Ole Miss overcomes teaching shake-up, dominates Tulane in CFP debut

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Lane Kiffin's controversial departure didn't damage Ole Miss within the workforce’s first-round School Soccer Playoff matchup with Tulane.

The Rebels cruised to a 41-10 victory over the Eleventh-seeded Green Wave Saturday. Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss acquired remedy on the sector and was sidelined through the Rebels’ remaining first-half collection.

Chambliss was evaluated for a concussion and cleared. He reentered the sport for Ole Miss’ first possession of the third quarter and completed with one passing landing and two dashing scores.

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Trinidad Chambliss (6) of the Ole Miss Rebels scores a landing within the first quarter of a first-round School Soccer Playoff sport towards the Tulane Inexperienced Wave at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium Dec. 20, 2025, in Oxford, Miss. (Wes Hale/Getty Photographs)

Tulane quarterback Jake Retzlaff orchestrated an offense that managed to maneuver the ball at occasions, however the Rebels remained comfortably forward all through. Ole Miss’ dominance practically mirrored September’s 45-10 win over Tulane.

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Retzlaff completed with 306 yards passing and a landing for Tulane, whose loss dropped non-Energy 5 convention groups to 0-3 in CFP video games. James Madison is the lone non-Energy 5 workforce remaining on this yr’s playoff. The Dukes trailed Oregon by 31 factors with lower than 5 minutes remaining within the first half of their first-round matchup Saturday evening.

De'Zhaun Stribling (1) of the Ole Miss Rebels celebrates with Diego Kilos (61) after scoring a landing through the third quarter of a first-round School Soccer Playoff sport towards the Tulane Inexperienced Wave at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium Dec. 20, 2025, in Oxford, Miss. (Wes Hale/Getty Photographs)

Kiffin had requested to maintain teaching Ole Miss via the playoffs even whereas working for its Southeastern Convention rival, LSU. Keith Carter , the Ole Miss athletic director, denied the request. So, the Rebels entered arguably essentially the most vital sport ever performed at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium with a brand new coach, Pete Golding.

Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding is surrounded by the workforce after profitable a first-round School Soccer Playoff sport towards Tulane at Vaught–Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss. Dec. 20, 2025. (Lauren Witte/Clarion Ledger/USA At the moment Community by way of Imagn Photographs)

Golding was promoted from defensive coordinator to the top teaching position after Kiffin's exit.

In Mississippi’s famed Grove, paintings round tailgate tents depicted Kiffin in a destructive gentle, together with one displaying him on a Christmas "naughty" record, with Golding within the "good" column.

On the alternative sideline was Tulane coach Jon Sumrall, who was permitted to maintain teaching the Inexperienced Wave after being hired by Florida. Sumrall will exchange Billy Napier.