Pete Golding Has a Blunt Warning for Ole Miss Ahead of Louisville Game

Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding took over for the Rebels last December before the team's 2025 College Football Playoff run that saw them defeat Tulane and Georgia before losing a nail-biter to Miami in the semifinals.

Needless to say, following that run the Rebels are entering 2026 with high expectations. The biggest obstacle in the way of reaching those expectations and another deep playoff run for Ole Miss is the team's regular-season schedule.

Ole Miss plays six teams currently ranked in the AP Top 25, as opposed to the three they saw last season. It's easy for the Rebels to look past Louisville towards higher ranked opponents like LSU, who come to Oxford on September 19, but Pete Golding hasn't forgotten why you can't overlook the Cardinals.

Overlooking Louisville Makes No Sense

Miami Head Coach Mario Cristobal and Ole Miss Head Coach Pete Golding during a press conference prior to the 2026 Fiesta Bowl. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Wednesday during the SEC coaches teleconference, Golding brought up the semifinal loss to Miami. Golding also was quick to mention that one of the two teams that defeated Miami in the 2025 regular season was Louisville.

"The last team that put us out of the playoffs got beat by the team we're about to play," Golding said. "So like, if you're looking ahead to something else, man, then there's something wrong with you."

Golding is correct; Louisville is too talented to be overlooked and have legitimate reasons to worry Ole Miss. It's worth asking though, if Louisville is this good and an out-of-conference team, why schedule them?

On the surface, questioning playing more challenging games is correct, especially when half your opponents are ranked in preseason like Ole Miss' are this year, but Golding has seen the Rebels struggle and even lose winnable games early in the year for multiple seasons now, partially because of being underprepared for opponents.

Ole Miss can't afford to come out slow and take a loss in Week 1. Last season, if a few things went differently, the Rebels could've easily dropped games to Kentucky, Arkansas and Washington State. In a season where the Rebels play four teams currently ranked in the top 11, the winnable games become must wins.

Golding is having the team approach Louisville "like an SEC game" in hopes of having the team fully dialed-in by the time SEC play kicks off September 19. For Golding to get his wish Ole Miss needs a cerebral and physical win on Sunday, and I expect them to get it.

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