No. 9 Ole Miss defeats Charlotte 41-9 in home opener

No. 9 Ole Miss defeated Charlotte 41-9 in its home opener Saturday night at Vaught-Hemmingway Stadium in Oxford, improving to 2-0 while Charlotte fell to 0-2. The victory was Ole Miss’ 13th consecutive home win, the third-longest active streak in the FBS.

The Rebels scored on five of six first-half drives and held a 245-118 advantage in total yards. Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss completed 23 of 26 passes for 225 yards and two touchdowns, while running back Kewan Lacy gained 87 yards on 13 carries and scored twice.

Lacy extended his streak to 11 consecutive games with a rushing touchdown, the longest such streak by an Ole Miss player in recorded history since 1956. Deuce Alexander led the receiving corps with eight catches for 76 yards, and Caleb Cunningham added six receptions for 65 yards.

Ole Miss led 27-0 at halftime after Lucas Carneiro made a 57-yard field goal, tying for the second-longest made kick by an Ole Miss player in Vaught-Hemmingway Stadium history. Nick Cull also recorded his first career interception and returned it 38 yards.

Charlotte scored two field goals in the third quarter and another in the fourth. The Rebels answered with touchdown passes from Chambliss to Horatio Fields and a rushing touchdown by backup quarterback Deuce Knight, the first of Knight’s career. Knight and multiple reserves also led an eight-play, 70-yard touchdown drive.

Ole Miss held Charlotte to 3 of 14 on third down. Luke Ferrelli led the Rebels with six total tackles, including five solo stops.

ESPN’s College GameDay is scheduled to broadcast from Oxford for the third time on Saturday, Sept. 19, with the show set to begin at 8 a.m. CT from The Grove Stage. That evening, Ole Miss is scheduled to play No. 8 LSU in the Magnolia Bowl at Vaught-Hemmingway Stadium at 6:30 p.m. on ABC.

Source: Ole Miss Athletics.