Lane Kiffin has decided his future — and it won’t be at Ole Miss. According to On3, the former Rebels head coach is heading to LSU, where a Monday press conference will officially announce his hire. In what insiders describe as a decisive move, Kiffin reportedly told his offensive coaching staff that if they didn’t board the flight to Baton Rouge on Sunday, they wouldn’t have a job at LSU.
In the wake of Kiffin’s departure, Ole Miss has appointed defensive coordinator Pete Golding to lead the Rebels during the College Football Playoff (CFP) — at least for now. But with Kiffin and much of the offensive staff gone, questions are already swirling over whether Ole Miss will retain its CFP standing. The committee has in the past penalized teams that lost key personnel before the playoffs, as seen in 2023 when Florida State was locked out despite an undefeated record after losing its starting quarterback to injury.
Despite the shakeup, Ole Miss appears to be preparing for the postseason as though their ranking will hold. For the moment, the Rebels are still expected to host a playoff game.
The decision to part ways seemed abrupt. A planned announcement Saturday never materialized after talks between Kiffin and Ole Miss officials failed to produce an agreement. Kiffin reportedly wanted to finish the season with the Rebels and lead the team into the playoffs — a request the administration ultimately rejected.
Financially, the move to LSU looks lucrative. Reports indicate Kiffin’s new contract will pay him at least $13 million per year. As the dust settles in both Baton Rouge and Oxford, college football fans are bracing for a dramatic shift in the SEC landscape — and a defining test for Ole Miss as its playoff hopes hang in the balance.
