No. 9 Ole Miss Edges No. 24 Louisville 41-38 on Last-Second Field Goal

A Thriller Comes Down to the Final Kick

No. 9 Ole Miss survived a wild second-half battle Sunday night, defeating No. 24 Louisville 41-38 in the Music City Kickoff after Lucas Carneiro drilled a 48-yard field goal as time expired.

The matchup, the only game of the opening week featuring two ranked teams, began with both offenses struggling before turning into a heavyweight fight after halftime. Ole Miss coach Pete Golding described the contest that way, and Louisville coach Jeff Brohm agreed as the two teams traded big plays throughout the second half.

Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss ultimately provided the difference. After Louisville rallied to tie the game at 38-38 with 1:28 remaining, Chambliss connected with his offense on a crucial third-and-6 play, delivering an 18-yard pass that put the Rebels in position for Carneiro’s game-winning kick.

Chambliss finished with 351 passing yards and three touchdowns while adding another touchdown on the ground.

Chambliss Shines After a Difficult First Half

Chambliss, making his first start after spending three seasons on Ohio State’s bench, endured a shaky opening half before exploding after the break. The quarterback fumbled after picking up a first down on a fourth-down run, while Stanquan Clark intercepted a Chambliss pass intended for Deuce Alexander in the second quarter.

Ole Miss also had problems on special teams, including a shotgun snap that sailed over Chambliss’ head on the opening series. The Rebels took advantage of a Louisville special-teams mistake when the Cardinals’ long snap went over punter Niall Hayes’ head, setting up Kewan Lacy’s 1-yard touchdown run.

Chambliss looked much different in the second half. He connected with Alexander on two 62-yard touchdown passes during the third quarter before finding Caleb Odom for a 35-yard touchdown early in the fourth. With 6:43 remaining, Chambliss gave Ole Miss its biggest lead of the night when he scored on a 5-yard touchdown run.

Louisville Refuses to Go Away

Louisville answered every Ole Miss push down the stretch, with Lincoln Kienholz putting together a remarkable performance in his first career start. Kienholz found Lawayne McCoy for a 54-yard catch-and-run touchdown with 4:42 remaining, then scored himself on a 7-yard touchdown run with 1:28 left to tie the game at 38. That set the stage for Ole Miss’ final possession and Carneiro’s game-winning kick.

Injury Could Be a Concern for Ole Miss

Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy ran for 61 yards on 17 carries and scored the early 1-yard touchdown before leaving the game with a thigh injury. Golding said after the game that he did not believe the injury was serious, although Lacy will be evaluated further. The Rebels will hope the injury is minor as they prepare to return to action Saturday.

Saturday’s College Game Day Matchup

Rebels host Charlotte as Ole Miss, which finished last season with a loss to Miami in the College Football Playoff semifinals, will return home Saturday to host Charlotte. The victory over Louisville gives the Rebels an important early-season win against a ranked Power Four opponent as they begin another season with high expectations.

Louisville will look to bounce back Saturday when it hosts Villanova. Despite the loss, the Cardinals showed plenty of resilience after struggling early, turning the game into one of the most dramatic finishes of the opening weekend.