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Sunday College Football Recap: Ole Miss Escapes Louisville, Notre Dame Pulls Away at Lambeau Field

No. 9 Ole Miss won on the final play, No. 4 Notre Dame overwhelmed Wisconsin after halftime and No. 17 Washington retained the Apple Cup.

The opening weekend of the 2026 college football season concluded Sunday, September 6, with three FBS games carrying national and regional significance.

No. 9 Ole Miss survived No. 24 Louisville in the weekend’s only matchup between ranked teams, winning 41-38 on Lucas Carneiro’s field goal as time expired. No. 4 Notre Dame turned a close game against Wisconsin into a 41-13 rout, while No. 17 Washington overcame a sluggish start to defeat Washington State 24-10 in the 118th Apple Cup.

Here is a complete recap of Sunday’s FBS college football action.

No. 9 Ole Miss 41, No. 24 Louisville 38

Lucas Carneiro kicked a 48-yard field goal as time expired, lifting Ole Miss past Louisville in a thrilling Music City Kickoff at Nissan Stadium in Nashville.

The game began as a defensive battle before erupting into a 63-point second half. Louisville led 3-0 after the opening quarter, and Ole Miss carried only a 10-6 advantage into halftime. The two teams then combined for 32 points in the third quarter and 31 more in the fourth.

Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss completed an impressive season-opening performance with 336 passing yards, three touchdown passes and another score on the ground. He overcame two early Ole Miss turnovers and repeatedly produced explosive plays after halftime.

Deuce Alexander became Chambliss’ primary deep threat, catching five passes for 159 yards and two touchdowns. One of those scores covered 62 yards.

Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy contributed 61 rushing yards and a touchdown on 17 carries before leaving late in the third quarter with a leg bruise. He briefly returned as a decoy but did not receive another carry. Makhi Frazier assumed a larger role in his absence. Reuters reported that Lacy’s injury was diagnosed as a bruise.

Won’t Say Die

Louisville refused to fold after falling behind 38-24 during the fourth quarter. Quarterback Lincoln Kienholz, making his first start in several years, threw a 54-yard touchdown pass and later scored on a 7-yard scramble to tie the game at 38.

Kienholz finished with 307 passing yards and two touchdowns, helping Louisville accumulate 469 total yards. The Cardinals did not commit a turnover and won the turnover battle 2-0, but several costly penalties and special-teams mistakes prevented them from capitalizing fully.

After Louisville tied the score, Chambliss took possession with 1:41 remaining and moved Ole Miss into field-goal range. Carneiro then delivered the winning kick on the final play.

Ole Miss finished with 488 total yards and 24 first downs. Louisville produced 20 first downs but committed nine penalties for 82 yards. The Rebels’ ability to win despite losing the turnover battle demonstrated both their explosiveness and their resilience.

Turning point: After Louisville tied the score at 38, Chambliss calmly engineered the final drive and positioned Carneiro for the winning kick.

Star of the Game: Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss — 336 passing yards, three passing touchdowns and one rushing score.

Key statistic: Ole Miss scored 31 second-half points after managing only 10 before halftime.

No. 4 Notre Dame 41, Wisconsin 13

Notre Dame scored 28 of the game’s final 31 points to defeat Wisconsin at Lambeau Field in Green Bay.

The final margin disguised how competitive the game remained during the first half. Both teams opened with field goals, and Notre Dame did not score its first touchdown until a Wisconsin kickoff fumble created a short field. CJ Carr then found tight end James Flanigan for a 3-yard score.

Wisconsin responded with a touchdown reception by Malachi Coleman, reducing Notre Dame’s halftime advantage to 13-10. Coleman finished with four receptions for 76 yards and supplied the Badgers’ only touchdown.

The game changed dramatically after halftime.

Notre Dame opened the third quarter with a 70-yard touchdown drive capped by an Aneyas Williams rushing score. Moments later, cornerback DJ McKinney intercepted Wisconsin quarterback Colton Joseph and returned the ball 55 yards for a touchdown.

The defensive score transformed a 20-10 game into a 27-10 advantage and forced Wisconsin away from its preferred offensive approach.

Second Half Blitz

Williams added another rushing touchdown during the fourth quarter, and Carr completed the scoring with a touchdown pass to Nolan James. Notre Dame outscored Wisconsin 28-3 after halftime, according to the official Wisconsin recap.

Carr completed 19 of 29 passes for 239 yards and two touchdowns. He spread the ball among nine receivers and avoided the damaging turnover that could have allowed Wisconsin to extend the first-half pressure.

