ATLANTA (Sept. 19, 2017) – Louisville and Ole Miss will face off in the 2021 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in what will be the first-ever meeting between the two programs. The game will be played in the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium. An exact date, kick time and television network will be finalized at a later date.
Neither the Cardinals nor the Rebels are strangers to the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game, with both teams making their second appearance in the game. In Ole Miss’s previous appearance, the Rebels overtook Boise State 35-21 to open the 2014 season. The Cardinals are looking to earn their first Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game victory after falling to Auburn 31-24 in 2015.
To date, the ACC and SEC have met 10 times in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game, with the SEC holding a 9-1 advantage over the ACC in those games.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming both Louisville and Ole Miss back to Atlanta in what will be another exciting ACC vs. SEC showdown in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game,” said Gary Stokan, Peach Bowl, Inc. CEO and president. “An electric, sold-out crowd with these two historically passionate fan bases in the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium will be the perfect setting for the first-ever game between these two storied programs.”
“To have the opportunity to play in this game again for the second time is a huge win for our program,” Louisville Vice-President/Director of Athletics Tom Jurich said. “We are honored to be welcomed back by the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game, which is a tremendous testament to our loyal fan base, who helped pack the stadium in 2015. Our fans have a great history of traveling, and to have the opportunity to play a great program like Ole Miss in this brand-new facility will certainly be a hot ticket for the fans. Gary Stokan and the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl group do a tremendous job with this game and we appreciate them selecting Louisville for what has become the premier game to kick off the season.”
“We are thrilled to once again be part of the Chick-fil-A Kickoff. We always set the goal to end the regular season in Atlanta, so it’s only fitting that’s where we begin it,” said Ole Miss Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics Ross Bjork. “With our strong alumni base in Georgia, Rebel Nation will arrive in full force to experience this premier matchup in the nation’s finest new stadium. In addition, the Atlanta market is a key recruiting area for our staff, and this trip offers a tremendous opportunity to compete in front of those prospects.”
The game averages 68,887 – higher than the attendance of 37 bowl games last year – and has an average payout of $5.2 million. Television viewership is also traditionally strong with more than 59.7 million viewers tuning in to the series since its inaugural game in 2008.
The teams will battle for The Old Leather Helmet Trophy, one of college football’s newest rivalry-style icons. Traditionally, winners of The Old Leather Helmet don the helmet on the field after the game, starting with the head coach and then rotating from player to player as the team celebrates its victory.
Past and Future Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game match-ups include:
| Year: | Match-Up: | Winner: |
| 2008 | (9) Clemson vs. (24) Alabama | Alabama 34-10 |
| 2009 | (5) Alabama vs. (7) Virginia Tech | Alabama 34-24 |
| 2010 | (16) LSU vs. (18) North Carolina | LSU 30-24 |
| 2011 | (5) Boise State vs. (19) Georgia | Boise State 35-21 |
| 2012 | (25) NC State vs. Tennessee | Tennessee 35-21 |
| 2012 | (14) Clemson vs. (24) Auburn | Clemson 26-19 |
| 2013 | (1) Alabama vs. Virginia Tech | Alabama 35-10 |
| 2014 | (18) Ole Miss vs. Boise State | Ole Miss 35-13 |
| 2014 | (2) Alabama vs. West Virginia | Alabama 33-23 |
| 2015 | (25) Louisville vs. (6) Auburn | Auburn 31-24 |
| 2016 | (18) Georgia vs. (22) North Carolina | Georgia 33-24 |
| 2017 | (3) Florida State vs. (1) Alabama | Alabama 24-7 |
| 2017 | (25) Tennessee vs. Georgia Tech | Tennessee 42-41 |
| 2018 | Washington vs. Auburn | |
| 2019 | Alabama vs. Duke | |
| 2020 | West Virginia vs. Florida State | |
| 2020 | Georgia vs. Virginia | |
| 2021 | Alabama vs. Miami | |
| 2021 | Louisville vs. Ole Miss |
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ABOUT THE CHICK-FIL-A KICKOFF GAME
Created in 2008 by Peach Bowl, Inc., the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game is the preeminent bowl-style, neutral-site game featuring two elite football programs and has been nationally televised on the first Saturday of the college football season since its inception. The game has hosted teams with national rankings of No. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 14, 16, 18, 19, 22, 24 and 25. The Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game boasts an average attendance of 68,887, has been watched on television by 59.7 million viewers, and has distributed $67.5 million in total team payouts. Since its inception in 2008, the Chick-fil-A Kickoff game has featured six national coaches of the year, 16 players who were recipients of national awards during their collegiate careers and a total of 48 first-round NFL Draft picks. For more information, visit www.Chick-fil-AKickoffGame.com.