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Pete Golding Guides Ole Miss Into CFP Sugar Bowl After Swift Promotion

Family ties to Oxford, from his wife's Ole Miss roots to campus philanthropy, shaped a continuity-first choice.

Overview

  • No. 6 Ole Miss (12-1) meets No. 3 Georgia (12-1) in the College Football Playoff Sugar Bowl quarterfinal in New Orleans on Jan. 1.
  • Pete Golding was elevated from defensive coordinator to head coach on Nov. 30, the day Lane Kiffin departed for LSU.
  • The first-time head coach opened his tenure with a 41–10 playoff win over Tulane on Dec. 20.
  • Under Golding’s direction, the Rebels set school records with 52 sacks and 120 tackles for loss and finished second nationally in rushing and scoring defense.
  • Carolyn Golding holds three Ole Miss degrees, teaches at the Patterson School of Accountancy, and the couple donated $100,000 to the school’s building fund in 2024.