Williams rushed for 90 yards and two touchdowns. Notre Dame’s defense received nine tackles from Drayk Bowen, seven from Jaiden Ausberry and seven from Adon Shuler. Notre Dame’s official recap credited McKinney’s interception return as the defining defensive play.

The victory also carried a peculiar historical symmetry. Notre Dame defeated Wisconsin 41-13 at Soldier Field in 2021 and produced the identical score five years later at Lambeau Field.

For Wisconsin, the first half offered encouragement after an offseason roster overhaul. The Badgers generated pressure against Carr and kept the Irish offense uncomfortable, but their inability to protect the football and answer Notre Dame’s second-half running game eventually produced a lopsided result.

Turning point: DJ McKinney’s 55-yard interception return gave Notre Dame a 27-10 lead and broke Wisconsin’s resistance.

Star of the Game: Aneyas Williams, Notre Dame — 90 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

Key statistic: Notre Dame outscored Wisconsin 28-3 during the second half.

No. 17 Washington 24, Washington State 10

Washington retained the Apple Cup by scoring two touchdowns in the final eight minutes to pull away from Washington State at Husky Stadium.

The Huskies controlled the scoreboard during the first half but struggled to play clean football. Tyler Robles opened the scoring with a 48-yard field goal, and Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. added a 5-yard touchdown run following an interception that handed the Huskies possession deep in Washington State territory.

Washington carried a 10-0 lead into halftime, but the Cougars’ defense kept the game within reach. Washington State consistently pressured Williams and prevented Washington’s running backs from controlling the game.

The Cougars finally broke through early in the fourth quarter when quarterback Caden Pinnick completed a 62-yard drive with an 11-yard touchdown run. The score reduced Washington’s lead to 10-7 and put the Huskies in danger of surrendering control of the rivalry.

Williams immediately delivered Washington’s best drive of the afternoon.

A 44-yard flea-flicker to Rashid Williams helped move the Huskies downfield, and the quarterback eventually found Williams for a 1-yard touchdown. The four-play, 75-yard possession lasted only 2:10 and restored Washington’s 10-point advantage.

Washington State responded with a 42-yard Jack Stevens field goal, but Demond Williams made another critical play on Washington’s next possession. Facing third-and-9, he escaped two defenders for a 21-yard gain. He followed that run with a 35-yard completion, setting up Jayden Limar’s 11-yard touchdown.

Demond Williams completed 24 of 35 passes for 268 yards and a touchdown while adding 61 rushing yards and another score. Washington’s defense limited the Cougars to 242 total yards and prevented them from converting any of their 11 third-down attempts. Washington’s official box score details the fourth-quarter scoring drives.

Jeron Jones and Alex McLaughlin recorded interceptions for Washington, while Isaiah Ward forced and recovered a fumble. The Huskies overcame 130 penalty yards, an issue that could become far more costly once Big Ten competition begins.

Pinnick supplied Washington State’s most productive rushing performance with 61 yards and its only touchdown. The Cougars’ running backs combined for only 39 yards, leaving the offense heavily dependent on the quarterback.

Washington won its second consecutive Apple Cup after beating Washington State 59-24 in Pullman last season.

Turning point: Washington answered Pinnick’s fourth-quarter touchdown with a four-play, 75-yard scoring drive.

Star of the Game: Demond Williams Jr., Washington — 329 total yards and two touchdowns.

Key statistic: Washington State finished 0-for-11 on third down.

Complete Sunday FBS College Football Scores

• No. 17 Washington 24, Washington State 10
• No. 4 Notre Dame 41, Wisconsin 13
• No. 9 Ole Miss 41, No. 24 Louisville 38

Sunday’s Biggest Takeaways

Ole Miss passed its first major test

The Rebels displayed plenty of early-season flaws, including two turnovers and costly defensive lapses. However, Chambliss showed he could take over a game when Ole Miss needed him most.

The immediate concern involves Lacy’s health. The leg bruise does not initially appear to be a long-term injury, but Ole Miss will need its star running back healthy for the SEC schedule.

Notre Dame remains a playoff contender

The Fighting Irish did not look dominant during the first half, but championship contenders must adjust when their opening plan fails. Notre Dame found its running game, forced a decisive turnover and controlled the final 30 minutes.

Questions remain about the pass protection, but the defense again appears capable of carrying Notre Dame through difficult stretches.

Washington’s defense covered for an uneven offense

The Huskies committed too many penalties and struggled to establish their conventional running game. Williams nevertheless supplied the explosive fourth-quarter plays Washington needed.

The defense provided the foundation by forcing three turnovers and denying Washington State on all 11 third-down attempts.

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