Entering Tuesday, there was speculation the College Football Playoff committee could move Ole Miss down in the rankings because of Lane Kiffin’s departure. The committee did just the opposite, moving the Rebels up one spot to sixth. The final rankings to solidify the playoff bracket will be released Sunday. It is almost a lock for Vaught-Hemingway Stadium to host a first round playoff game.
Also, the university on Tuesday announced new head football coach Pete Golding would hold a news conference Wednesday afternoon, giving reporters their first opportunity to talk to him. Then came word late Tuesday he had changed his mind.
NEWS: Ole Miss has cancelled new head coach Pete Golding's press conference scheduled for tomorrow at 2:00 pm. pic.twitter.com/foxqqtBs7f
You may be aware of today’s special election for the U.S. House in Tennessee’s Seventh Congressional District. It’s getting plenty of attention because the race between a Democrat and a Republican is believed to be much closer in a district that usually goes big for the GOP.
Chris Cillizza’s preview of this election included a look back by Decision Desk HQ of previous congressional special elections, and it included a huge upset locally in 2008 that got a lot of attention at the time. That’s when Prentiss County Chancery Clerk Travis Childers, a Democrat, defeated Southaven Mayor Greg Davis, a Republican, for the U.S. House seat in North Mississippi. The seat in Mississippi’s First Congressional District came open when Representative Roger Wicker was selected to replace Senator Trent Lott, who had retired.
Even if the Democrat wins the special election in Tennessee, it still would not be as big of an upset as Childers defeating Davis 17 years ago to represent the region in Congress.
Sometimes as a reporter, you have to go above and beyond to get the story. I can’t help but laugh at what ESPN’s Marty Smith shared about how he got to Lane Kiffin on the tarmac before leaving Oxford for Baton Rouge. You can watch it at the bottom of this post.
This is the loaf of bread. I took this photo Thanksgiving night at the Birmingham Airport before I set sail. Grateful we had her. She corners like a Ferrari. https://t.co/vDC2DLgzQppic.twitter.com/qUP2mpwkky
Lane Kiffin announced online Sunday afternoon he is leaving Ole Miss for LSU. Look below for his announcement and the latest developments on the fallout from his move from Oxford to Baton Rouge:
5:18 pm
Lane Kiffin spoke with ESPN’s Marty Smith before leaving for Baton Rouge.
“We were trying to find a way to make this work and coach the team, give them the best chance to win…Maybe all the national people understand why he should let me coach, but he has to live here and it’s a little different when you’re the AD..”… pic.twitter.com/xNh9OsMJUz
Sources provided details & audio to @YahooSports of the Ole Miss team meeting, including the intro of Pete Golding as the new coach to a celebratory eruption from players.
AD Keith Carter told the team that offensive coaches are “going to be here” as Rebs “go on a playoff run.”
In his first words to his new team, Pete Golding said, "We’ve got enough in this room to win it all. … Don’t get this twisted – we’re about to go to work!"
He said he's "never been around a better group" of players and staff than this one.
More from Keith Carter to players in the meeting: "What comes with Pete is galvanization. We had a meeting earlier with our offensive group. These offensive coaches are going to be here. We’re going to go on this run in the CFP and get that done."
Ole Miss comes out of today’s chaos better and stronger. LSU, to their credit, amidst their own chaos, went all in and got their guy. There’s something dysfunctional about this new volatile marriage that was consummated in public. If it works. Lookout. If not…oh boy.
As crazy as this has been, I feel it is always best to trust your administration. Thanks to @KeithCarterOM for putting our alma mater first at all times! Let’s roll in the playoffs with a man who wants this opportunity. Hotty Toddy, @CoachGolding!
Bruce Feldman’s 2019 profile of Pete Golding when he was at Alabama.
Who is Pete Golding, the new Ole Miss head coach who will lead the Rebels into the Playoff? “I walked on at Delta State for 500 bucks.” He became a 4-year starter and left as the school’s third all-time leading tackler and also competing on the golf team.https://t.co/ekR8LdJ6da
LSU AD Verge Ausberry and COO Julie Cromer left about 40 minutes ago and are set to touch down in three minutes to get new LSU head football coach Lane Kiffin and whoever else is coming with him.
An Ole Miss source tells ESPN that defensive coordinator Pete Golding is expected to be the school’s “permanent” head coach. “It’s 100-percent permanent,” the source said.
I'm not knocking football, but there’s something wrong with their calendar. I'm at SJU and we are potentially a one seed and can win a National Championship this year, and I leave in March??? What’s going on here?
