Ole Miss football will open the 2026 season against Louisville in the inaugural Music City Kickoff on Sunday, Sept. 6. The game is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Central Time at Nissan Stadium in Nashville and will be televised in primetime on ABC, according to the university.
Ole Miss Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics Keith Carter expressed enthusiasm for the matchup. “This matchup was already a tremendous opportunity for our program, kicking off Coach Golding’s first full season at the helm against a high-caliber opponent like Louisville, set in a premier destination like Nashville. Now with the added spotlight of a Sunday primetime national broadcast, the stage is even bigger,” Carter said. “We’re confident Rebel alumni and fans throughout Music City will turn out in great numbers to create an electric atmosphere and be part of a memorable night.”
This will be the second meeting between the Rebels and Cardinals, with the previous also being a season-opening, neutral-site game. Ole Miss defeated Louisville 43-24 in the 2021 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta.
The Rebels have played at Nissan Stadium three times before. They beat Georgia Tech 25-17 in the 2013 Music City Bowl and defeated Vanderbilt 41-3 on Sept. 6, 2014. However, they lost the 2000 Music City Bowl to West Virginia, 49-38.
Tickets for the Music City Kickoff go on sale April 8. More event details will be announced at a later date. Fans can follow updates on Ole Miss football on social media at @olemissfb on Twitter and Instagram, and at OleMissFootball on Facebook.
