In case you haven’t heard, Lane Kiffin stunned the college football world last week when he bolted from Ole Miss to take the head coaching job at LSU—leaving the Rebels high and dry as they get set to embark on their first trip to the College Football Playoff in school history.
While Kiffin apparently tried to convince athletic director Keith Carter to let him lead the team throughout the postseason, he declined, and instead moved quickly to name Pete Golding the team's permanent coach moving forward.
Kiffin is among the top coaches in college football, and his absence on the Ole Miss sideline will loom large, potentially hindering their chances of winning a national championship—though it doesn’t make it impossible.
MORE: The Five Wackiest Things That Went Down During Lane Kiffin’s Move From Ole Miss to LSU
Ranked No. 6 in the final rankings, the Rebels will welcome the Tulane Green Wave to Oxford for a first-round matchup. While it undoubtedly won’t be easy, here are three reasons why they can still win a title, even without Lane Kiffin.
Trinidad Chambliss is still their quarterback
A transfer from Division II Ferris State, Trinidad Chambliss was unexpectedly thrust into action for the Rebels this season—and has done nothing but shine.
Over 12 games, the 23-year-old has completed 65.5% of his passes for 3,016 yards and 18 touchdowns while throwing just three interceptions. Additionally, he's added six more scores on the ground while powering an elite Ole Miss offense.
Now you might be asking yourself, "Isn't Kiffin the reason Chambliss has been so successful?" While the short answer is yes, he’s certainly not the only one who has propelled the quarterback to new heights...
Charlie Weis Jr. is still their offensive coordinator, for now
That’s right. While Kiffin has been all but barred from Oxford, Ole Miss is allowing Charlie Weis Jr. to remain on staff for the postseason, despite his intentions of leaving for LSU following the campaign.
Serving as their primary play caller, Weis Jr. has helped coordinate a Rebels offense in 2025 that led the SEC in total yards per game (498.1), passing yards per game (309.6), and ranked third with 37.3 points per game. Additionally, they scored less than 30 points just twice, and broke the 35-point mark six times.
Weis Jr.’s success has earned him a nomination for the Broyles Award as the nation’s top assistant coach.
Needless to say, the Ole Miss offense may not skip a beat in Kiffin’s absence.
The culture may not either.
Pete Golding still has the Rebels bought in
Some teams (see: Kansas State) roll over and die when their head coach walks out the door. As things currently stand, Ole Miss seems to have the opposite attitude.
Following the news of Kiffin heading to Baton Rouge and Golding taking over, Rebels players rallied together, presenting a united front behind their new head coach.
Golding has been with Ole Miss since 2023, spending the last three seasons as both their defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach. The 41-year-old has coached at Delta, Tusculum, Southeastern Louisiana, Southern Miss, UTSA, and Alabama—where he helped the Crimson Tide win a national championship in 2020.
Now, will the Rebels' unwavering confidence in Golding translate to the field? It’s difficult to say. But at the very least, Ole Miss is clearly willing to ride for their coach, full stop—which, given the circumstances, is all you can ask for as they head into a new era of football in The Sip.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Three Reasons Why Ole Miss Can Still Win a National Championship Without Lane Kiffin.
