Cole Gonzales and Khamani Alexander give the Rebels one more dual-threat challenge before SEC play begins.
Cole Gonzales No. 9
Charlotte scored 41 points in its season opener, and its backfield showed enough explosiveness to give No. 9 Ole Miss a meaningful defensive test Saturday.
The Rebels and 49ers will meet at 6:45 p.m. CT at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. The game will be televised on ESPN2.
Charlotte quarterback Cole Gonzales delivered an impressive all-around performance during a 43-41 triple-overtime loss to The Citadel. Gonzales threw for 322 yards and three touchdowns while adding two more scores on the ground.
Running back Khamani Alexander supplied the explosive element. He rushed for 138 yards on only 14 carries, averaging nearly 10 yards per attempt and breaking a 66-yard touchdown run.
Charlotte is not Louisville, but those numbers should have Ole Miss’ attention.
The Rebels escaped Nashville with a victory despite several defensive problems. Pete Golding said Ole Miss missed 19 tackles and surrendered 240 yards after contact. Busted coverages and poor pursuit angles also helped Louisville create explosive plays.
Saturday gives the defense an opportunity to show those mistakes were corrected—not simply discussed during the week.
Gonzales presents another dual-threat challenge. He can extend plays, escape pressure and punish a defense when its edge defenders lose containment. His performance against The Citadel showed that Ole Miss cannot allow him to become comfortable outside the pocket.
Alexander will provide a different test. His speed and big-play ability should challenge the Rebels’ gap discipline, pursuit angles and ability to finish tackles in space. If Ole Miss continues allowing excessive yards after contact, Alexander is capable of turning a routine run into an explosive gain.
Ole Miss owns the clear talent advantage, but Charlotte’s offense is not harmless. Gonzales and Alexander have already shown they can expose the same weaknesses Louisville found.
The final score will not provide the entire answer. Ole Miss could win comfortably and still leave Golding with concerns if the defense continues missing tackles, losing containment and allowing explosive plays.
Saturday is not about proving Ole Miss can beat Charlotte. It is about proving the Rebels learned from Louisville.
With LSU coming next, missed tackles, poor containment and explosive breakdowns can no longer be dismissed as opening-week mistakes.