Tulane's Jon Sumrall Reveals Definitive Statement on Lane Kiffin's Ole Miss Departure

No. 6 Ole Miss (11-1, 7-1 SEC) will square off against the Tulane Green Wave on Saturday afternoon at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in the program's College Football Playoff debut.

In what will be Pete Golding's first game as the head coach of Ole Miss, the new-look Rebels will host Jon Sumrall's Green Wave in Oxford with the energy set to be at an all-time high in the Magnolia State.

“Leaving that Florida game, I think they know the expectation,” Golding said last week. “They’ve created an environment here over the last couple years. You can look at the records across the SEC as far as home win/loss. They know how to do it right.

"So, I don’t think they need a message from me. If they can’t get up for a playoff game on Saturday in the Vaught, something’s wrong with them. I know they’ll be there. I know they’ll be loud and they’ll be proud. Hopefully we’ll put a good product on the field to make them happy when they leave.”

Now, Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall has provided his thoughts on what's to come, how Ole Miss stacks up without Lane Kiffin on the sidelines, and the message ahead of the College Football Playoff.

The Game Information: College Football Playoff

Matchup: Ole Miss Rebels vs. Tulane Green Wave
Kickoff Time: 2:30 p.m. CT
Venue: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium
TV Channel: TNT
Radio: Ole Miss Sports Radio Network
Ole Miss Rebels Record: 11-1 (7-1 SEC)
Tulane Green Wave Record: 11-2 (7-1 AAC)

Jon Sumrall's Take: Ole Miss Will Still Be Ole Miss

"I have a lot of respect for Lane. Lane's done a great job at Ole Miss, but he isn't the only reason they've had success. They've really put together an elite roster in college football. Their NIL - their rev-share - is as aligned as anybody in America. So they've got a great roster. All of their coaches are staying for the game.

"Pete Golding - the new head coach moving forward - is going to call the defense. Charlie Weis Jr. has been the offensive coordinator, he's going to call the offense... All three phases they're going to have the same primary play-callers. Nothing has really changed in that regard."

Tulane HC Jon Sumrall shared his thoughts on facing Ole Miss w/o Lane Kiffin on the sideline.

"Lane's done a great job at Ole Miss, but he's not the only reason they've had success."

Tulane's CFP matchup w/ Ole Miss is set for Saturday.

Full interview: https://t.co/b4ExH4mNOa pic.twitter.com/eF0TEGeRru
— Jon Sokoloff (@JonSokoloff) December 15, 2025

Josh Pate's Prediction:

“The way I think these games are going to play out? You’ve got a rare opportunity here if you are the favorite. It used to be that I was scared of playoff expansion, because I thought we’d get to a spot where the playoff was so big that teams would, like, rest starters at the end of the year in games if they knew they had a playoff spot locked up.

"What I didn’t plan on was we made the playoff so big that we would have games where teams could rest starters during playoff games. But, if you get out to an early lead in these games, think about the opportunity. If you get out to an early lead, if you go for the throat, if you go for the kill shot early and you get it?

"You could be up 35-7, and your starters are already out midway through or late third quarter. I’m going to take Ole Miss to win and cover. I don’t know. I don’t know what to tell you other than it’s a playoff game. Enjoy it. We only get so many of them.”

More Ole Miss News:

Lane Kiffin Reacts to New Offensive Coordinator Being Hired By Ole Miss Football

Ole Miss Football QB Trinidad Chambliss Wins Major Award Amid Breakout Season

ESPN Predicts Outcome of Ole Miss Football vs. Tulane Green Wave in CFP Showdown

Join the Community:

Follow Zack Nagy on Twitter: @znagy20 and Ole Miss Rebels On SI: @OleMissOnSI for all coverage surrounding the Ole Miss program.