NOTE: Cianna Rivera attributed to this article.
Ole Miss is officially having its first home game of the season against the Charlotte 49ers tomorrow night at 6:45 p.m. Here is what we know going into tomorrow night’s game.
The Rebels started their season off with a shaky first game against No. 24 Louisville in Nashville last weekend. The game went back and forth for a while, but the Rebels managed to win the game with a field goal by Lucas Carneiro, 41-38.
Following the game against Louisville, wide receiver Deuce Alexander and kicker Lucas Carneiro both earned SEC Player of the Week honors due to their excellent performances.
With the game being at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Ole Miss has a huge advantage. Last season Ole Miss won every single home game and they hope to bring that into this season as well. The fans’ excitement in the stadium for the first home game of the season will be hard for Charlotte to drown out.
Ole Miss is heavily favored coming into Week 2 (see below). While this game is not overly exciting, Vegas is trying to make it interesting with a 45.5 point spread.
There is a lot of attention currently on Ole Miss with all the drama that happened last season and now the Heisman campaign for players Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy. But this game should be an easy win for Ole Miss.
Here’s everything else to know about Saturday night’s game.
The Opponent: Charlotte
Charlotte enters Oxford with an offense that appears far more dangerous than the unit that averaged 14.3 points last season. Veteran quarterback Cole Gonzales threw for 322 yards and three touchdowns against The Citadel, while adding two rushing scores. He recovered from two early interceptions and showed the mobility and experience to stress a defense through Charlotte’s RPO-heavy system. Running back Khamani Alexander is the primary big-play threat after rushing for 138 yards, including a 66-yard touchdown. Receivers Jaylen Hampton, Jaden Barnes and Derrick Eley also give Gonzales multiple vertical options.
The major concern is Charlotte’s defense. The 49ers allowed The Citadel to rush for 268 yards and six touchdowns, with missed tackles becoming such a problem that coach Tim Albin changed the team’s practice routine. Charlotte operates from a 4-2-5 base and wants to stop the run, mix pressures and disguise coverages, but its front faces a severe talent jump against Ole Miss. Safety Collin Gill is the key defender after making 11 tackles in the opener.
Charlotte can test whether Ole Miss fixed its coverage communication, but the matchup heavily favors the Rebels. The biggest questions are whether Charlotte can tackle in space, protect Gonzales and prevent explosives.
Weather Report
Rainy weather is in the forecast for Saturday morning in Oxford, but that should be long gone by the time Ole Miss and Charlotte take the field at night. According to the National Weather Service, there’s “a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 11am. Sunny, with a high near 92. West wind around 5 mph.”
Ole Miss Uniforms
- Helmet: Navy
- Jersey: Red
- Pants: Gray
The classic home look.#DripInTheSip | #HottyToddy pic.twitter.com/RdNRYRn0Vj
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) September 11, 2026
How to Watch: Charlotte at No. 9 Ole Miss
- Who: Charlotte 49ers (0-1) vs. No. 9 Ole Miss Rebels (1-0)
- When: 6:45 p.m., Sunday
- Where: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Oxford, Miss.
- TV: ESPN2
- Radio: Live Radio
- Stats: Live Stats
- Series History: First-ever meeting
- Last Meeting: n/a
- Last time out, Rebels: def. No. 24 Louisville, 41-38
- Last time out, Cardinals: lost to The Citadel, 43-41 (3 OT)
HottyToddy.com Staff Picks
Andy Hodges
Ole Miss 66, Charlotte 13. This game shouldn’t need any drama or there will be some legitimate questions, but don’t count on that happening. I do think Ole Miss wins it but the Charlotte offense may do most of that scoring in the fourth quarter against some backups. The last thing Pete Golding wants to happen in a blowout is get somebody injured he’ll need next week when LSU comes to town for the circus.
Taylor Hodges
Ole Miss 70, Charlotte 7. The Rebels need a big, confidence-boosting win before next week. Charlotte is the perfect team to get that. The 49ers struggled tackling an FCS team. Ole Miss will likely be able to score at-will. The 49ers’ offensive line is outmatched in every way. Cole Gonzales will be running for his life from the first snap. This one won’t be close at all.
Nina Houndeshell
Ole Miss 47, Charlotte 3. I think Charlotte has been having a difficult time finding their footing this last year, and it is going to be hard to come into a rank teams stadium with so much excitement and play at the same competitive level as them.
Hudson Miller
Ole Miss 63, Charlotte 6. I think people are severely underestimating the offensive fire power that this Ole Miss offense has. Yes, there was a slow start against Louisville, but from what I saw in the second half I wouldn’t be surprised to see it score more than 60 points on a team like Charlotte.
Cianna Rivera
Ole Miss 63, Charlotte 3. Ole Miss is definitely the favorable team in this upcoming game. While Ole Miss had a bit of a shaking start with Louisville, their offense and defense are going to shine this game. With it being the first home game of the season, the excitement will be sure to show on the field. Charlotte is currently 0-1 and after this game with Ole Miss they are going to be 0-2.
EA College Football 27 Sim: Charlotte at Ole Miss
Student-Athlete Availability Report
No official report was been made public, but Golding said none of the injuries suffered last weekend were serious ones. Expect the full roster to be available for the Rebels.
Odds, Spread, Totals
Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook
Spread
- Charlotte: +45.5 (-118)
- Ole Miss: -45.5 (-104)
Moneyline
- Charlotte: +8000
- Ole Miss: n/a
Total
- Over: 59.5 (-105)
- Under: 59.5 (-115)
