Pete Golding Shares How Ole Miss Won't Primarily Focus on LSU

The Ole Miss Rebels have to take the season one game at a time.

Ole Miss Rebels head coach Pete Golding speaks to the press during SEC Football Kickoff Media Day. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding has dominated the headlines at SEC Media Days in Tampa, Florida. College football fans are seeing his authenticity and his straightforward answers on full display.

It's a refreshing sight, particularly for a first-time head coach. It's clear why the program entrusted him to take the reins of Ole Miss football after Lane Kiffin's sudden departure.

Of course, Golding has been peppered with questions about his former colleague. With the Rebels set to host LSU in week three, the anticipation has only heightened, but Golding had the perfect response.

Ole Miss Won't Be Looking Ahead in the Schedule

Mississippi Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss drops back to pass. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Every college football fan will have the game between LSU and Ole Miss on September 19th circled on their calendar. Kiffin's return to Oxford will be met with more than just a shower of boos.

Rebels fans felt betrayed, and rightfully so. This will not just be another game on the schedule, even if the players and coaches insist on it. However, Golding had the perfect response to "looking ahead" to LSU.

Per Jim Dunaway on X, Golding referred to Kiffin as the ex that's always going to get brought up. He added, "Your focus better be on LSU week three, and if your focus isn't on Kentucky at home and you lose the game in order to go to the playoffs, or if your focus isn't on Florida on the road, you have to put your focus week in and week out in this league."

The games he referred to were the losses Ole Miss suffered in 2024 as they attempted a College Football Playoff push. The Rebels suffered a 20-17 loss to Kentucky in week five and a 24-17 defeat to Florida late in the season. Thoses losses kept Ole Miss out of the CFP.

It was certainly a clever jab at Kiffin. But Golding reiterated, "It allows us as coaches and players to put our focus on what matters and that's the next opponent. But LSU will get our undivided attention in week three and they'll deserve every bit of it."

The schedule certainly doesn't lighten up after LSU. The Rebels will host Georgia in November while also facing daunting road tests against Texas (Oct. 24) and Oklahoma (Nov. 14).

If Ole Miss wants to return to the CFP, they have to stick to Golding's advice of focusing on the opponent of the week and nothing else. That shouldn't be an issue with an experienced roster led by Trinidad Chambliss.

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