Pete Golding on Ole Miss' mindset in CFP: 'This ain't the Gator Bowl'

Ole Miss freshly-promoted head coach Pete Golding made it clear that the College Football Playoff demands a different level of urgency. The No. 6 Rebels are preparing for their first-round matchup against No. 11 Tulane.

It’s a rematch of their 45–10 win on Sept. 20. This time around, Golding emphasized that this moment is far bigger than simply closing a strong season. It’s about chasing a national championship, and nothing else matters.

During his CFP announcement press conference, Golding was asked how the team handled the buildup to the bracket reveal after weeks dominated by speculation outside the program. He said the Rebels never carried much anxiety about whether they would make the field.

“Obviously this is a little different because they knew they were going to be in, right, based on their body of work,” Golding stated. “So I think they were just ready for it. Who are we going to play? That spot-the-ball mentality that we talk about.”

For Ole Miss, the challenge was less about waiting and more about shifting back into football mode after days of online chaos. Golding said his players were eager to return to the structure of game prep and a fresh opponent to attack.

With Tulane coming back to Oxford, that focus heightens further. The Green Wave may have been overwhelmed in September, but postseason rematches rarely resemble the first meeting.

Golding: ‘Only one team that’s going to be happy at the end of this’

Still, Golding’s biggest message to his players goes beyond schemes or matchups. It’s about understanding the stakes.

“As I told the team last week, look, guys, there’s only one team that’s going to be happy at the end of this,” he added. “You know this ain’t the Gator Bowl, right? This ain’t any of that stuff where you go in, you play well and you win your last game. When you win this last game, you know you’re walking off the field because you’re the best team in the country.”

That standard, Golding stressed, must be reflected in every decision leading into the playoff opener. The Rebels know what Tulane looks like. But this time, everything is amplified. 

With a national title now on the line, Golding wants Ole Miss locked into preparation that matches the magnitude of the moment. We’ll see if they’re up to the challenge. 

A win would start the Golding era off with a bang. A loss? Extreme remorse could bubble to the top for the Rebels and their brass. That wouldn’t be an ideal start for the head coach.