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The Lane Kiffin drama came to an end Sunday when the Ole Miss Rebels head football coach announced he was leaving the school to take the job with the LSU Tigers.
Kiffin picked up a win against Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl rivalry game Friday afternoon. He said he prayed a lot before making the decision, which was originally scheduled to be made Saturday. But Kiffin reportedly had meetings with athletic director Keith Carter and school chancellor Glenn Boyce all night.
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Ole Miss Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin during the game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on October 25, 2025. (Kevin Jairaj/Imagn Images)
He met with the team in the afternoon before the decision was officially announced, according to multiple reports. He will not coach the team in the College Football Playoff.
“After much prayer and time with family, I have made the difficult decision to accept the head coaching position at LSU,” Kiffin said in a statement.
“I was hoping to complete a historic six-season run with this year’s team by leading Ole Miss through the playoffs, capitalizing on the team’s incredible success and their commitment to finishing strong, and investing everything in a postseason run with guardrails in place to protect the program in all areas of concern. My request to do so was denied by Keith Carter despite the team also asking him to allow me to continue coaching them so they could better maintain their high level of performance Unfortunately, this means that Friday’s Egg Bowl was my last game coaching the Rebels team.
“While I look forward to a fresh start with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity at LSU, I will forever cherish the six incredible years I spent at Ole Miss and will root hard for the team to accomplish its mission and bring a championship to Oxford.”
Defensive coordinator Pete Golding is expected to be named head coach at Ole Miss.
Kiffin has been college football’s hottest coaching target with several vacancies. He has been linked to jobs at LSU and Florida. The Tigers parted ways with Brian Kelly and the Gators parted ways with Billy Napier midway through the year. Both openings are in schools considered to be the benchmark in terms of sport.
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Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin watches warmups before the game against the Florida Gators at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on November 15, 2025. (Pierre Thomas/Imagn Images)
However, Kiffin has turned the Rebels into college football national championship contenders this year. Ole Miss’ 11 wins this season are the most in school history, and the Rebels have done it twice under Kiffin.
Kiffin took over an Ole Miss program that was 4-8 in Matt Luke’s final season. He notched at least 10 wins at Ole Miss in four of his six years at the helm.
Kiffin has been criticized in the past for leaving his position on a whim, including accepting the USC job in 2010 after just one season with Tennessee.
Mississippi head coach Lane Kiffin reacts to an official’s call during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Mississippi State, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Starkville, Mississippi. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
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With the Rebels likely to secure a spot in the College Football Playoff, it’s hard to imagine Kiffin will leave the school he helped rebuild into a powerhouse.
