No. 9 Ole Miss Set for Charlotte Home Opener

No. 9 Ole Miss will host Charlotte in its home opener Saturday after escaping then-No. 24 Louisville, 41-38, on a last-second field goal. The Rebels are emphasizing improvement and avoiding distractions from next week’s highly anticipated matchup with LSU. Charlotte lost its opener to The Citadel, 43-41, in triple overtime but demonstrated offensive potential with 538 total yards, including strong performances from quarterback Cole Gonzales, running back Khamani Alexander and wide receiver Jaylen Hampton. Ole Miss must tighten a defense that surrendered explosive plays and struggled against the run and on third downs against Louisville, while Charlotte seeks to rebound from a 1-11 season. The game is the first meeting between the programs and represents another major challenge for the 49ers.