Ole Miss Football's Lane Kiffin Pokes Fun at Georgia's Kirby Smart Ahead of Week 8

No. 5 Ole Miss (6-0, 3-0 SEC) will square off against Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday with ESPN College GameDay set to be in Athens.

After opening the season red-hot, Lane Kiffin and Co. will put the program's six-game winning streak to the test at Sanford Stadium in Week 8.

For Kiffin, the matchup against Smart and the Bulldogs is one he's circled with an opportunity to once again make a statement against one of the premier programs in the sport.

Ole Miss' shot-caller took the podium on Monday where he broke down the matchup while both showing respect to Smart and poking fun at the iconic head coach.

Georgia Bulldogs Football. — Nov 11, 2023; Athens, Georgia, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin talks to Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart before a game at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Lane Kiffin's Take: Week 8 Thoughts

Kirby Smart's Legacy

"Kirby does an amazing job over time of winning close games and winning in different styles depending on what’s going on," Kiffin said. "It’s why he’s one of the greatest coaches ever.

"You are talking about, what are we at, the sixth year now? The last time they lost in the regular season to a team not in Alabama or now Ole Miss is Florida in 2020, if I remember right. Think about that for a while.

"That’s dominance in the hardest conference, by far, to be dominant in. That’s coaching really well. A lot of good players, but coaching really well in situations and being really hard to beat."

Comparing Smart to Nick Saban

"He's done it a lot longer. It’s probably 11 [seasons] now. Done a great job. I remember when he went there. I was at Alabama when he took the job and had the first year not playing as well as they’d like and he kind of redid their offense and then has never kind of looked back since. Really became the new Alabama and kind of built it the exact same way.

"[Media] talks about people leaving coach Saban and what do they take? I think Kirby basically is coach Saban, you know, in almost every area — how he is, how he coaches everything, how he models his team. It’s worked. Basically have repeated the program and the success really against everybody but Alabama."

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

Poking Fun at Smart

"I don't know," Kiffin said. "That's a good question. I walked by the TV and saw his press conference today. Doesn't look like he's burned too many calories. But he does have a lot of energy games and he coaches really passionately."

No. 5 Ole Miss and No. 9 Georgia will kickoff at 2:30 p.m. CT on ABC with all eyes set to be on the SEC showdown.

More Ole Miss News:

Ole Miss Football, Oklahoma Sooners and Ohio State Buckeyes Headline CFP Projections

The Early Betting Lines: Ole Miss Football vs. Georgia Bulldogs in Week 8 Matchup

Ole Miss Football vs. Georgia Bulldogs: ESPN College GameDay Heading to Athens

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