No. 8 Ole Miss is preparing for one of the most emotional and most anticipated games in Oxford in recent memory when former Rebels coach Lane Kiffin returns with No. 7 LSU on Saturday night.
Ahead of the top-10 matchup, Ole Miss coach Pete Golding only had one request for Rebels fans: to remain respectful despite the lingering emotions surrounding Kiffin’s departure for LSU during last season’s College Football Playoff run.
“What this place has always been about, and why so many people love coming here and respect this place is because of the people that are here and how they make them feel when they come here,” Golding said Monday. “When you come here, and you meet Ole Miss alumni and all that, they’re so respectful, they’re appreciative, they’re very welcoming.”
Golding served as Kiffin’s defensive coordinator at Ole Miss before taking over the program following the latter’s exit.
Kiffin’s departure created considerable resentment after he accepted the LSU job before Ole Miss began its playoff run. On top of that, Kiffin took four former Rebels players with him to LSU through the transfer portal.
Golding made clear he wants fans to avoid allowing one game, or in this case one person, to change the Ole Miss identity.
“Let’s not lose that over a game or a person or anything else like that,” Golding said Monday. “There’s nothing wrong with being competitive and being in the moment… at the end of the day, don’t lose what we’ve created.”
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Kiffin fueled the fire on Monday by saying that LSU has internally discussed the environment awaiting the Tigers in Oxford, saying there will be “so much attention, hatred, everything on me.”
No. 8 Ole Miss hosts No. 7 LSU on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
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