Amid coaching upheaval and postseason uncertainty, No. 6 Ole Miss delivered one of the most emphatic performances in program history, routing No. 11 seed (No. 17-ranked) Tulane 41-10 on Saturday in the first round of the College Football Playoff at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss powered the Rebels with a dynamic, all-around performance, accounting for three touchdowns — two on the ground and one through the air — as Ole Miss (12-1) looked anything but distracted following the departure of head coach Lane Kiffin to LSU just weeks earlier. Instead, the Rebels appeared energized under interim-turned-head coach Pete Golding, who made his debut after being promoted from defensive coordinator on Nov. 30.
Ole Miss wasted no time asserting control. A 20-yard touchdown run by Kewan Lacy and a 4-yard scoring plunge by Chambliss staked the Rebels to a 14-0 lead less than eight minutes into the game. From there, Ole Miss maintained a firm grip, using balanced offense and relentless defense to keep Tulane (11-3) at arm’s length throughout.
Chambliss briefly exited late in the first half after absorbing a big hit on an 11-yard scramble but returned to finish with 282 yards passing. Lacy rushed for 87 yards before leaving in the fourth quarter with an apparent left shoulder injury. De’Zhaun Stribling hauled in five receptions for 79 yards, including a 13-yard touchdown catch, while LSU transfer Logan Diggs added a 3-yard scoring run in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach.
The Rebels’ defense was just as decisive. Cornerback Jaylon Braxton intercepted Tulane quarterback Jake Retzlaff early, and Ole Miss forced multiple fumbles while turning away the Green Wave on several fourth-down attempts. Tulane moved the ball effectively at times — Retzlaff threw for 306 yards and a touchdown, and Jamauri McClure rushed for 84 yards on 15 carries — but Ole Miss remained comfortably ahead, much like its 45-10 win over Tulane earlier this season on Sept. 20.
The atmosphere reflected the magnitude of the moment. With Kiffin barred from continuing to coach Ole Miss through the playoff — despite his request — the Rebels entered arguably the biggest game ever played in Oxford under new leadership. When Golding emerged during pregame warmups, the crowd roared. Cheers continued as Ole Miss legend Eli Manning greeted the new head coach on the sideline, a symbolic show of support during a transitional moment for the program.
On the opposite sideline, Tulane coach Jon Sumrall faced his own transition. Though recently hired by Florida, Sumrall was allowed to remain with the Green Wave through the playoff. The loss ended Tulane’s season and dashed hopes of returning to New Orleans to prepare for the Sugar Bowl, sending Sumrall instead to Gainesville to begin his tenure with the Gators.
Tulane’s defeat dropped non–Power Conference teams to 0-3 in CFP games, with James Madison set to face Oregon later Saturday night.
Next up for Golding and Ole Miss is a daunting but tantalizing challenge: a College Football Playoff quarterfinal against No. 2 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1. If Saturday’s performance was any indication, the Rebels are embracing the chaos — and charging confidently into the national title hunt.
