Pete Golding Details the Chaotic Hours That Brought Him to Ole Miss

The Ole Miss Rebels football program is coming off of, if not, the most exciting season in the program's history.

A semifinal appearance in the College Football Playoff is something that most teams are still dreaming of. However, the road to that moment wasn't easy. After former head coach Lane Kiffin accepted the head coaching job with the LSU Tigers, the Ole Miss athletic department needed someone they could trust to lead the program through the CFP. That's when Pete Golding was given an opportunity.

Golding's first games as head coach of the program were during the playoffs. The ultimate pressure situation proved that Golding could handle the future. As Golding prepares for his first regular season in Oxford, the Rebels' head man spoke with Always College Football host Greg McElroy about when he found out he would be the next coach of the program.

Next Man Up

Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding runs off the field during warmups before the CFP Fiesta Bowl at the State Farm Stadium, in Glendale, Ariz., on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. | Lauren Witte/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"I still couldn't get a real feel (on Kiffin) because I was with him the whole. Hey, on Tuesday (Kiffin) going to Florida. Hey, on Wednesday (Kiffin) going to LSU. Hey, Thursday (Kiffin) staying... Saturday night was when I got the first call from Keith (Carter) saying Kiffin had decided to go elsewhere," Golding recalled

Pete Golding opened up to ESPN’s Greg McIlroy about the end of the Lane Kiffin saga in Oxford and events that led to him being named the Ole Miss head coach.

Golding said that, leading up to the Egg Bowl, Kiffin was hard to read regarding an impending decision to bolt to LSU or… pic.twitter.com/hk6ImICl2e
— Caleb Salers (@CalebSalersST) June 19, 2026

It sounded like a roller coaster moment for the new Rebels head coach. Being with the former coach the entire week, knowing that his own future hung in the balance, had to be one of the most emotionally taxing moments of Golding's coaching career.

However, the dust has now settled. Golding is leading this team into the 2026 season, and if you asked around Oxford, the fans would probably tell you there is no one they want more than the guy they have on the sidelines right now.

The Time For Talk Will Soon End

Lane Kiffin Pete Goldin — Nov 23, 2023; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin (left) and Mississippi Rebels defensive coordinator Pete Golding (right) watch during the second half against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

There have been a few jabs back and forth this offseason between Coach Kiffin and Coach Golding. There have also been a lot of haymakers from each fan base. Soon, all of that will be figured out when these two teams take the field against one another in one of the most anticipated college football games in recent memory.

To put in perspective how big this game is, the official X account of the Ole Miss football program is already telling the fans how to dress for the game. September can't get here soon enough.

🚨STRIPE THE VAUGHT🚨

Mark your calendars and check your section ⬇️

🔗https://t.co/KgmMjohgl7 pic.twitter.com/Q5H63nqm8f
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) June 18, 2026

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