Three keys to an Ole Miss win over Louisville

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No. 9 Ole Miss plays No. 24 Louisville in the Liberty Mutual Music City Kickoff on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. Here are three keys to a Rebels win at Nissan Stadium.

Contain the running backs

In two seasons at Louisville, Isaac Brown has run for 2,057 yards and 18 touchdowns on 7.7 yards per carry. In just nine games last year, Brown ran for 884 yards on 8.8 yards per rush. Brown missed the final two regular-season games of the year, and Keyjuan Brown rushed for 271 yards in those matchups and for 572 yards over the Cardinals’ last five games overall. Louisville will be breaking in a first-time starter at quarterback in Lincoln Kienholz, and shutting down the run game around him is a sure-fire way to put him in tough situations.

Precision passing

Every year is indeed different, but Louisville had the best pass defense in the ACC and ranked 24th nationally at just 188.8 yards per game allowed. The Cardinals also had the top-ranked pass efficiency defense in the ACC, surrendering 15 touchdown passes with 14 interceptions. Louisville was ninth nationally at just 10.14 yards per pass completion allowed. Ole Miss returns one of the top quarterbacks in the country in fifth-year Trinidad Chambliss, who finished eighth in Heisman Trophy voting in his first season at the FBS level and had eight 300-yard passing games. Chambliss averaged 13.39 yards per completion, good for 14th nationally.

Chambliss was among the best in the FBS in taking care of the ball, throwing just three interceptions compared to 22 touchdowns. While the Rebels’ receiving corps was rebuilt in the offseason, the talent is there. Stay within the offense, take the easy throws when needed – and let the receivers make some magic happen from time to time – and strike deep when the time calls.

Let Pete be Pete

No, Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding isn’t in his first game as the Rebels’ head coach; he got that out of the way in the College Football Playoff, where he led the program to its first two CFP wins and a berth in the national semifinals. This is, however, Golding’s first full season as head coach and his first time taking the field with this staff. Golding pushed the right buttons in last season’s CFP, letting star kicker Lucas Carneiro hit deep field goals in the Sugar Bowl rather than gamble on fourth downs as his predecessor was known for. Golding needs to trust his instincts; it’s worked so far.

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