Ole Miss is set up for a chaotic conclusion to its college football season, as coach Lane Kiffin is targeted by SEC rivals LSU and Florida for their current coaching vacancies while the Rebels barrel toward the school’s first College Football Playoff appearance.
Saturday’s 34–24 victory over Florida made Ole Miss a virtual lock to make the 12-team CFP bracket, now holding a 10–1 record entering a bye week before their season finale against Mississippi State on Nov. 28. Ole Miss was ranked No. 7 and is likely to move up at least one spot in Tuesday night’s CFP rankings, since No. 5 Alabama (8–2) lost to No. 11 Oklahoma.
But concern over Kiffin’s future appears to be reaching a tipping point this week.
Kiffin: We’re Having a Blast
Kiffin on Tuesday afternoon denied reports—from On3 and The Athletic—that Ole Miss AD Keith Carter would like him to make a decision on whether he wants to remain in Oxford or accept another job before the Egg Bowl next Friday, when the Rebels will travel to Starkville for their annual rivalry game.
“That’s absolutely not true,” Kiffin said during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show. “There’s been no ultimatum or anything like that at all. So, I don’t know where that came from, like a lot of stuff that comes out there. We’re having a blast. I love it here.”
Kiffin said that he did yoga with Carter and others at 6 a.m. on Tuesday morning. But he didn’t address reports that members of his family visited Baton Rouge on Monday, according to The New Orleans Advocate, after visiting Gainesville on Sunday.
“It just couldn’t be better,” Kiffin said of the Ole Miss season. “You pray for things. Our fans prayed for this type of thing, and now we’re in the middle of it. So, enjoy it.”
Tuesday’s interview marked Kiffin’s first public comments on the situation since Saturday’s postgame press conference, when he was asked whether he anticipates being the coach at Ole Miss next season.
“I love what we’re doing here,” Kiffin said. “Today was awesome. I don’t talk about that stuff. To even talk about it right now would be so disrespectful to our players and how well they played today. We’ve got a lot of things going here. Doing really well, and I love it here.”
Money Matters
LSU fired Brian Kelly on Oct. 26 and is being sued by its former coach, who is seeking his full $53 million buyout after receiving lower settlement offers. Florida fired Billy Napier on Oct. 19, and owes him a $21.2 million buyout.
Kiffin would owe Ole Miss $4 million if he leaves to take another coaching job, which would likely be covered by any school that would hire him.
If Kiffin were to accept either the LSU or Florida job, it would not be surprising to see him become the highest-paid coach in college football, surpassing the $13.28 million salary Georgia is paying two-time national championship winner Kirby Smart.
Ole Miss is also surely prepared to offer Kiffin a long-term contract extension and a big raise from his current $9 million salary, which ranks 10th in college football.
