Jon Sumrall expects Pete Golding to do a great job as Ole Miss head coach

The Pete Golding era at Ole Miss got off to a strong start Saturday afternoon, as the Rebels dominated Tulane 41-10 in their first ever College Football Playoff game. In the win, Ole Miss compiled 497 total yards and 29 first downs. To say the win was dominant would be a bit of an understatement.

Now, Ole Miss will head into a rematch against No. 3 seed Georgia in the Allstate Sugar Bowl (CFP Quarterfinal). Earlier this season, the Bulldogs handed the Lane Kiffin-led Rebels their first loss of the season. Without Kiffin leading the way this time, however, things could be different.

Defensive coordinator Pete Golding was promoted to the head coach position following Kiffin’s shocking departure to LSU. Fresh off the dominant win against, Tulane (and now officially Florida) head coach Jon Sumrall gave Golding his seal of approval.

“Pete will do a great job,” Sumrall said. “I have a lot of respect for Pete. We sort of zig-zagged career-wise. He was at Southeastern Louisiana and I was at Tulane. He went to UTSA and I was at Troy. I came here to Ole Miss and he went to Alabama, and then I went to Kentucky and then he came here about the same time I became a head coach. Pete and I have been friends for a long time.

“We’ve FaceTimed probably four or five times in the past couple of weeks. I’m very happy for him and I think he’s going to take great pride in being the head coach at Ole Miss. It’s always nice seeing another defensive guy getting an opportunity, but I think Pete will do a really great job. This place has gotten it going. I think Lane (Kiffin) did a good job and I think Pete will do a good job.”

Pete Golding credits his team for performing well against Tulane

With the win over Tulane last Saturday, Ole Miss clinched 12 wins for the first time in program history. Golding was asked whether or not the game would be tougher than you’d imagine due to the coaching change, but he credited his team for being mature in a big game environment.

“I don’t think it was very hard at all,” Golding said. “Because, I mean, it’d be one thing — no disrespect, like if this was the Pop-Tart Bowl or something like that. Like that sh*t would have been really hard. But, I mean, this is the playoffs. I mean, that’s what, like, people start talking about are they going to play or are they not going to play? Like, what are we talking about?

“I mean, these kids have gone 11-1 up to this point, right? And had a home playoff game for the first time in the history of the program. These dudes want to compete. And just like I told them, they don’t really care who runs them out of the tunnel. That’s the truth, right?”

The Allstate Sugar Bowl between No. 3 Georgia and No. 6 Ole Miss is set for Jan. 1 at 8:00 PM ET.