Pete Golding has been a head coach for only one month. But he has the backbreaking job of finishing what Ole Miss started at the beginning of the year—contending for the National Championship. However, Golding has found inspiration for the job in his biggest rival: Georgia’s Kirby Smart.

“I think, whatever you are in, you are looking for who does it the best and who has done it the best on a consistent basis,” Golding said at a December 31 presser. “There’s no doubt, these last several years, it’s been Georgia.

“I’ve been pretty adamant for a long time, I think this guy to my left (Smart) kind of set it for me on the outside looking in. Being a defensive coordinator and how he did it and how successful he was, to stay at one place for an extremely long period of time and be very successful.”

Golding and Smart have never worked with each other. But the Rebels’ head coach has charted his career in the same way as the latter. He’s waited more than a decade before becoming a head coach, like Smart. There were doubts surrounding Smart’s leadership when he first became the head coach of UGA. His first season didn’t go as expected either. But since then, Smart’s hard work has only resulted in him reaching new heights. Now, Golding wants to build Ole Miss football the way his hero did at Georgia. But it’s quite a lofty aspiration, given the position he’s in.

Not many see Golding being able to pull off what his predecessor kicked off six years ago. Unlike Ole Miss, Georgia was already a formidable player in the SEC before Smart’s arrival. However, the Rebels’ head coach must ensure that Ole Miss doesn’t go back to being an average program. But that doesn’t change the fact that Golding has become an immensely loved figure within the locker room and the program. Having their back is also a priority at the moment.

Golding told the press that he always wanted to handpick his staff as Smart does at Georgia. To date, he’s made quite a few interesting hires. Golding interestingly busied himself shaping the Ole Miss front office, which is full of former LSU staffers. That is primarily to boost Ole Miss recruiting, which has taken a hit in the 2026 cycle. Kiffin took a key commit in Corey Barber with him to LSU, along with 2 other former Rebel pledges.

For now, Pete Golding’s biggest challenge is Georgia. He is the clear underdog in this matchup, and Ole Miss has already lost to Georgia once in the regular season. But this time, it’s life or death for Ole Miss football. Golding knows it won’t be easy facing Smart as a rival. It’ll be tough to beat Georgia’s already elite defense, and it has a mean offense led by Gunner Stockton. Despite the high stakes, Kirby Smart still gave Golding props for taking on this challenge.

Kirby Smart appreciated Pete Golding’s work for the Rebels

Kirby Smart is easily one of the best in the business in the modern era of college football coaching. Both old and new coaches will attest to that because of the multiple SEC championships and two National Championships that came to Athens. That experience has enabled Smart to recognize people for what they bring to the table. Before facing Golding on the field as an opponent head coach, he appreciated Golding’s ascension to the position.

“A lot of respect for what Pete’s done. It’s a little unique,” Smart said. “Through the years, he’s done a tremendous job defensively. Got an opportunity now to kind of form and mold a program in his eyes and how he wants to do it.

“He’s been around some really good ones, I know that, and very different leaders in the guys he’s been around.  So, it allows you to grow when you’re around different kinds of leadership styles, like he’s been around.”

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Regardless of the result of the Sugar Bowl, Pete Golding should walk home a happy man. He’s got the backing of his idol and has done a pretty good job of keeping Ole Miss football from collapsing. That’s a good enough note to end his year on.