Let’s look back at Mississippi’s first big college football weekend. And let’s start with No. 9 Ole Miss, which survived No. 24 Louisville, 41-38, in a thriller that began with a first half defensive struggle that turned into a second half shootout.
Rick Cleveland“Hotty Toddy” is the usual Ole Miss refrain after a hard-fought victory, especially a nationally televised win over a really good team. But that wasn’t the case Sunday night in Nashville when the most audible Rebel reaction was a collective, “Whew!”
“Whew” because Ole Miss survived a two-turnover deficit, first half offensive stumbles, a second half defensive collapse, several crucial injuries and what coach Pete Golding correctly called “a really good Louisville team.” Golding was also dead-on when he told the post-game interviewer, “We got a lot of work to do.”
Better to do that extensive work with a 1-0 record than with the alternative that suddenly became quite likely when Louisville erased a 38-24 lead in a four-minute span late in the fourth quarter. Bottom line: Trinidad Chambliss, the Rebels’ fearless quarterback, wasn’t going to let the Rebels lose. He threw for 336 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 50 yards and another touchdown.
And, when it mattered most after Louisville tied the game with a minute, 28 seconds remaining, Chambliss led the Rebels 40 yards against the clock to set up Lucas Carneiro’s 48-yard, game-winning field goal as time expired.
Facing third and six at his own 40 with 42 seconds remaining, Chambliss cooly hit tight end Caleb Odom with an 18-yard dart over the middle to extend the drive. Odom, who began his college career at Alabama, also caught a touchdown, while Deuce Alexander, a rocket of a wide receiver, caught two touchdowns.
Mississippi quarterback Trinidad Chambliss (6) looks to throw a pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Louisville, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. Credit: AP Photo/George Walker IVMost concerning for Golding has to be the injuries to key players, such as preseason All American running back Kewan Lacy, who missed nearly all the second half with what appeared to be a leg bruise. The Rebels also lost defensive lineman Kam Franklin, who was a force before leaving the game, linebacker Keaton Thomas, guard Delano Townsend and offensive tackle Tommy Kinsler. The nature and extent of their injuries are not known.
The Rebels can probably manage this Saturday’s home opener with Charlotte, a 43-41 loser to The Citadel, without those guys but then comes you-know-who on Sept. 19. One man’s opinion: The LSU team I watched clobber Clemson 51-10 Saturday night would beat the Ole Miss team I watched Sunday night by two touchdowns or more. Yes, much work to do.
Mississippi State 62, UL-Monroe 13
The Bulldogs did what they were supposed to do against an inferior team, putting up other-worldly offensive numbers in the process. State gained 762 yards of total offense, just a smidgeon under a first down per play.
It could have been worse if State coach Jeff Lebby had a sadistic streak. He called off the Dogs early. Kamario Taylor wasn’t as sharp as these eyes have seen him before, so he threw for only 354 yards and four touchdowns without an interception and ran for 59 more and another score. He is going to win some big games for State.
Mississippi State head coach Jeff Lebby calls out to his players during Mississippi State’s NCAA college spring football game, Saturday, April 20, 2024, in Starkville, Miss. Credit: AP Photo/Rogelio V. SolisTaylor has more help this season with a deep pool of running backs and receivers and an offensive line that for one night, at least, was dominating. We will see just how much they have improved Saturday. That’s when the Dogs venture into Big Ten country to play at Minnesota, which won seven games and a bowl last year and started the season with a 59-7 crushing of Eastern Illinois.
Both Minnesota and State take a huge step up in competition.
Southern Miss 49, Alcorn State 3
Yes, the Golden Eagles dominated an out-manned team, but they surely looked sharp in doing so. When you consider what little Blake Anderson inherited and the fact that he brought more than 70 new players into the program, his team was crisp and efficient.
“We did what we were supposed to do,” is the way Anderson put it.
Blake Anderson is the University of Southern Mississippi’s new head football coach.Anderson’s teams usually do. He’s been there before, done this and done it well. He won two Sun Belt championships at Arkansas State. He won one Mountain West championship at Utah State. He had taken nine of the 10 college teams he has coached to bowl games.
Despite missing much of preseason practice with a bruised thumb on his throwing hand, quarterback Ethan Hampton played well after a rusty start. He isn’t the most mobile guy but he has a strong arm and once quarterbacked Northern Illinois to a victory at Notre Dame. So there’s that. A fleet of running backs with varied skills ran well. And the USM defense harassed talented Alcorn quarterback Jaylon Tolbert, intercepting him four times. Kobi Albert, a newcomer at cornerback, swiped three of those.
What Anderson had to say after Saturday night’s win was this: “Now it gets real.”
Yes, it does. Southern Miss will be a decided underdog Saturday at Auburn.
Jackson State 66, Edward Waters 14
This was the most one-sided matchup of all. Jackson State out-gained the Division II visitors 704-231 and could have scored far more. The question is: Why? Why play this game?
In fact, Edward Waters president A. Zachary Faison Jr. asked himself that same question afterward, and then apologized to players, coaches and fans for allowing the game to be scheduled. You don’t see or hear that every day.
“I owe an apology because the position we placed you in Saturday was not your doing and it was not your coaches’,” Faison wrote in a statement on social media. “The decision was mine.”
Faison indicated he scheduled the game because of a $60,000 guaranty Jackson State paid Edward Waters to make the trip from Jacksonville, Florida. The road trip cost approximately $30,000 in travel expenses, meaning the game netted the Florida school only $30,000.
Faison said a lot more, but I’ll paraphrase. He said Edward Waters will never play a Division I team again. He said 30 grand isn’t nearly a large enough pay day for such a terrible beating.
Jackson State plays host to Tuskegee, another D-II school, albeit a much better football team. Tuskegee defeated Fort Valley State 24-23 last Saturday in Mobile, Alabama.
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