When Ole Miss and Tulane square off in the first round of the College Football Playoff on Dec. 20, it won’t just be a battle between two 11-win teams - it’ll be a meeting of two longtime friends now leading their respective programs into uncharted territory.
Pete Golding, in his first season as head coach at Ole Miss, will be facing off against Jon Sumrall, who’s still coaching Tulane through the end of their season before heading to his next stop at Florida. But for one more game, the two defensive-minded coaches - whose careers have zigzagged alongside each other - will be on opposite sidelines in Oxford.
“I love Pete,” Sumrall said on Dec. 15.
“Pete and I have kind of zigged and zagged across each other career-wise. … Pete and I have a great friendship, lot of respect.
… We talk a decent amount. When his name comes up on my phone, I never want to hit the end button because I like talking to him.”
That genuine respect will take a backseat for a few hours when Tulane’s Green Wave, sitting at 11-2, try to rewrite the script from their Week 4 loss to the Rebels - a 45-10 drubbing that left little doubt about which team was in control.
Back then, Golding was still Ole Miss’ defensive coordinator. Now, he’s leading the program after Lane Kiffin departed for LSU. And while his promotion might’ve flown under the radar in an era obsessed with flashy offensive hires, Sumrall knows just how rare and impressive Golding’s rise has been.
“It’s cool. Defensive guys, we’re not sexy.
Everybody wants a sexy offensive play caller. That’s what everybody wants,” Sumrall said.
“And for him to get a head job in the SEC right out of the gates is, I think, probably even more unique and rare.”
And make no mistake - Golding’s defense was the difference the first time around. Ole Miss held Tulane to just 10 points, their lowest output of the season, and limited the Green Wave to 282 total yards.
On third downs, Tulane managed just six conversions on 15 attempts. It was a clinic in defensive game-planning and execution.
“He does a lot of really good things,” said Tulane offensive coordinator Joe Craddock. “He’s done it for years.
… He does a really good job, very multiple, always keeps you off balance. We’re not going to see the same looks twice, and he does a good job of matching up your stuff, too.”
That unpredictability was a big reason Tulane’s passing game never found its rhythm. The Rebels held them to just 104 passing yards on the day.
Quarterback Jake Retzlaff struggled mightily, completing only 5-of-17 passes for 56 yards before being pulled in the fourth quarter. He did add 51 rushing yards, but the offense never found its footing.
Looking ahead to the rematch, Retzlaff is eager for another shot.
“I’m expecting a lot of the same because we didn’t play very well,” he said. “Obviously, he’s a dang good coach. That’s why he got elevated over there, and so I’m excited for the opportunity to go play against him.”
This playoff game marks the first appearance for both programs in the expanded College Football Playoff, and it’s fitting that it comes with a twist of familiarity between the head coaches. Golding and Sumrall may be friends off the field, but come Dec. 20, it’s all business - and both sides know exactly what the other is capable of.