Before the game, and then while the Rebels were putting the finishing touches on a 41-10 first-round win over Tulane, Ole Miss fans chanted Pete Golding’s name. The former defensive coordinator, promoted to the full-time leading job after Lane Kiffin left for LSU, made his head coaching debut on Saturday and won one of the biggest games in program history.
When he was interviewed immediately after the game, Golding deflected the attention to his team.
“I was just excited for them to put everything behind them, get back out on the grass, and do what they love to do,” he told the TNT broadcast crew. “They created a great opportunity for themselves and came out and responded how I thought they would.”
Saturday marked the Rebels’ first game since Nov. 28. In the weeks between, Kiffin left for Baton Rouge in what became a somewhat messy separation. Pete Golding stayed behind and rallied the team.
Asked what he learned about the group, Golding said there was nothing unexpected about how they handled themselves.
“They’re the same guys that we recruited,” he said. “It’s a group that enjoys playing together, so we knew we were playing for another opportunity and we don’t want it to end.”
Ole Miss will face Georgia next, in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, for a spot in the College Football Playoff semifinals.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
