Louisville and Ole Miss to Open 2026 College Football Season in Nashville’s Inaugural Music City Kickoff
March 05, 2026 | Football
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The University of Louisville and the University of Mississippi will open the 2026 college football season in the inaugural Music City Kickoff at Nissan Stadium, home of the Tennessee Titans, on Sunday, Sept. 6. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET, with the nationally televised matchup airing on ABC.
The Labor Day weekend neutral-site contest, brought to Nashville by the Nashville Sports Council in collaboration with ESPN Events, will feature a compelling SEC–ACC showdown in the heart of Music City.
"We're excited to partner with Ole Miss, ESPN and the Nashville Sports Council to bring this season-opening matchup to Nashville," said University of Louisville Vice President and Director of Athletics Josh Heird. "This game presents a tremendous opportunity for our program, our student-athletes and our fans. Nashville is home to a strong and passionate Cardinals presence, and the chance to showcase Louisville Football in a premier venue against elite competition on a national stage is one we fully embrace."
Louisville finished the 2025 season with a 9–4 record, closing the year with victories over Kentucky and Toledo. The nine-win campaign marked the Cardinals' third consecutive season with at least nine victories under head coach Jeff Brohm, accomplishing that feat for only the second time in program history.
The matchup will mark the second meeting between the two programs. Louisville and Ole Miss last met in the 2021 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta, a neutral-site season opener won by the Rebels, 43–24. While both teams have previously played at Nissan Stadium, the 2026 Music City Kickoff will mark their first meeting at the venue.
"This matchup was already a tremendous opportunity for our program, kicking off Coach Golding's first full season at the helm against a high-caliber opponent like Louisville in a premier destination like Nashville," said Ole Miss Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics Keith Carter. "Now, with the added spotlight of a Sunday prime-time national broadcast, the stage is even bigger. We're confident Rebel alumni and fans throughout Music City will turn out in great numbers to create an electric atmosphere and be part of a memorable night."
Ole Miss is coming off one of the most successful seasons in program history. The Rebels recorded a 13-win season in 2025 and earned the program's first appearance in the College Football Playoff.
Louisville will have an additional presence in Nashville that day, as the Cardinals' volleyball team competes at Bridgestone Arena at 11 a.m. CT against Texas in the second annual Sprouts Farmers Market Broadway Block Party, which will also be broadcast nationally on ABC.
"We're thrilled to welcome Ole Miss and Louisville to Nashville for the inaugural Labor Day weekend Music City Kickoff," said Scott Ramsey, president and CEO of the Nashville Sports Council. "This nationally televised prime-time match-up between two outstanding programs is an exciting way to open their 2026 seasons. We're grateful for our partnerships with ESPN Events and Nissan Stadium and look forward to delivering a first-class experience for student-athletes and fans alike."
The matchup will anchor Labor Day weekend in Nashville, bringing SEC and ACC fan bases together in one of the nation's premier sports and entertainment destinations.
Tickets for the Music City Kickoff will go on sale April 8, 2026.
Ole Miss will serve as the home team and be seated on the west side of the stadium, while Louisville will serve as the visiting team and occupy the east sideline.
Additional event details will be announced at a later date.
The Nashville Sports Council and ESPN Events most recently collaborated on the Sprouts Farmers Market Broadway Block Party, a premier college volleyball doubleheader that debuted in August 2025 and featured several of the nation's top programs from the SEC and Big Ten.
The inaugural event delivered ESPN networks' most-watched regular-season college volleyball match ever, as Nebraska vs. Kentucky averaged 1.2 million viewers on ABC.
For more information, visit www.NashvilleSports.com and and www.ESPNEvents.com
