Lane Kiffin's Past Success Against Will Muschamp Offers LSU Hope Against Texas

After giving up the game to Alabama in the fourth quarter on Saturday, the LSU Tigers will look to rebound against Texas on Nov. 14.

Texas brings the best defense that LSU has seen all season. The Longhorns are ranked No. 10 in the country in total defense, allowing 280.1 yards per game.

The Texas defense is led by Will Muschamp, an opponent who is all too familiar to LSU Head Coach Lane Kiffin.

Lane Kiffin's history against Will Muschamp

LSU Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin during warm ups before Auburn Tigers take on LSU Tigers at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala. on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Muschamp and Kiffin have faced off four times in their careers, both as head coaches and coordinators.

Kiffin currently has the upper hand. His teams have gone 3-1 against Muschamp's, averaging 36.8 points and 549.3 yards per game. This includes 328.5 passing yards and 220.8 rushing yards per game.

The coaches' first matchup came in 2014. Kiffin was the first-year offensive coordinator for the Alabama Crimson Tide, while Muschamp was the head coach of the Florida Gators. Alabama, then the No. 4 team in the country, defeated unranked Florida by a final score of 42-21.

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In the game, Kiffin's offense dominated over Muschamp's defense. The Crimson Tide had 672 total yards and 28 first downs in 39:16 total time of possession.

The two coaches met again in 2015, this time with Muschamp as the defensive coordinator for the Auburn Tigers. Kiffin's team once again came out on top, as No. 2 Alabama defeated Auburn by a final score of 29-13. The Crimson Tide's offense totaled 465 yards in 35:23 of total time of possession against Auburn.

In 2020, Muschamp and Kiffin had their only meeting where they were both head coaches. Kiffin's Ole Miss Rebels defeated Muschamp's South Carolina Gamecocks by a final score of 59-42. The Rebels had 704 total yards, including 513 passing yards in 30:41 total time of possession.

The coaches' most recent matchup comes in 2023. While Kiffin remained with the Rebels, Muschamp moved on to become co-defensive coordinator for the Georgia Bulldogs.

The 2023 matchup is the only time Muschamp's team has come out on top against Kiffin's. No. 6 Georgia defeated No. 11 Ole Miss by a final score of 52-17. The Bulldogs held the Rebels to 352 total yards, with the defense forcing 4 Rebel punts and 9 penalties for 68 yards.

The Nov. 14 matchup between LSU and Texas will be the fifth time that the two coaches meet. With LSU's playoff hopes on thin ice after the loss to Alabama, the Tigers need to prove that they can play against a top-tier defense and one of the current top teams in the SEC.

The Tigers need use Kiffin's momentum against Muschamp's teams for high yardage, starting with Sam Leavitt having the firepower that he had against Auburn. Without it, LSU's playoff hopes may be gone.

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