Lane Kiffin Breaks Silence on LSU Tigers, Florida Gators Rumors as Ole Miss Pushes

Kiffin is at the forefront of the coaching carousel conversation, breaks silence during interview with Pat McAfee.
Sep 20, 2025; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin looks on during the first quarter against the Tulane Green Wave at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
Sep 20, 2025; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin looks on during the first quarter against the Tulane Green Wave at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

No. 5 Ole Miss (10-1, 6-1 SEC) will navigate an open date in Week 13 with the program set to round out the 2025 regular season on Nov. 28 for the annual Egg Bowl matchup against Mississippi State.

With a College Football Playoff berth inching closer, Lane Kiffin and Co. remain firmly in the race with the third reveal of the CFP Top-25 Rankings set to be revealed on Tuesday.

But the talk of the town is the future of Kiffin in Oxford with the LSU Tigers and Florida Gators looking to lure him away from Ole Miss.

Kiffin's family visited Gainesville on Sunday followed by a trip to Baton Rouge on Monday as the pair of SEC programs make their push, but Kiffin has remained mum on the subject.

The Rebels shot-caller hopped on The Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday to discuss a Nov. 28 "decision deadline," coaching carousel, and more.

Ole Miss Rebels Football: Trinidad Chambliss.
Courtesy of Ole Miss Rebels Football.

Lane Kiffin's Thoughts: Pat McAfee Show Edition

No. 1: The Ole Miss "Ultimatum"

“That’s absolutely not true. There’s been no ultimatum or anything like that at all,” Kiffin said. “I don’t know where that came from, like a lot of stuff that comes out there. Like I said, man, we’re having a blast. I love it here.

“… It just couldn’t be better. Like I said, you pray for things. Our fans prayed for this type of thing, and now we’re in the middle of it. So, enjoy it. You’re 10-1. You’re getting ready. You got a bye week.

"You get to watch half the country lose, and there’s no way we can lose Saturday. And then, you play the Egg Bowl and go dominate that and keep that Egg Bowl trophy home where it’s been for a long time.”

Ole Miss Rebels Football: Lane Kiffin.
Courtesy of Ole Miss Rebels Football.

No. 2: Coaching Expectations Changing

“I know that (they’re going to try to fire me if we lose the Egg Bowl). I know that,” said Kiffin. “I’ve said, when they’re like, all this stuff, and they’re like, are you focused on other places? I say, no, I’m focused on winning, because now what I’ve learned in college football – we have our little group chat with like Sark and Kirby and a couple guys, and we came up with this.

"You lose one, you’re out of the Top-10. You lose two, you’re out of the Top-25. You lose three, you get fired. So, you know, we’re focused on our job of trying to get to 1-0 every week, because that’s the profession that we’re in now.”

“Yeah, I mean, we just saw that with Brian Kelly,” Kiffin referenced later on. “That’s exactly the scenario that just happened.”

Ole Miss Rebels Football: Lane Kiffin.
Courtesy of Ole Miss Rebels Football.

No. 3: Focus on the College Football Playoff

“There’s too many variables. Because, everybody’s like, well, you’ve got to get to the top-twelve teams," Kiffin said. "Well, now we’re finding out, depending on how other things go, you really got to get to the top-ten teams to make sure you make the playoffs, because two of the teams might not even be in the top-twelve."

"They could be twenty or twenty-five or something with the current, flawed system,” added Kiffin. “So, like you said, everybody’s like, well, man, you better be in the top-twelve. No, you better make sure you’re in the top-ten, or you might get left out.

“So, I ain’t worried about other stuff. I’m worried about making sure we win.”

More Ole Miss News:

National Analyst Believes Miami Dolphins Should Hire Ole Miss Football's Lane Kiffin

Ole Miss Football Great Doubles Down on Lane Kiffin to Florida Gators 'Not Happening'

Tony Vitello Pokes Fun at Ole Miss Football's Lane Kiffin in Goodbye to Tennessee

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Zack Nagy
ZACK NAGY

Zack Nagy is the Managing Editor and Publisher of Ole Miss Rebels On SI, a Sports Illustrated Publication. Nagy has covered Rebel Football, Baseball, Basketball and Recruiting, looking to keep readers updated on anything and everything involving Ole Miss athletics. Nagy has covered the Southeastern Conference for over half a decade after being born and raised in New Orleans (La.).

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