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Lane Kiffin’s controversial departure didn’t hurt Ole Miss in the team’s first-round College Football Playoff matchup with Tulane.
The Rebels cruised to a 41-10 victory over the 11th-seeded Green Wave on Saturday. Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss received treatment on the field and was sidelined during the Rebels’ final drive of the first half.
Chambliss was evaluated for a concussion and cleared. He reentered the game on Ole Miss’ first possession of the third quarter and finished with a touchdown pass and two rushing scores.
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Trinidad Chambliss (6) of the Ole Miss Rebels scores a touchdown in the first quarter of a first-round College Football Playoff game against the Tulane Green Wave at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Dec. 20, 2025, in Oxford, Miss. (Wes Hale/Getty Images)
Tulane quarterback Jake Retzlaff orchestrated an offense that managed to move the ball at times, but the Rebels remained comfortably ahead throughout. Ole Miss’ dominance nearly mirrored September’s 45-10 victory over Tulane.
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Retzlaff finished with 306 yards passing and a touchdown for Tulane, whose loss dropped non-Power Five conference teams to 0-3 in CFP games. James Madison is the lone non-Power Five team remaining in this year’s playoff. The Dukes trailed Oregon by 31 points with less than five minutes remaining in the first half of their first-round matchup Saturday night.
De’Zhaun Stribling (1) of the Ole Miss Rebels celebrates with Diego Pounds (61) after scoring a touchdown in the third quarter of a first-round College Football Playoff game against the Tulane Green Wave at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Dec. 20, 2025, in Oxford, Miss. (Wes Hale/Getty Images)
Kiffin had asked to continue coaching Ole Miss through the playoffs, even while working for Southeastern Conference rival LSU. Keith Carter, the Ole Miss athletics director, denied the request. So the Rebels entered arguably the most significant game ever played at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium with a new coach, Pete Golding.
Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding is surrounded by the team after winning a first-round College Football Playoff game against Tulane at Vaught–Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss. 20 December 2025. (Lauren Witte/Clarion Ledger/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
Golding was promoted from defensive coordinator to the head coaching role following Kiffin’s exit.
In Mississippi’s famed Grove, artwork around tailgate tents depicted Kiffin in a negative light, including one that showed him on a Christmas “naughty” list, with Golding in the “nice” column.
On the opposite sideline was Tulane coach Jon Sumrall, who was allowed to continue coaching the Green Wave after being hired by Florida. Sumrall replaces Billy Napier.
Ole Miss advanced to the quarterfinals and will face Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day.
