Pete Golding takes over a program that went 11-1 during the 2025 regular season and reached the College Football Playoff, meaning expectations aren’t suddenly disappearing because Kiffin left for LSU.
It certainly helps that Golding inherited one of the best backfields in college football.
Trinidad Chambliss returns after throwing for 3,937 yards, 22 touchdowns and only three interceptions last season.
Then there’s Kewan Lacy, who rushed for 1,567 yards and an absurd 24 touchdowns.
That’s a pretty good place to start.
Louisville shouldn’t be overlooked, either.
The Cardinals enter the season ranked No. 24, and Jeff Brohm gets another intriguing quarterback to work with in Ohio State transfer Lincoln Kienholz.
Playing in Nashville also takes away the true home-field advantage Ole Miss would have had in Oxford.
Still, I’m not ready to suddenly write off the Rebels because Kiffin is gone.
There is simply too much returning talent.
Louisville keeps this interesting for a while, but eventually Chambliss and Lacy take over.
Prediction: Ole Miss 38, Louisville 27
