NASHVILLE, Tenn. (March 5, 2026) – The University of Louisville Cardinals and Ole Miss Rebels will open their 2026 college football seasons in the first-ever Music City Kickoff at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium, home of the Tennessee Titans, on Sunday, Sept. 6. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. EST/6:30 p.m. CST, and the nationally televised matchup will air 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.
“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, set in a premier destination like Nashville. Now with the added spotlight of a Sunday primetime national broadcast, the stage is even bigger,” said Ole Miss Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics Keith Carter. “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.”
The Ole Miss 2025 season was one of the most successful stretches in program history, as the Rebels delivered a historic 11-win regular season and earned the program’s first College Football Playoff appearance.
This matchup marks the second meeting between the programs. Their first came in the 2021 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta, a neutral-site season opener won by Ole Miss, 43-24. While both teams have previously competed at Nissan Stadium, the 2026 Music City Kickoff will be their first meeting at the venue.
"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.”
In 2025, Louisville continued its strong run under head coach Jeff Brohm, recording its third consecutive season with at least nine wins and closing with a Boca Raton Bowl victory against the Toledo Rockets.
The Louisville Cardinals women's volleyball team will also compete across the Cumberland River at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena at 11 a.m. CST the same day, facing the University of Texas Longhorns in the second annual Sprouts Farmers Market Broadway Block Party broadcast nationally on ABC, marking a busy day in Music City for the Cardinals.
“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 matchup 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 on April 8, 2026. The Rebels will serve as the home team and be seated on the west side of the stadium, and the Cardinals will be the visiting team, seated on the east side. Additional event details will be released at a later date.
The Nashville Sports Council and ESPN Events most recently teamed up to present the Sprouts Farmers Market Broadway Block Party, a premier college volleyball doubleheader that debuted in August 2025, featuring some 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 on the Nashville Sports Council and ESPN Events, visit www.NashvilleSports.com and www.ESPNEvents.com.
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Contact
Emily Jimenez – REED, (678) 584-3421 or emily@reedpublicrelations.com
Danny Chi - ESPN, (213) 405-4400 or danny.c.chi@espn.com
About the Nashville Sports Council
The Nashville Sports Council, Inc. is a private, non-profit, membership-based organization of area companies and individual sports enthusiasts. Created in 1992, the Nashville Sports Council’s mission is to positively impact the economy and quality of life of the Greater Nashville Area by attracting and promoting professional and amateur sporting events. The Nashville Sports Council has hosted hundreds of major sporting events that have produced more than $1.4 billion in direct economic impact for the region. For more information call 615-743-3120 or visit NashvilleSports.com. Follow the Nashville Sports Council on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
About ESPN Events
ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, owns and operates a portfolio of collegiate sporting events nationwide. In the 2025-26 academic year, the 35-event schedule included three early-season college football kickoff games, 17 college bowl games, 10 college basketball events, two college volleyball events, the premier regular-season college softball and gymnastics events, as well as the Band of the Year National Championship. Collectively, these events accounted for over 400 hours of live programming on ESPN platforms, reaching 60 million viewers and attracting more than 650,000 annual attendees. Each year, the portfolio of events features more than 20 Division I conferences and hosts over 4,000 participating student-athletes. With satellite offices in more than 10 cities across the country, ESPN Events builds relationships with conferences, schools and local communities, as well as providing unique experiences for teams and fans.
Follow ESPN Events on Instagram, Facebook, X and YouTube pages.