Ole Miss' First Month Under Pete Golding Produced More Questions Than Expected

The Ole Miss Rebels have to regroup after a tough loss.

Mississippi Rebels Head Coach Pete Golding. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

A bye week can be the best medicine for a reset. The Ole Miss Rebels suffered an unacceptable 52-28 loss to Florida last week, dropping Ole Miss to 3-1.

The Pete Golding era began tremendously, leading the Rebels to two College Football Playoff wins over Tulane and Georgia before falling to Miami in the Semifinal. The good vibes continued in 2026 as Ole Miss knocked off a ranked Louisville team on a last-second field goal and defeated LSU in a highly emotional game.

The honeymoon phase ended with last week's loss. Golding is still an outstanding head coach, but the Rebels have multiple questions to answer.

Where is the Balance From Both Sides of the Ball?

Mississippi Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The defense's struggles became a valid concern after the Gators easily moved the ball against the Rebels. Ole Miss survived on poor defensive play this year, but they were exposed last week in the loss.

However, the offense has to be held accountable too. The box score suggests the Rebels' offense was phenomenal. They scored 28 points and finished with 426 total yards. How they achieved those numbers is the issue.

Trinidad Chambliss leads the SEC in passing attempts (144). Without Kewan Lacy, Ole Miss abandoned the running game. If he returns next week, the Rebels must become a balanced offense. Use Lacy to wear down a defense and let their star quarterback make plays when an opposing defense collapses on the run.

Where is the Defensive Identity?

Florida Gators running back Jadan Baugh (13) is pushed out of bounds by Mississippi Rebels defensive tackle Will Echoles. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Defense is Golding's bread and butter. Instead, it's become a serious concern as the bye week ends. There is no doubt this coaching staff worked tirelessly to find a solution, but until there are actual signs of improvement on the field, the defense will be hard to trust.

Perhaps Golding pivots to younger players such as Landon Barnes or Dorian Barney, because nothing is working right now. The Rebels can score as many points as they want, but if the defense can't get off the field, Ole Miss will struggle to win games.

In the SEC, the Rebels rank second-to-last in sacks (6) and last in run defense. They've also failed to create takeaways. Something has to give. Whether it's the personnel or the scheme, Golding is searching for answers.

On the bright side, Ole Miss is 3-1, and their goals are still in front of them. This team is extremely talented and should remain a top-10 team moving forward.

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