If Lane Kiffin is cut up over the place to teach in 2026, Ole Miss could have made his resolution simpler by making it tougher to depart.
On Friday, Faculty Soccer Playoff No. 7 Ole Miss (11-1, 7-1 in SEC) successfully clinched a spot within the 12-team playoff with a 38-19 win over in-state rival Mississippi State (5-7, 1-7 in SEC) within the Egg Bowl.
Kiffin, in his sixth season as Ole Miss head coach, has entertained provides from LSU and Florida over the previous month and is reportedly down to the Rebels and Tigers relating to his teaching future. However with Saturday’s win, Ole Miss may need left Kiffin with no selection however to stay in Oxford.
Overwhelming LSU provide may not be sufficient break up magical Ole Miss season
A youthful Kiffin could have already moved to Baton Rouge, however he is matured since leaving Tennessee for USC after one season 16 years in the past. It took years for Kiffin to rehabilitate his picture after his failed stint at Southern Cal, together with three seasons spent as offensive coordinator at Alabama and one other three years at Florida Atlantic earlier than being given one other likelihood main an influence convention program.
Leaving Ole Miss because it prepares to host a CFP first-round recreation can be an irrevocable stain, irrespective of how a lot success he’d seemingly have at LSU.
The Tigers reportedly offered Kiffin an “incentive-laden deal” price roughly $90M whereas additionally making certain vital identify, picture and likeness (NIL) investments. Packages have a cap in how a lot they may give gamers, however athletes are nonetheless capable of revenue off of NIL offers, and that monetary promise could possibly be extraordinarily engaging to Kiffin.
As engaging because the attract of teaching at LSU — significantly evening video games in Dying Valley — could possibly be, Kiffin’s current is a lot vibrant sufficient.
The Rebels are within the thick of the CFP race and might make main noise within the 12-team discipline. Their solely loss got here at No. 4 Georgia (10-1, 7-1 in SEC) once they scored touchdowns on their first 5 possessions. Getting into Friday, Ole Miss ranked third in FBS in whole offense (493.8 yards per recreation) and No. 13 in scoring offense (37.2 factors per recreation).
A loss to Mississippi State would have made it so much simpler for Kiffin to justify leaving for LSU. However Friday’s decisive win emphasised simply how good Ole Miss is. Too good for Kiffin to say goodbye.
