Ole Miss dropped Lane Kiffin’s LSU Tigers in a thrilling 32-24 victory, a game that went down as perhaps the most anticipated regular season matchup in Mississippi history. That massive win led CBS Sports’ John Talty to immediately vote the Rebels as his No. 1 team in the CBS Sports 138 rankings. While they currently sit at No. 4 overall, another win, especially on the road against Florida this weekend, could easily bump them even higher.
Kiffin’s Shadow and a New Era
Man, if you were watching that game, you had to be asking: Is Ole Miss really the best team in the country? And more importantly, can they actually keep this up? Remember, Lane Kiffin left this program after six seasons where he went 55-19, taking them to three New Year’s Six bowls, earning a home playoff game, and even making it to a national semifinal just a year ago. He believed the grass was greener in Baton Rouge, eyeing LSU’s history of national championships under three different coaches, thinking he could be the fourth. But the support, both from the institution and the fanbase, was always there to keep the success rolling in Oxford, with one rival executive even saying no one was getting better bang for their buck on NIL and revenue share spending than Ole Miss. So, what now?
Golding’s Rebels are Rolling
Well, now you have Pete Golding, who’s already rocking a 5-1 record as head coach, including four massive wins over top-25 opponents. The guy was Kiffin’s best recruiter on staff, so it’s no shock he’s keeping the talent pipeline flowing. Ole Miss signed the No. 2-rated transfer portal class last cycle and already has the No. 14 high school class for 2027. Golding’s approach seems to be about more balanced roster spending, which should give the team the depth they need to compete deep into a season. Plus, you’ve got star Trinidad Chambliss making plays when it counts, John David Baker’s offense is clearly a magnet for quarterbacks, and former five-star recruit Deuce Knight’s future looks super bright. This isn’t your daddy’s college football anymore. Indiana proved you don’t have to be a traditional blue blood to win consistently. With the right people and the right money, anything’s possible.
It’s still early in the 2026 season, but Ole Miss is absolutely on pace to make the College Football Playoff again. There’s real, undeniable momentum building around this program. And with every passing day of the Pete Golding era, what we’re seeing looks less like a flash in the pan and more like the start of a serious trend. They hit the road this weekend to face Florida. A win there? Yeah, that just cements their spot at the top of the conversation.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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