Pete Golding's First Ole Miss Team Is Already Facing a Playoff-Level Standard

It didn't take Pete Golding long in Oxford to set the standard. Having taken over as interim head coach late in the season after Lane Kiffin bolted for LSU, Golding led Ole Miss to its first CFP appearance and won two straight games before falling to Miami in the Fiesta Bowl semifinal.

Now, as Golding starts his first full season as head coach, the standard that was set in those three games is the expected standard of the whole program.

Preseason Expectations Are Sky-High

Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy (5) celebrates a touchdown during the CFP Fiesta Bowl against Miami at the State Farm Stadium, in Glendale, Ariz., on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

It’s a point backed by the polls. Ole Miss comes into 2026 with preseason top-15 rankings by ESPN, a huge increase from last season, when the Rebels began the year ranked No. 21 in the AP poll and weren’t really even being discussed for the SEC title game.

The SEC preseason media poll voted Ole Miss to come in third place in the conference, just behind Georgia and Texas, with seven Rebels receiving all-conference honors, with Trinidad Chambliss at quarterback, Kewan Lacy at running back, and Will Echoles as the defensive lineman all receiving first-team nods.

It’s already getting some pushback from analysts who say there isn’t enough information from three playoff games to draw conclusions on last year’s ceiling becoming this year’s floor.

Golding was the talk of SEC Media Day

Jul 22, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; Ole Miss Rebels head coach Pete Golding speaks to the press during SEC Football Kickoff Media Day at the Tampa Marriott. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

At his first time at the SEC Media Days in Tampa, Golding went all in on the event. Speaking about his relationship with Kiffin, he explained how he and his old boss still text each other. The two do not have any ill feelings towards each other regarding their new rivalry, as it doesn't come with any bitterness.

Golding made it clear that one of the things that will help the program stay successful is continuity, and it was proven by retaining assistants like Joe Judge, who is the quarterback coach, Randy Joyner as the defensive line coach, and John Garrison as the offensive line coach. When asked if he believes that they will be able to repeat last season's performance, Golding showed confidence.

"Every team makes their own legacy," he said.

A Full Season Under Golding

Jan 1, 2026; New Orleans, LA, USA; Ole Miss Rebels defensive tackle Jeffery Rush (90) celebrates after defeating the Georgia Bulldogs in the 2025 Sugar Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

More difficult to determine now will be whether or not Golding can continue this same approach through 12+ games rather than only 3 games. He has continued to assemble his staff, bringing on offensive coordinator John David Baker to maintain consistency with the system established by Kiffin and Charlie Weis Jr., but he has also revamped how athletes prepare mentally in conjunction with their strength training regimen.

Chambliss returns following his MVP performance in the Sugar Bowl, while Lacy – now the cover athlete for EA Sports College Football 27 – leads an expectedly potent ground attack in the coming season.

The Rebels start the year playing Louisville in Nashville, then welcoming LSU to Oxford before hitting the road to face off against Florida, Vanderbilt, and eventually Texas, which will soon tell the tale of whether or not Golding's Rebels are truly championship-caliber or just a team still finding its identity in its first year of full-time coaching.

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