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Lane Kiffin’s controversial departure didn’t hurt Ole Miss in the college football team’s first-round matchup against 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 returned to the game for Ole Miss’ first possession of the third quarter and finished with a touchdown pass and two rushing scores.
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Ole Miss Rebels’ Trinidad Chambliss (6) scores a touchdown in the first quarter of a College Football Playoff first-round game against the Tulane Green Wave at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on December 20, 2025 in Oxford, Mississippi. (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 almost mirrored September’s 45-10 victory over Tulane.
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Retzlaff finished with 306 passing yards and a touchdown for Tulane, whose loss dropped non-Power Five conference teams to 0-3 in CFP games. James Madison is the only non-Power Five team left in this year’s playoffs. The Dukes trailed Oregon by 31 points with less than five minutes left in the first half of their first-round matchup Saturday night.
Ole Miss Rebels’ De’Zhaun Stribling (1) celebrates with Diego Pounds (61) after scoring a touchdown during the third quarter of a first-round College Football Playoff game against the Tulane Green Wave at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on December 20, 2025 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Wes Hale/Getty Images)
Kiffin had asked to continue coaching Ole Miss during the playoffs even while working for Southeastern Conference rival LSU. Keith Carter, Ole Miss athletic director, denied the request. So the Rebels entered arguably the biggest 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, Mississippi, on Dec. 20, 2025. (Lauren Witte/Clarion Ledger/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
Golding was promoted from defensive coordinator to head coach after Kiffin’s departure.
At Mississippi’s famous Grove, artwork around 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 side was Tulane coach Jon Sumrall, who was allowed to continue coaching the Green Wave after being hired by Florida. Sumrall will replace Billy Napier.
Ole Miss advanced to the quarterfinals and will face Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day.
