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Lane Kiffin’s controversial departure did not hurt Ole Miss in the team’s first-round College Football Playoff matchup with Tulane.
The Rebels cruised to a 41-10 victory over the 11th-seeded Green Wave Saturday. Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss received treatment on the field and was sidelined during the Rebels’ final first-half series.
Chambliss was evaluated for a concussion and cleared. He reentered the game for Ole Miss’ first possession of the third quarter and finished with one passing touchdown and two rushing scores.
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Trinidad Chambliss (6) of the Ole Miss Rebels scores a touchdown in the first quarter of a first-round College Football Playoff game against the Tulane Green Wave at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium Dec. 20, 2025, in Oxford, Miss. (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 nearly mirrored September’s 45-10 win over Tulane.
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Retzlaff finished with 306 yards passing and a touchdown for Tulane, whose loss dropped non-Power Five conference teams to 0-3 in CFP games. James Madison is the lone non-Power Five team remaining in this year’s playoff. The Dukes trailed Oregon by 31 points with less than five minutes remaining in the first half of their first-round matchup Saturday night.
De’Zhaun Stribling (1) of the Ole Miss Rebels 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 Dec. 20, 2025, in Oxford, Miss. (Wes Hale/Getty Images)
Kiffin had asked to keep coaching Ole Miss through the playoffs even while working for its Southeastern Conference rival, LSU. Keith Carter, the Ole Miss athletic director, denied the request. So, the Rebels entered arguably the most significant 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, Miss. Dec. 20, 2025. (Lauren Witte/Clarion Ledger/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
Golding was promoted from defensive coordinator to the head coaching role after Kiffin’s exit.
In Mississippi’s famed Grove, artwork around tailgate tents depicted Kiffin in a negative light, including one showing him on a Christmas “naughty” list, with Golding in the “nice” column.
On the opposite sideline was Tulane coach Jon Sumrall, who was permitted to keep coaching the Green Wave after being hired by Florida. Sumrall will replace Billy Napier.
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Ole Miss advanced to the quarterfinals and will meet Georgia in the Sugar Bowl New Year’s Day.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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