Ole Miss provided one of Week one’s most entertaining games, escaping Louisville 41-38 in Nashville.
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That victory demonstrated the Rebels’ offensive potential, but allowing 38 points also provided Pete Golding’s staff with plenty to correct.
Charlotte represents a much less dangerous opponent, which makes this an opportunity for Ole Miss to work on defensive consistency without sacrificing offensive aggression.
The Rebels enter the week ranked No. 9 in the AP poll after their opening victory. That’s a nice early-season reward, but the ranking won’t mean much if Ole Miss fails to improve defensively.
Charlotte’s goal will be slowing the game down. Long possessions, a productive running attack and converting third downs would keep the Ole Miss offense on the sideline. The problem is that falling behind quickly destroys that plan.
Ole Miss should attack from the beginning. The Rebels have enough offensive speed to stretch Charlotte horizontally and vertically, creating favorable matchups throughout the field. If Charlotte has to commit extra defenders to stopping the run, Ole Miss should find opportunities downfield.
Defensively, the Rebels need a cleaner performance—better tackling, fewer explosive plays and improved third-down execution. Golding would probably be happier with a 35-7 victory than another 50-point shootout.
The other objective is staying healthy. If Ole Miss establishes a comfortable lead, this is an excellent opportunity to rotate the roster and develop depth.
Charlotte may find some success early, particularly if Ole Miss suffers an emotional letdown after Louisville. But once the Rebels settle in, the difference in speed should become overwhelming.
Prediction: Ole Miss 49, Charlotte 14
