The 2026 college football season is set to open with the Ole Miss Rebels entering the year as the No. 9 team in the Associated Press preseason poll, a spot that follows a No. 10 ranking in the AFCA Coaches Poll.
Head coach Pete Golding, who guided the Rebels to a CFP semifinal appearance and a program‑first 13‑win campaign in 2025, is now preparing for his first full season at the helm.
A historic milestone
The 2025 campaign marked Ole Miss’s first ever 13‑win season, and the Rebels became the first team in school history to post three straight years with double‑digit victories, underscoring the program’s rapid ascent.
The roster has been reinforced by a top‑2 transfer class, marking the fifth consecutive year the Rebels finish among the nation’s top six in transfer rankings, while a high school signing class cracked the top 25.
Returning 48 letterwinners, including Walter Camp Award watch‑list honorees Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy, the team blends experience with fresh talent as it looks to build on its historic three‑year stretch of double‑digit wins.
The season opener is scheduled for Sunday, September 6, when Ole Miss travels to Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, to face the Louisville Cardinals.