On Saturday night, Ole Miss secured a decisive 41-10 victory over Tulane, a win that also marked the high-stakes debut of new head coach Pete Golding, who stepped in after Lane Kiffin departed for LSU on Nov. 30.
Entering the first-round CFP matchup, Ole Miss held a 12-1 record as the No. 6 seed, while Tulane entered at 11-3 as the No. 11 seed.
Golding reflected on the team’s resilience, saying, “To know what they’ve been through, and know the direction that they could have gone,” and added, “They came here for some guys that looked like they left them, and they were able to battle through that. And for them to get the outcome that they deserve was awesome.”
From the opening kickoff, Ole Miss established a 14-0 lead before eight minutes, with a 20-yard run by Kewan Lacy followed by a 4-yard run by Trinidad Chambliss. Lacy’s score capped a 75-yard drive that unfolded in just three plays and 59 seconds, a testament to the Rebels’ explosive start. Tulane never closed the gap beyond 11 points after that early surge.
Ongoing offensive production saw Ole Miss finish with 497 yards of total offense, while Tulane accumulated 421 yards. Chambliss ran for two touchdowns and threw for another, amassing 282 passing yards. Lacy rushed for 87 yards before leaving the fourth quarter with a left-shoulder injury. De’Zhaun Stribling caught five passes for 79 yards, including a 13-yard touchdown. LSU transfer Logan Diggs added a 3-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
Tulane’s quarterback Jake Retzlaff passed for 306 yards and a touchdown, and Jamauri McClure carried the ball for 84 yards on 15 carries. The Rebels’ defense, however, struggled to generate momentum, as coach Jon Sumrall remarked, “We just could not situationally capitalize on opportunities to maybe get some momentum going to where we could have a fighting chance.”
Despite the Rebels’ offensive firepower, Tulane’s defense recorded multiple fumble recoveries and fourth-down stops, and cornerback Jaylon Braxton secured an early interception. Nevertheless, the team could not translate those plays into a competitive scoreline, and the loss left non-power-conference teams at 0-3 in CFP games, with James Madison scheduled to face Oregon later that Saturday night.
Sumrall also reflected on the season, saying, “While the outcome tonight sucks – I’m not happy with it and there’s nothing about it I feel good about – I still feel good about this football team because we hoisted (an American Conference) championship trophy two weeks ago.”
After the final whistle, the crowd roared as Golding walked onto the field during warm-ups, a moment amplified by former Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning’s sideline greeting. Fans chanted, “Pete! Pete! Pete!” as the new coach’s presence was celebrated amid artwork in Mississippi’s Grove that contrasted Kiffin’s negative depiction with Golding’s positive image.
Chambliss praised the team’s execution, saying, “The juice was there for sure,” and added, “We executed really well.” He also echoed the sentiment toward the new coach, saying, “We are excited and thrilled for PG,” and added, “He deserved it.”
Golding expressed enthusiasm for the program and its players, stating, “Super excited for our program, more importantly for our players, to go play again,” and added, “That was the message to them throughout: You’re playing to play again and not let the season end.”
Golding also addressed the coaching transition, noting, “I expected Charlie to call a great offensive game. All he has heard is: Lane Kiffin’s offense, Lane Kiffin’s offense, Lane Kiffin’s offense,” and continued, “So, the last thing he wanted to do was lay an egg.”
Pete Golding was promoted from defensive coordinator after Kiffin’s departure on Nov. 30. Kiffin had requested to remain on Ole Miss’s coaching staff through the playoff, but athletic director Keith Carter declined. Meanwhile, offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. was permitted to stay with the Rebels before joining Kiffin in Baton Rouge. Tulane’s coach Jon Sumrall, who has already been named Florida’s coach, was allowed to lead the Green Wave through the postseason, but his hopes of returning to New Orleans to prepare for the Sugar Bowl were dashed, and he will be packing for Gainesville.
The Rebels now face No. 2 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, a CFP quarterfinal matchup that will test the team’s resilience after a dominant first-round performance.
Key Takeaways
- Ole Miss routed Tulane 41-10, with Trinidad Chambliss contributing two rushing touchdowns and one passing touchdown.
- Pete Golding’s debut as head coach was marked by a 14-0 early lead and a 497-yard offensive output.
- Tulane’s defensive efforts, including multiple fumble recoveries and an early interception, fell short of changing the game’s outcome.
With the Rebels advancing to face Georgia, the spotlight remains on Golding’s ability to sustain momentum and on Ole Miss’s offensive prowess, both of these were on full display in a convincing win that underscored the program’s determination to compete at the highest level.
