year, to be honest with you, when you watch him on tape.”
Pete Golding considers Louisville an SEC-level opening test for Ole Miss 🏈
— Ben Garrett (@SpiritBen) August 31, 2026
“Thank goodness we go against an elite running back every day, because [Isaac Brown] is special.”@OMSpiritOn3 is less than $2.50 a month 👉 https://t.co/EwWyepD2xU pic.twitter.com/THPDtUFjQj
Brown has made multiple preseason All-American teams this offseason, and Golding is revealing why. The Rebels are, of course, in the SEC, and to hear him say Brown is going ot be one of the best running backs they see all season speaks volumes.
“When the game is on the line in the third and fourth quarters, you know who is about to get it,” stated the Ole Miss head coach. “He has shown to be really explosive, really competitive. It is a kid that averaged 8.8 yards per rush last year.”
The Cardinal is coming off a dominant year; though it was cut short to eight games due to injuries, he was still impressive. He averaged 8.8 yards per carry and rushed for 100 yards or more in six of those eight games, showcasing his ability to take over and win the game for Louisville.
Louisville has defeated some giants in the past since Brohm and Brown arrived, including when they defeated No. 11 Clemson in 2024, when Brown averaged 7.6 yards per carry after rushing the ball 20 times for 151 yards and one touchdown, and this past season when Louisville upset No. 2 Miami after Brown averaged 7.5 yards per carry after rushing it 15 times for 113 yards.
Now, the two have their eyes on Ole Miss. Louisville and Ole Miss will kick off at 7:30 p.m. this Sunday, from Nissan Stadium.
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