Ole Miss did not appear to miss coach Lane Kiffin too much in the first half Monday as the Rebels opened up a 26-0 halftime lead on Louisville at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, despite playing without their head coach after he tested positive for COVID-19. The Rebels’ offense picked up right where it left off last season, embarking on two touchdown drives of 90 yards or longer behind a balanced attack that featured three different running backs. Quarterback Matt Corral threw for 252 yards, far outperforming Louisville signal caller Malik Cunningham, who will need a special second half to get his team back in the game.
But the story of the first 30 minutes is Ole Miss’ defense. The Rebels fielded one of the nation’s worst defenses last season, but Louisville has struggled to move the ball in the opening two quarters. Perhaps the most telling stat is that Cunningham led the Cardinals in all three offensive categories with 17 yards passing, 54 yards rushing and nine yards receiving.
It’s the first meeting between these programs, and CBS Sports will be with you the entire way updating this story with the latest scores, analysis and highlights. Keep it locked here from the opening kickoff through the final whistle.