Ole Miss heads into Saturday’s matchup with Charlotte carrying both the confidence of a ranked win and the residue of a messy defensive night. The Rebels survived Louisville 41-38 on Sunday, and while Kam Franklin and the defensive front helped slow Cardinals star running back Issac Brown to 36 yards, the back end still gave up enough big plays to keep the game tense.
Franklin isn’t interested in softening the message this week.
"We are going to dominate them," Kam Franklin said this week while speaking with the media.
It’s a bold line, especially after a game in which Ole Miss allowed 38 points, but the matchup with Charlotte gives the Rebels a clear chance to back it up. Charlotte opened the season 0-1 with a 43-41 overtime loss to The Citadel, an FCS team, and that alone tells you this is a very different test from what Ole Miss faced against No. 24 Louisville.
The quarterback comparison also tilts heavily toward the Rebels. Louisville got a big day from Lincoln Kienholz, who threw for three touchdowns without a turnover. Charlotte’s Cole Gonzales put up five touchdown passes against The Citadel, but he also tossed two interceptions.
Ole Miss had its own offensive stars in Week 1. Trinidad Chambliss and Deuce Alexander were central to the Rebels’ victory, and both look lined up for another productive day if things unfold the way the matchup suggests.
There’s also the question of how much Ole Miss wants to push certain players. Running back Kewan Lacy left Week 1 early with an injury, and the Rebels could choose to be careful with him if the game starts to get out of hand.
Still, this week is about more than just padding a scoreboard. Ole Miss is using it as a bridge toward the SEC slate ahead, beginning September 19 with LSU coming to Oxford and running all the way through November 27, when Mississippi State visits for the Egg Bowl.
That’s the backdrop for Saturday: a team with College Football Playoff expectations, a defense that flashed and flinched in the opener, and a chance to build momentum before the real grind begins.
In Other News...
Ole Miss Fans Need To Know These New Vaught-Hemingway Game Day Changes
Ole Miss is set to welcome Charlotte to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, and the Rebels are rolling out a full slate of gameday details that fans will want to sort through before heading to Oxford. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. CT, and the latest information covers everything from ticketing and the pregame schedule to stadium policies and other basics that can make an evening in The Grove run a lot smoother.
The biggest takeaway for fans is that this one comes with updated procedures, including a push toward NFC-enabled mobile tickets and a new traffic flow plan around the stadium. For a crowd used to the familiar rhythms of a home Saturday, it is worth paying attention to the changes ahead of time so entry, parking and the rest of the gameday routine stay as organized as possible. [Read more 🡒]
Lane Kiffin Just Reopened An Ole Miss Debate Fans Never Settled
Lane Kiffin has spent years making himself impossible to ignore, and not just because of what happens on Saturdays. The latest reminder came from college football analyst Paul Finebaum, who drew a Kardashian comparison while pointing to Kiffins long trail of high-profile moves and controversies, including his departure from Ole Miss after leading the Rebels to the College Football Playoff.
For Ole Miss fans, Kiffins exit remains part of the larger argument over what he left behind and what he might still become. His ability to keep generating attention has never been in question, but the bigger issue is whether success at LSU could eventually reshape how his time in Oxford is remembered - or leave the old debate even harder to settle. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Faces One Big Test Before LSU In Home Opener
Ole Miss comes home this week with a chance to settle in after opening the season with a win over Louisville, and the matchup with Charlotte should give the Rebels a softer landing before the schedule tightens again. The 49ers arrive at 0-1 after a triple-overtime loss to The Citadel, which gives Lane Kiffins team a game in which execution and discipline can matter as much as the final score.
The bigger point, though, is about sharpening the edges. Ole Miss is still trying to find more consistency across the board, and this is the kind of tuneup where the staff can push for cleaner play without having to empty the playbook. With LSU waiting next week, the Rebels would like a home opener that looks complete in all phases before the real pressure starts to rise. [Read more 🡒]