Lane Kiffin’s Future Hangs Over Ole Miss After 11-1 Season

Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss topped off an 11-1 season with a massive rivalry win in the Egg Bowl against Mississippi State. 

The Rebels will most likely miss the SEC Championship, so this win wraps up a home playoff game for them. You’d think the media discussions surrounding this team would be about the fantastic work Kiffin has done to build up this program to become a national title contender. Still, all anyone can talk about is where Kiffin will be residing next year.

It’s a real shame, because this Ole Miss team is one of the most fun teams to watch in the country. College football needs a total overhaul in the NIL era. National Signing Day and the transfer portal need to open after the national championship. Teams shouldn’t be punished for succeeding in the regular season.

The current landscape of college football leaves Ole Miss in a precarious situation. The writing seems to be on the wall that Kiffin will be coaching at LSU next season. Florida has taken their name out of the Kiffin sweepstakes and has moved on to pursuing Tulane’s Jon Sumrall (great choice), so unless Kiffin shocks the world and stays at Ole Miss, he will most likely be coaching in Baton Rouge in 2026.

Kiffin’s decision is expected before the playoffs, and if he leaves Ole Miss, the Rebels will have some decisions to make. They can let Kiffin coach the rest of the season, where he could take them on a deep playoff run, or they can let the rest of the coaching staff finish off the year. Personally, if Kiffin leaves, how could you possibly let him coach?

Leaving for an in-conference rival will forever ruin Lane Kiffin’s reputation in Oxford. Secondly, if the Rebels go on a little run in the playoffs, doesn’t that beat the whole point of him leaving Ole Miss? Administration for Ole Miss has been very vocal that they will match any contract thrown Kiffin’s way; he’d only leave because he believes he can’t win a championship at a smaller SEC school.

Outside of Ohio State, Ole Miss can compete with every team in the playoffs. 

If he leaves a situation where he is on track to be the best coach in the program's history, it will be a massive mistake. Ask Brian Kelly if he was happy to leave Notre Dame. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side, and when you have the situation Kiffin does at Ole Miss, I wouldn’t want to leave that behind.