Pete Golding’s Playoff Debut Was More Than a Win - It Was a Statement
OXFORD, Miss. - As chants of “Pete! Pete!
Pete!” echoed through Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Pete Golding soaked in the moment - literally and figuratively.
Drenched from the postgame celebration, Golding walked off the field with his two sons, fist raised high, and let his visor fly into the crowd. It was a nod to a familiar gesture from his predecessor, but this one hit differently.
This wasn’t just a win. It was the first-ever College Football Playoff victory in Ole Miss history - and it came under a first-time head coach who, just weeks ago, was still calling plays as a defensive coordinator.
Golding wasn’t supposed to be here. At least, not yet.
But when Lane Kiffin left for LSU - in a move that sent shockwaves through Oxford - Ole Miss needed someone to steady the ship. And in stepped Golding, who didn’t just keep the team afloat.
He steered it straight into the record books.
“Look, we just had a home playoff game in Oxford, had a decent signing day, and we just won the game,” Golding said, deadpan, when asked about the crowd chanting his name. “I’m well aware how the other side goes when you don’t win the game - I’ve been on both sides of that.”
That kind of grounded confidence is exactly what Ole Miss needed in a chaotic moment. Golding’s debut came with more than the usual first-game jitters.
He inherited a playoff team on the fly, had to follow a coach who left mid-run, and was tasked with winning a postseason game against a team the Rebels had already blown out earlier in the year. No pressure, right?
But Golding didn’t flinch. And neither did his team.
A Seamless Transition in a Chaotic Time
The 43-10 win over No. 11 Tulane may look like a blowout on paper, but the context makes it even more impressive.
This was a program that had just lost its head coach under unprecedented circumstances. Kiffin, to his credit, tried to coach through the playoff, but Ole Miss made the call to move on - and fast.
Athletic director Keith Carter stood firm in that decision and handed the reins to Golding.
It could’ve gone sideways. Easily.
But instead, the Rebels looked sharp from the opening whistle, jumping out to a 14-0 lead and never letting Tulane into the game. The Green Wave didn’t find the end zone until a meaningless garbage-time score with four minutes left.
Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss led the way with 282 passing yards, one touchdown through the air, and two more on the ground. Offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., who will join Kiffin in Baton Rouge after the playoff run, stayed on to call plays - and called a gem.
Golding had no doubts about Weis Jr.’s commitment or ability.
“I had zero concern with Charlie calling this thing,” Golding said. “All he’s heard is ‘Lane Kiffin’s offense, Lane Kiffin’s offense.’
This was his shot to show folks he’s been calling it all year. And he did a great job tonight.
The last thing Charlie wants to do is come out and lay an egg.”
A New Era, A New Voice
While the scheme remained largely intact, there were subtle but telling shifts under Golding’s leadership. For starters, the end-zone basketball hoop - once a staple of touchdown celebrations - was gone. Even after forcing three turnovers, the Rebels didn’t bring it back out.
Another change? Players could wear whatever color cleats they wanted, as long as they were Nike.
Under Kiffin, uniformity was the rule. Under Golding, there’s a little more room for individuality - a small gesture, but one that players noticed.
Those changes stemmed from two key questions Golding asked every player after taking over:
- What’s the No. 1 thing you love about Ole Miss football?
- What’s the biggest thing you’d change if you could?
That kind of open dialogue isn’t always the norm in college football, especially from a newly minted head coach trying to establish authority. But Golding isn’t trying to be anyone else - and that authenticity is resonating.
“He just has that head coach swag about himself,” said co-defensive coordinator Bryan Brown. “He controls the moment, he controls the narrative. The guys believe in him, just like they do defensively, and you could see it carry over to the whole team.”
Quarterbacks coach Joe Judge echoed that sentiment: “Pete’s Pete. What makes him special is he doesn’t change - no matter the title.”
Rough Edges and Real Talk
Golding, 41, is still figuring out the head coaching thing - and he’ll be the first to admit it. He joked about trying to cut back on cussing (“a work in progress,” he said with a grin) and turned parts of his postgame press conference into stand-up comedy, complete with self-deprecating humor and some colorful language.
When asked how hard it was to keep the team focused amid the coaching drama, he didn’t sugarcoat it.
“I don’t think it was very hard at all,” he said. “It’d be one thing - no disrespect - if this was the Pop-Tarts Bowl or something like that.
That shit would be really hard. This is the playoffs.
When people started talking about ‘Are they gonna play? Are they not gonna play?’
What are you talking about?”
That blunt honesty is part of what makes Golding so relatable - to his players, to his staff, and now, to a fanbase that was desperately looking for someone to believe in again.
Georgia Awaits - Again
The next challenge? A rematch with No.
3 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. Ole Miss already saw the Bulldogs once this season - a 43-35 loss in Athens where the defense gave up over 500 yards and 34 first downs without forcing a single punt.
Golding knows that kind of performance won’t cut it in New Orleans. But that’s a problem for another day.
For now, Golding can celebrate a debut that was nothing short of historic. In front of a record crowd in Oxford, he delivered something no coach in Ole Miss history ever had: a playoff win.
And in doing so, he gave Rebel fans a new reason to believe - and a new name to chant.