Ole Miss left the opener with a win, but not with a clean bill of health on offense.
Pete Golding’s team survived Louisville thanks to Lucas Carneiro’s game-winning field goal, and the Rebels showed real grit in the process. Even so, the tape from Sunday offered a clear reminder that there’s still work to do before this group settles in. The biggest issue was simple: Ole Miss has to start faster and play a full 60 minutes.
The first half against Louisville was sloppy. Trinidad Chambliss turned it over twice, and the Rebels headed to the locker room with only a 10-6 lead. It was a lead, sure, but not one built on sharp, consistent football.
Then everything flipped after halftime. Once Louisville found the end zone for its first touchdown, Chambliss and the offense answered immediately.
He hit Deuce Alexander in stride for a 62-yard touchdown, and Ole Miss went on to put together five scoring drives in the second half. That version of the offense looked far closer to what the Rebels want to be.
That’s why Saturday’s home game against Charlotte matters. The 49ers are coming in after a triple-overtime loss to The Citadel, and this is the kind of matchup where Ole Miss should be able to settle down and stack a complete performance.
The expectation isn’t just another win. It’s a cleaner one.
Part of the adjustment comes from the fact that Chambliss is working with new offensive coordinator John David Baker. Deuce Alexander said the group is still getting used to how everything functions on the sideline.
"Just learning each other, and learning how he thinks, and how everybody thinks on the sideline," Alexander said. "Being able to talk through things and handle adversity helped us out."
Alexander was the brightest piece of the offense against Louisville. He finished with five catches for 159 yards and two touchdowns, and his impact is exactly why Ole Miss needs him to keep ascending. If this offense is going to hit the level it’s capable of reaching, Alexander has to keep playing like the featured wideout.
The encouraging part for Ole Miss is that the second half showed what this unit can do. The caution is that the first half showed what happens when it doesn’t put it together. Saturday won’t answer every question, but it should tell the Rebels whether they’re moving in the right direction before the schedule tightens and the quality of opposing defenses rises.
In Other News...
Ole Miss Fans Need To Know These New Vaught-Hemingway Game Day Changes
Ole Miss is set for a late start at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, when Charlotte comes to Oxford for a 6:45 p.m. CT kickoff. For fans headed to the stadium, the important part is not just the matchup itself but the full game day setup around it, from ticketing and arrival times to the policies in place once they get inside.
The Rebels are also rolling out updated traffic flow arrangements designed to keep the crowds moving more smoothly around the stadium, and officials are urging fans to use NFC-enabled mobile tickets to avoid delays. With the full slate of gameday schedules and stadium rules in play, the message is clear: a little planning ahead should make for a safer, more organized night in Oxford. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Has A Real Stake In LSUs Latest SEC Fight
The SECs next round of meetings is set for Sept. 10, and LSU will be one of the leagues most closely watched topics. The Tigers already filled their 105-player roster without the former NFL players at the center of the dispute, while the conference has backed away from seriously considering the most extreme penalty, including expulsion. Still, the issue is far from settled, and it has now moved into a legal lane as much as a football one.
For Ole Miss, the stakes are obvious because whatever happens to LSU could help shape how the league handles roster rules and enforcement going forward. A hearing on the SECs request for an injunction against LSU has already been postponed, and the conference has filed suit claiming a First Amendment right to expressive association. The Rebels are watching the fight with more than casual interest, since the outcome could influence how much room SEC schools have to build their rosters under the leagues changing standards. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Has A Consistency Problem Golding Wants Fixed Fast
Pete Golding did not need a long film session to spot the issue after Ole Miss opened the season against Louisville. The Rebels showed one version of themselves in the first half, when the defense held firm, then another after halftime when the offense had to play with more urgency to keep things moving. For Golding, the takeaway was less about the scoreboard than the rhythm of the performance, and how far the team still has to go before it can put together four clean quarters.
Now the focus shifts to Charlotte, and Golding is pushing for a much tighter blend of offense and defense. He sees the ability in the roster, but also the kind of mistakes that can snowball when a team is not playing in sync. For Ole Miss, the next step is not simply being good in stretches. It is doing it together, long enough to avoid the trouble that inconsistency can bring. [Read more 🡒]