The animosity between LSU and Ole Miss fans is real, but it doesn't appear to exist between the two head coaches.
Ole Miss fans remain bitter over Lane Kiffin's departure after six seasons in Oxford, which came just before the Rebels' historic College Football Playoff run that ended in the national semifinals. LSU fans, meanwhile, have embraced Kiffin and enjoy reminding Ole Miss supporters that the Rebels haven't won an SEC championship since 1963.
But during his appearance at SEC Football Media Days, Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding made it clear there is no bad blood between him and his predecessor.
"I talk to him on a regular basis, but no ill will at all," Golding said. "Really appreciative of how he treated me and my family. This created an unbelievable opportunity that I wasn't looking for, but I'm really appreciative to have."
Golding was promoted to head coach after Kiffin left for LSU. The Hammond native originally joined Kiffin's staff in January 2023 as defensive coordinator after spending five seasons as a defensive coordinator for Nick Saban at Alabama.
Golding's defenses at Alabama never finished lower than 18th nationally in scoring defense, and he helped the Crimson Tide win the 2020 national championship.
He quickly made an impact in Oxford as well. The Rebels won 11 games in 2023, and in 2024 they led the FBS with 52 sacks and 120 tackles for loss, both program records.
Golding also delivered one of the most memorable moments of SEC Media Days when asked about replacing Kiffin. He compared the situation to having an ex-wife.
"There's always going to be history. It's the ex, right?" Golding said before asking the reporter if he was married.
When the reporter replied no, Golding continued.
"Well, if you do get married, and you have an ex that your wife knows about, she doesn't ever end. She's always going to get brought up. That's kind of where it is right now. That's always going to be there a little bit, which is fun to a certain degree."
Golding also revealed how he used the fan reaction to Kiffin's departure as a lesson while convincing quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and running back Kewan Lacy to stay at Ole Miss instead of entering the transfer portal.
"I had them both do it in my office," Golding said. "Google Lane Kiffin, the dude they'd have built a statue of here three days ago. Google his name right now. They wouldn't piss on him if he was on fire. They'll do the same thing to y'all, too [if you leave]. But if you come out and say, 'I'm going to continue to build on the legacy I've created,' what that's going to do for you and this fan base and the alumni for the rest of your life."
Golding currently enjoys overwhelming support from the Ole Miss fan base, but he'll get an early taste of how quickly that can change when the Rebels host Kiffin and LSU on Sept. 19. If Ole Miss comes up short, Golding's advice about Googling fan reactions may apply to him as well.
