Golding’s First SEC Season Tested | Ole Miss Rebels Football News

Ole Miss football heads into 2026 with high stakes and new leadership, as Pete Golding takes full charge as head coach after leading the defense to a College Football Playoff run. But to compete for a championship, the Rebels need a major defensive upgrade—especially in forcing turnovers, where they ranked middle-of-the-pack last season with just 18 forced and a +3 turnover margin. Enter Bryan Brown, returning as defensive coordinator, who’s already familiar with the system and has a strong rapport with Golding. The real test? How much Golding will trust Brown to run the defense while he focuses on overall team strategy. With a brutal SEC schedule ahead, the defense must step up—or Ole Miss’s playoff dreams could stall. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/3d6c2af7c47d6711