Ole Miss has a new head coach in Pete Golding, but the goal in Oxford hasn’t changed. After a run to the College Football Playoff semifinals a season ago, the Rebels are still chasing a return to that stage and hoping to push even farther.
Golding stepped into the spotlight after former head coach Lane Kiffin left for the LSU Tigers’ head coaching job, and the athletic department’s preference for Golding was obvious from the start. So far, he has shown he can handle the job.
The Rebels also made noise in the 2026 transfer portal, and one addition deserves more attention than most: running back Makhi Frazier.
Frazier began his college career at Michigan State, spending his first two seasons with the Spartans. He didn’t see much action as a freshman in East Lansing, but he started turning heads once he got a real chance this past season.
In 2025, Frazier logged 116 rushing attempts for 520 yards and two touchdowns. He enters his junior season at Ole Miss expected to work in a backup role, but that also gives him a chance to learn behind a potential Heisman Trophy finalist.
That backfield belongs to Kewan Lacy, who is set to be the Rebels’ featured runner in 2026. Alongside quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, Lacy gives Ole Miss a pair with a chance to become one of the most dynamic duos in college football history. Naturally, that kind of attention will force defenses to key in on Lacy even more.
And that’s where Frazier comes in. With opponents focused on slowing down Chambliss and Lacy, there should be openings for other players to make their mark. Frazier is one of the newcomers who could step into those moments and take advantage if defenses are caught looking elsewhere.
In Other News...
This Overlooked Ole Miss Coach Could Decide Whether The Offense Stays Elite
Ole Miss has already made one major transition by elevating Pete Golding to permanent head coach, but the next piece of the puzzle may be just as important for keeping the programs momentum intact. John David Baker is in as the new offensive coordinator for 2026, and his arrival gives the Rebels a familiar voice in a room that still has key pieces like Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy back in place.
Baker is not walking into a blank slate, either. He spent three years on the Ole Miss staff before, including time as co-offensive coordinator and tight ends coach, so there is real continuity behind the hire even as the staff changes around him. The bigger question now is how quickly he can settle into the role that will shape whether this offense keeps humming at the level Ole Miss expects. [Read more 🡒]
Suntarine Perkins Now Carries Ole Miss Biggest Season-Defining Pressure
Suntarine Perkins has spent four years turning promise into production, and Ole Miss is now asking him to do it on the biggest stage yet. The linebacker from Mississippi arrived as one of the most highly regarded recruits in the state, stayed committed to the Rebels through outside interest, and has steadily grown into a central piece of a defense that has leaned on him for impact plays and consistency alike.
His value was on display in the 2025 Sugar Bowl quarterfinal, when he helped deliver one of the games defining defensive moments with a forced fumble. Now the pressure only gets heavier, because Ole Miss hopes in the SEC and beyond are tied to whether Perkins keeps ascending as the kind of player who can tilt a season, not just fill a role in it. [Read more 🡒]