$6.8 million college football coach predicted to be suspended after tampering

The 2025-2026 college football season concluded with significant coaching changes across more than 15 Power Four programs. The cycle began with DeShaun Foster's dismissal from UCLA in September and ended with Kyle Whittingham's appointment at Michigan in December. A major shift involved Lane Kiffin leaving Ole Miss, which was headed to the College Football Playoff, for rival LSU in November. Ole Miss quickly promoted defensive coordinator Pete Golding to head coach following Kiffin's departure.

Golding, who has over two decades of coaching experience, began his career at Delta State and later held defensive coordinator roles at Tusculum, Delta State, and Southeastern Louisiana before advancing to FBS positions. His first FBS role was as a defensive backs coach at Southern Miss in 2014, followed by a defensive coordinator stint at UTSA. Golding's introduction to SEC football came in 2018 as Alabama's defensive coordinator under Nick Saban, a tenure that included a national championship win