Pete Golding’s new gig at Ole Miss comes with a unique kind of pressure - the kind that follows a historic breakthrough and a high-profile exit. The Rebels just made their first-ever College Football Playoff appearance, and before the confetti even hit the turf, Lane Kiffin was already packing for Baton Rouge. Now, Golding steps into a role where the expectations are sky-high and the margin for patience is razor-thin.
Let’s be clear: Golding isn’t just replacing any coach - he’s following the most successful stretch in Ole Miss football history. Kiffin went 55-19 in Oxford, capped by three straight 10-win seasons, something the program had never done before.
That’s the standard now. And even though he’s gone, the shadow he left behind is long - and it stretches all the way to LSU, where he's now tasked with building what could be the SEC’s next powerhouse.
According to CBS Sports, the success bar for Golding is set at nine wins or a victory over LSU. That’s the baseline.
Meanwhile, Kiffin’s new benchmark at LSU? Simply make the playoff.
That contrast says everything about the different trajectories these two programs are now on - and the uphill battle Golding faces trying to keep Ole Miss in the national conversation.
And the transition wasn’t exactly smooth. Kiffin didn’t stick around to finish what he started.
Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter made the call to cut ties before the postseason, a decision that stirred up plenty of emotion in Oxford. Fans felt burned - and understandably so.
Kiffin had spent years rebuilding his image and the Rebels' reputation, only to leave before the biggest game in program history.
The fallout hit the roster, too. Golding inherits a team that lost key contributors to both the NFL and the transfer portal - and Kiffin didn’t hesitate to bring some of those players with him to Baton Rouge.
His first transfer class at LSU is ranked No. 1 nationally, with 40 commitments. One of the headline names?
Edge rusher Princewill Umanmielen - straight from Ole Miss.
And Kiffin’s not just winning in the portal - he’s dominating. When quarterback Sam Leavitt and offensive lineman Jordan Seaton left LSU’s campus without signing, Kiffin went into full-court press mode.
He flew to Knoxville to meet Leavitt at the airport, holding a nearly hour-long conversation just outside TSA. “I don’t really do well with no,” Kiffin said last week.
“So that just makes me more competitive when someone says no.”
Leavitt still visited Miami, but eventually called Kiffin to commit. Same with Seaton - after a trip to Atlanta to mull things over, the five-star tackle got the full Kiffin treatment and joined the Tigers.
That’s the kind of relentless energy Golding is up against. And while nine wins might sound like a fair goal on paper, the reality is far more complicated when you’re playing LSU every year - especially when the guy who set the bar is now wearing purple and gold, and still poaching your best players.
Golding’s challenge isn’t just about wins and losses. It’s about keeping Ole Miss relevant in a rapidly evolving SEC, where the arms race in recruiting and transfers shows no signs of slowing down. The Rebels got a taste of the spotlight - now it’s on Golding to make sure they stay there.