Pete Golding sends blunt message to Lane Kiffin about Ole Miss' CFP run

Pete Golding sends blunt message to Lane Kiffin about Ole Miss' CFP run originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Ole Miss' historic season has been remarkable, and head coach Pete Golding made it clear the Rebels’ College Football Playoff run is about far more than any one individual.

The team reached the CFP semifinals despite former coach Lane Kiffin leaving for LSU before the playoff began. Golding was elevated from defensive coordinator and guided Ole Miss Rebels past Tulane and Georgia to set up a semifinal matchup Thursday against Miami. 

He was asked this week about any message to Kiffin amid the unexpected run, Golding didn’t hold back.

“I think our team had a message… that they weren’t tired of playing. They care about people that care about them… But I don’t have s—t to say to anybody else.”@OleMissFB HC Pete Golding when asked if he had a message for Lane Kiffin 🎤 pic.twitter.com/bqQITHcq93

— Fiesta Sports Foundation (@Fiesta_Bowl) January 7, 2026

“I think our team had a message by how they prepared and how they played,” Golding said. “I do think the message is, ‘I’m replaceable, you’re replaceable, our players are replaceable.’ If one person derails it, it’s probably not built right.”

Golding added that players care less about who leads them out of the tunnel and more about preparation, accountability and having coaches who care about them.

He ended by saying, “I don’t have s--- to say to anybody else."

Golding promoted the Rebels’ culture was already in place before the coaching change and said the timing allowed players to focus strictly on football. What initially appeared to be a major distraction has instead become a rallying point.

Now one win from the national championship game, Ole Miss has shifted the spotlight back where Golding insists it belongs, which is squarely on the players. The same ones who have earned it with their performance on college football’s biggest stage. 

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