If Lane Kiffin is split over where to coach in 2026, Ole Miss may have made his decision easier by making it harder to leave.
On Friday, College Football Playoff No. 7 Ole Miss (11-1, 7-1 in SEC) effectively clinched a spot in the 12-team playoff with a 38-19 win over in-state rival Mississippi State (5-7, 1-7 in SEC) in the Egg Bowl.
Kiffin, in his sixth season as Ole Miss head coach, has entertained offers from LSU and Florida over the past month and is reportedly down to the Rebels and Tigers regarding his coaching future. But with Saturday’s win, Ole Miss might have left Kiffin with no choice but to remain in Oxford.
Overwhelming LSU offer might not be enough break up magical Ole Miss season
A younger Kiffin may have already moved to Baton Rouge, but he’s matured since leaving Tennessee for USC after one season 16 years ago. It took years for Kiffin to rehabilitate his image after his failed stint at Southern Cal, including three seasons spent as offensive coordinator at Alabama and another three years at Florida Atlantic before being given another chance leading a power conference program.
Leaving Ole Miss as it prepares to host a CFP first-round game would be an irrevocable stain, no matter how much success he’d likely have at LSU.
The Tigers reportedly offered Kiffin an “incentive-laden deal” worth roughly $90M while also ensuring significant name, image and likeness (NIL) investments. Programs have a cap in how much they can give players, but athletes are still able to profit off of NIL deals, and that financial promise could be extremely attractive to Kiffin.
As enticing as the allure of coaching at LSU — particularly night games in Death Valley — could be, Kiffin’s present is plenty bright enough.
The Rebels are in the thick of the CFP race and can make major noise in the 12-team field. Their only loss came at No. 4 Georgia (10-1, 7-1 in SEC) when they scored touchdowns on their first five possessions. Entering Friday, Ole Miss ranked third in FBS in total offense (493.8 yards per game) and No. 13 in scoring offense (37.2 points per game).
A loss to Mississippi State would have made it a lot easier for Kiffin to justify leaving for LSU. But Friday’s decisive win emphasized just how good Ole Miss is. Too good for Kiffin to say goodbye.