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As LSU, Penn State and other powerhouse college football programs search for their next head coach, Ole Miss Rebels coach Lane Kiffin continues to surface in speculation.
Former NFL punter and current ESPN personality Pat McAfee is among those who don’t want Kiffin to even think about leaving Oxford, Mississippi.
McAfee, a West Virginia University alumnus, was speaking Saturday on ESPN’s “College GameDay” when the topic of Kiffin came up.
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“College GameDay” sports anchor Pat McAfee on set before the game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Texas Longhorns at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio on August 30, 2025. (Jason Mowry/Getty Images)
“I would like to say that if Lane Kiffin is listening… You have the right to be happy and content, brother,” McAfee said. “You have the right to be in a place and have tremendous success. You have the right to build a place from the ground up. You have the right to become a GOAT at a place. I think there’s a feeling among a lot of coaches, like, ‘Hey, you gotta get to this job, you gotta get to that job.'”
Speculation grew about Kiffin at LSU after it was reported that university leaders and athletic administrators had finalized terms on a massive contract proposal for Kiffin, who has a 115-53 record coaching career in college football between Tennessee, USC, Florida Atlantic and Ole Miss. LSU parted ways with Brian Kelly after three straight losses to ranked opponents earlier this season.
Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter, along with university chancellor Glenn Boyce, sat down Friday afternoon with Kiffin to discuss his future. Carter released a statement following the meeting, ultimately saying Kiffin’s future would be decided next Saturday after the annual Egg Bowl against Mississippi State. This is the final regular season game for the No. 6 Rebels.
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How much is LSU willing to give Kiffin, who owns a 54-19 record with the Rebels since taking over in 2020? Although contract negotiations remain fluid, Yahoo Sports reported that executives discussed a seven-year, incentive-filled pact worth at least $90 million.
That would make Kiffin the highest-paid college football coach in the country.
It’s also worth noting that LSU intends to pledge “significant NIL and revenue share investments in excess of $25 million,” which would give Kiffin, one of the nation’s top recruiters, ample resources to recruit top talent in all 50 states. NIL resources are crucial for coaches to recruit the players necessary to produce winning seasons in today’s college football.
Ole Miss Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin speaks to the media during SEC Media Day at the Omni Atlanta Hotel on July 14, 2025. (Jordan Godfree/Imagn Images)
At the same time, Florida, which fired Billy Napier earlier this season, hopes to lure Kiffin to Gainesville to revive a program desperate to return to the top of the college football rankings.
Now, both programs — and perhaps others — are well aware that Kiffin has good things going for him with the Rebels, who are poised to clinch a spot in the College Football Playoff this season. They will continue their due diligence with other practice targets, but Kiffin will remain a top candidate until his decision is made.
It’s a difficult situation for the current Rebels players, who are all fighting to get into the CFP. Given the public nature of Kiffin’s situation, McAfee understands what they’re going through.
While with the Mountaineers, former coach Rich Rodriguez left WVU to go to Michigan. Although McAfee understands it from a player’s perspective, Rodriguez’s time in Ann Arbor has not proven to be fruitful.
Mississippi head coach Lane Kiffin watches his team play Oklahoma in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Norman, Oklahoma, Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams)
“RichRod went to Michigan. He’s back to West Virginia. If he never left, this guy probably has the whole university named after him,” McAfee said, adding to his argument for keeping Kiffin at Ole Miss.
It’s a long week ahead in Oxford and around college football as everyone tunes in to see where Kiffin’s future lies.
