New Ole Miss HC Pete Golding takes pathetic shot at Auburn for no good reason at all

It will be fascinating to see how Pete Golding goes about keeping the Ole Miss Rebels moving right along in the wake of Lane Kiffin leaving for the LSU Tigers. Golding was promoted from within to take over for Kiffin full-time, beginning in the first round of the College Football Playoff. No. 6 Ole Miss will play the No. 11 Tulane Green Wave in a rematch for the right to face No. 2 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.

While trying to explain the unique situation at hand, Golding found a way to take a shot at Auburn.

“I look at it like the COVID year. There were two games we didn’t have Coach [Nick] Saban, but [Steve] Sarkisian walked us out of the tunnel and we still beat the s**t out of Auburn...”

He may have had experience in dealing with an interim coach, but that dig was totally unnecessary.

Should Golding's Rebels beat Jon Sumrall's Green Wave for a second time this year, they will have to go up against a team Golding's Ole Miss defense could not stop even one time Between the Hedges. Ole Miss is a talented team, but it is hard to envision them winning multiple playoff games this holiday season. Golding has time to figure out his head-coaching style, but he is a big downgrade from Kiffin.

As far as Auburn is concerned, the Tigers have hired a guy that we all know can coach in Alex Golesh.

What Pete Golding's unsolicited shot at Auburn really means for Ole Miss

Even though Ole Miss is largely expected to beat Tulane at Vaught-Hemingway for the second time this season, the Rebels are also probably going to lose to Georgia for the second time this year away from home, too. What Golding was trying to do in answering the question about his unique coaching situation is put forth some level of confidence, false or not, to try and prove that he can really do this.

It may have landed one way for Ole Miss fans, but for Auburn fans, and to some degree Alabama fans, they see right through this. Under Kiffin, Ole Miss has emerged as a national contender because of the offensive prowess put forth by his staff. Yes, Golding's side of the ball has had its moments, but we all know that offense is what has driven the bus in and around Oxford. This is a huge ask of him.

Ultimately, people can sniff out a fake tough guy whenever they see one. There are just too many of them in the college game today. Golding has not been as bad about it as Dan Lanning has been all year long at Oregon, but their overly aggressive nature with a microphone in their face is in a way preventing the players on the field from doing the talking. It may be two ships passing in the night.

It would not be surprising if Golesh has Auburn eclipsing Ole Miss by the end of the 2027 season.