theathleticuk
OXFORD, Miss. — The schadenfreude was palpable in Oxford on Saturday as the afternoon wore on. Each time Alabama torched LSU for a big play in a 31-13 Crimson Tide victory in Baton Rouge, roars erupted from The Grove. One man in the press box laughed uncontrollably, mocking Kiffin's decision. But the revelry was short-lived.
When Ole Miss took the field against Georgia, the mood shifted dramatically. Frustrated fans hurled trash, apparently in protest of the officiating, and the stands were nearly empty by the five-minute mark. It was a stark contrast to the jubilation of Sept. 19, when Ole Miss exacted cathartic revenge on Kiffin. On Saturday, the Rebels were thoroughly humbled in a 42-7 home loss.
"It's embarrassing," said star quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, who endured the worst game of his Ole Miss career. "I did not see that coming." Head coach Pete Golding was blunt: "I'm gonna be honest with you. Hats off to Kirby and Georgia. That was a butt whooping."
When Kiffin's departure seemed imminent last year, Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter considered Jon Sumrall and Alex Golesh, then-Group of 6 coaches who eventually landed in the SEC. But when Golding expressed interest, Carter and the administration opted to stay in-house. The Playoff wins, especially over Georgia, validated that choice. This season hasn't invalidated it, but Saturday night was demoralizing—not just because of the score, but because of the opponent and the symbolism.
Three years ago, Georgia handed Kiffin and Ole Miss a 52-17 loss in Athens so punishing that Kiffin said he realized the talent gap was too wide and needed to be fixed via the transfer portal. One season later, he beat Georgia in Oxford. Then came last year's two close games: a loss in Athens and the win in the Playoff. The question entering this season was whether Golding, a first-time head coach, had merely ridden the adrenaline of last year's team. It's still too soon to tell.
This season hasn't been a total failure: Ole Miss is 6-3, was ranked No. 10 when November arrived, and still has a non-zero chance of making the Playoff. With a 24-team Playoff on the horizon, the program is well positioned. When you talk to its leaders, they are convinced the infrastructure is in place. They always knew Kiffin would leave, so they built it to sustain beyond him.
"We don't want to be a flash in the pan," Walker Jones, head of the Grove Collective, said this summer. "We want to be a nationally relevant athletic department, program, 100 percent. We all hear that Lane's gone, so Ole Miss is going to go back to 8-4 and 7-5. Well, 8-4 is on the table, with next week's trip to Oklahoma by no means a slam dunk." (The subsequent games against Wofford and a Kamario Taylor-less Mississippi State do appear slam dunks.)
It was striking, however, that Golding spent much of his postgame news conference fielding big-picture questions. Essentially: How did this happen? And what did it say about the state of the program, now fully his post-Kiffin? "We've got the right guys in the building, and we've got really good coaches," Golding said. "I know it didn't look that way tonight. But I love our staff; they do a really good job. And we've got really good players. And we've flashed at times throughout this season. That's the most frustrating part about it all."
Golding hinted at one failing that sounded more cultural, possibly a leftover from Kiffin's tenure. That was a program guided by a coach who would create distractions, whereas Golding learned under Nick Saban, who was known for shutting them down. "That's where we get lost around here in my opinion at times is worry about things we can't control," Golding said. "And all we can control is go back here tomorrow and evaluate this tape and get this fixed. And that starts with me." Golding several times put the onus on himself.
For all his inexperience, he's struck the right tone as a head coach and hasn't put his foot in his mouth. He's got the look—and accent—of a Southern bro, but his words are more Saban than Kiffin. Ultimately, Ole Miss may be fine. LSU probably will be too, especially with a coming Playoff expansion that will leave more margin for error. There's no chance Kiffin would want a do-over. Ole Miss isn't begging for Kiffin back, believing he showed his character. As rough as Saturday was, Golding is the same guy who almost led last year's team to the national title game. But a year later, is it clear that the whole thing worked out for everyone? Not at all.
Key Analysis
Ole Miss's blowout loss to Georgia exposed the challenges of transitioning from Lane Kiffin's high-profile tenure to Pete Golding's more Saban-esque approach. While the Rebels' fan base enjoyed Kiffin's struggles at LSU, their own team's humbling defeat raises questions about whether the program can sustain its recent success. Golding's emphasis on controlling the controllables and his willingness to shoulder blame are positive signs, but the cultural shift from Kiffin's distraction-prone style may take time. With a 24-team Playoff expansion looming, Ole Miss remains well-positioned, but Saturday's performance underscored that the post-Kiffin era is still a work in progress.
Originally reported by theathleticuk.