I'm Saying It: Pete Golding Could Be Ole Miss's Kirby Smart | Ranking is Fair

Ole Miss is 9th in the AP poll and I'm not playing the disrespect card — because there isn't one to play. But I am saying something bigger: there's a legitimate chance this program just found its Kirby Smart.   IN THIS EPISODE: 👑 Nine is fair — and the bigger claim underneath it. Ole Miss finished No. 3 in the final AP poll last season after 13-2 and a Playoff semifinal. But this team has a head coach with exactly three games at this level and a brand-new coordinator. Voters split the difference. Here's what I keep coming back to: two of those three games were Playoff wins, and Pete Golding has passed every single test in front of him — December, January, spring, and now this. He's earned the benefit of the doubt. Plus the distinction that matters: fair isn't the same as right. Nine is fair for August. Three might be right in December.   🔁 The receipt that walked in yesterday. Brett Ciancia of Pick Six Previews — who researches all 68 Power 4 teams himself, 15th season — was skeptical of the Playoff call a year ago on this show. He came back and said he's fully on board. He landed at #10. The AP landed at #9. Two separate processes, one spot apart.   🧩 The unit rank that explains everything. Quarterback 1st in the SEC and 1st nationally. Running back 2nd. Linebacker 5th nationally. Offensive line 4th. Defensive line 5th and 11th, with Will Echoles back after leading all Power 4 defensive tackles with 39 QB pressures. Receivers and tight ends 5th and 14th. And defensive backs: 7th in the SEC — the only unit outside the top five of its own league.   🚨 The only ranked-vs-ranked game in Week 1. Louisville is 24th and better than that — Pick Six has them 19th and picks them for the ACC title game. And the detail that stopped me cold: last season Louisville beat No. 2 Miami by intercepting Carson Beck four times. Yes, that Carson Beck. Louisville's secondary did what Ole Miss couldn't in the Fiesta Bowl — four times.   🚨 THE OLE MISS HUB LAUNCHES IN A COUPLE OF DAYS.   ⭐ THE EVERYDAY CLUB — ad-free episodes, members-only Discord, 7-day free trial: https://lockedonolemiss.supercast.com   💬 JOIN THE FREE LOCKED ON OLE MISS DISCORD: https://discord.gg/KF3dtcQJhC Locked On Ole Miss is your daily Ole Miss Rebels podcast, part of the Locked On Podcast Network. New episodes every single day.   Hotty Toddy. 🦈 #HottyToddy #OleMiss #OleMissFootball   Episode Timestamps 00:00 Ole Miss ranked appropriately 06:37 Discussing Ole Miss football rankings 08:10 Pete Golding's coaching potential 12:04 Poncho features and benefits overview 15:04 Analyzing team defensive rankings 18:59 Ole Miss football ranking discussion 22:15 Analyzing upcoming Ole Miss vs. Louisville game 25:41 SEC playoff spot predictions 27:16 Previewing Ole Miss vs Louisville Game   JOIN THE EVERYDAYERS CLUB https://lockedonolemiss.supercast.com/   Everydayer Club   If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub     Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!   Poncho Outdoors Go to https://ponchooutdoors.com/LOCKEDON  and enter your email to get $10 off and free shipping on your first order Odoo Great organizations win because operations matter. And that’s why you should get Odoo. Try for free today at https://Odoo.com/lockedon.  Indeed Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast   FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. From the opening whistle to the final kick, Let There Be Goals on FanDuel. Visit https://FANDUEL.COM to get started now.    FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.