Reaction from NBC Sports’ Nicole Auerbach and The Athletic’s Chris Vannini:
Lots of people in all professions pass up jobs because the timing is bad! He could have done that if he wanted to coach this team to finish out the best season in Ole Miss history.
But he didn't want to do that more than he wanted to take the LSU job. https://t.co/qvwQLaAfqG
As a former Rebel, I’ve been neutral on this whole situation and tbh don’t care that Lane chose to leave… having said that, him basically trying to sabotage these kids legit chance at a championship this year is scumbag stuff… Hotty Toddy https://t.co/i6v2TI6Lfe
Sources tell @FootballScoop star Ole Miss OC Charlie Weis Jr. is among the key coaches that Kiffin will take with him to LSU. Also continue to be told Rebels defensive coordinator Pete Golding has "momentum to land the HC job, has all the key people in his corner" https://t.co/Paz6tPstjJ
Lane Kiffin is essentially forcing his offensive staff to choose between coaching players in the CFP and heading to LSU immediately.
Source: “it’s an absolute cluster f-ck. Just because your leaving, don’t force assistants to bail and leave the players right now as well” https://t.co/Uvog7MAQaR
Sources: The delay in Ole Miss’ team meeting is tied, in part, to some of the staff challenges that could arise with Lane Kiffin’s departure. Select players are expected to be meeting throughout the morning with Kiffin and administration.
This thing has gotten so out of control in Oxford, with a number of Ole Miss assistants pretty much having to deal with a critical decision regarding their futures.
Kiffin said he’d take a bunch of staff if not allowed to coach in CFP, and it’s happening as of now
Also from Outkick-Fox senior reporter for college sports Trey Wallace:
At least some Ole Miss staffers tied to Kiffin can’t tell players not to take their finals because it binds them into the school.
Somewhere, Ed Orgeron might be on cell phone
10:10 am
Auburn turns to South Florida for its new football coach.
10:01 am
ESPN’s Matt Barrie is joined by Paul Finebaum to discuss the fallout from Lane Kiffin’s expected move from Oxford to Baton Rouge.
12 am
Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde: Ole Miss should ask its team leaders what path gives them the best shot at a national title: keeping Kiffin in place or naming an interim. CLICK HERE TO READ
11:55 pm
Lane Kiffin is “essentially demanding to finish the season (w/Ole Miss) while simultaneously threatening to poach” Ole Miss’ roster & staff if he can’t, source told @On3sports. “It’s unfortunately gotten even messier than expected as emotions are high” https://t.co/gBcvHKk3Ps
From Football Scoop’s John Brice: LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry deployed former LSU national championship-winning coach Nick Saban, who would add six additional crowns during his tenure at Alabama, to speak with Kiffin on more than one instance about the benefits of the LSU job, sources said on multiple occasions.
Additionally, LSU officials arranged for Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry to speak with Kiffin by phone in what sources said was a lengthy conversation.
Fifteen new charges are filed against a man in Monroe County arrested in a child pornography case.
Monroe County Sheriff Kevin Crook revealed that Bobby Christopher Brewer, 39, of Greenwood Springs, appeared in court Wednesday on the following charges:
6 counts of sexual extortion
3 counts of child molestation
6 counts of aggravated domestic violence
Monroe County Justice Court Judge Sarah Stevens set a cash bond for Brewer at $700,000 on the new charges.
Sheriff’s deputies arrested Brewer over the weekend on a charge of producing child pornography. A judge set bond on that charge at half a million dollars.
Also arrested was Jessica Leigh Chailland. Law enforcement charged her with child enticement and possession of a controlled substance. Her bond was set at $200,000.
The sheriff accuses Brewer of manipulating people who were aware of what he was doing by saying he was closely associated with law enforcement and the military.
Crook adds the new charges against Brewer came following two days’ worth of interviews with victims.
He says the investigation by his office and the state attorney general’s office is ongoing and still encourages victims of any child sexual crimes to come forward.
Corporate sponsorship of college athletics is not new, but a special sponsorship for Mississippi’s biggest ballgame is.
Facebook has signed up as the presenting sponsor of the Egg Bowl.
That sponsorship comes with a branded logo for the game (see above) and branding under the script State logo on the 50-yard line (see below) for Friday’s contest at Davis Wade Stadium.
The Facebook branding will be on the field at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium for the 2026 Egg Bowl.
Friday’s announcement came six days after commercial branding made its debut on the Ole Miss football field with the Aflac logo for the Florida game.
Learfield, which made the Egg Bowl deal, did not say how much the social media giant paid the schools for the right to display its logo or how long the sponsorship will last.
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