Lane Kiffin Lands Huge Bonus From LSU Thanks to Ole Miss’ CFP Win

Kiffin will keep earning bonuses as long as the Rebels continue winning.
LSU head coach Lane Kiffin will keep earning bonuses as long as Ole Miss keeps winning in the College Football Playoff.
LSU head coach Lane Kiffin will keep earning bonuses as long as Ole Miss keeps winning in the College Football Playoff. / Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Lane Kiffin just keeps raking in cash.

LSU’s new head coach benefited from his old team’s victory on Saturday. When Ole Miss hammered Tulane 41-10 in the opening round of the College Football Playoff, the team’s old coach’s wallet got fatter.

As part of his new contract with the Tigers Kiffin is set to benefit any time his old team wins in the CFP. LSU matched the bonuses the 50-year-old coach was set to receive from the Rebels for success in the playoff as part of a scheme to lure him to Baton Rouge. For Saturday night’s victory, he’ll pocket an additional $250,000.

Kiffin’s contract with LSU is for $91 million over seven years. That $13 million average annual value makes him college football’s second-highest paid coach behind Georgia’s Kirby Smart. The deal represents a significant raise over the $9 million he was making at Ole Miss. In addition to that, the agreement includes an escalator clause that would make him college football’s highest-paid coach if the Tigers win a national championship.

Kiffin spent six seasons at Ole Miss, compiling a 55-19 record, while going 32-17 in the SEC. After a 5-5 season in 2020, he turned things around, as the Rebels went 50-14 over the next five years, racking up four double-digit win seasons, a Peach Bowl win in 2023, and a CFP berth this season. Over the past three years, Ole Miss was 32-6 under Kiffin.

Pete Golding has taken over as the Rebels’ new head coach with Kiffin off to LSU, and his first game was the big win over Tulane on Saturday night.

Kiffin will no doubt be rooting for the Rebels to keep winning, as he can earn up to $1 million if his former team wins a national title.


More College Football on Sports Illustrated

FREE NEWSLETTER. SI BTN Newsletter. Start off your day with SI:CYMI. dark

feed


Published
Ryan Phillips
RYAN PHILLIPS

Ryan Phillips is a senior writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He has worked in digital media since 2009, spending eight years at The Big Lead before joining SI in 2024. Phillips also co-hosts The Assembly Call Podcast about Indiana Hoosiers basketball and previously worked at Bleacher Report. He is a proud San Diego native and a graduate of Indiana University’s journalism program.