Paul Finebaum Reveals Thoughts on Lane Kiffin Amid Ole Miss Football's Playoff Run

Finebaum spoke out on Kiffin's decision to depart the Rebels, Ole Miss eyeing National Championship appearance.

Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin talks with quarterback Trinidad Chambliss (6) during a college football game between Mississippi State and Ole Miss at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Miss., on Friday, Nov. 28, 2025. Ole Miss defeated Mississippi State 38-19 in the Egg Bowl. | Ayrton Breckenridge/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Lane Kiffin remains in headlines this week amid the Ole Miss Rebels' College Football Playoff run after capturing a 39-35 win over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on New Year's Day.

With the victory over Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs, Ole Miss punched its ticket to the College Football Playoff semifinals with a Fiesta Bowl clash against the Miami Hurricanes up next on the docket.

But the program's former head coach, Kiffin, remains the talk of the town as he remains active on social media, earning multiple bonuses amid the Rebels' run, and more as Ole Miss makes history this season.

Kiffin's request to coach in the College Football Playoff - amid a departure for the LSU Tigers - was denied by Ole Miss Athletics Director Keith Carter while other assistants that made the move from Ole Miss to LSU were granted approval to coach into the postseason.

“I was hoping to complete a historic six season run with this year’s team by leading Ole Miss through the playoffs, capitalizing on the team’s incredible success and their commitment to finish strong, and investing everything into a playoff run with guardrails in place to protect the program in any areas of concern," Kiffin said on Nov. 30.

Courtesy of Ole Miss Rebels Football.

“My request to do so was denied by Keith Carter despite the team also asking him to allow me to keep coaching them so they could better maintain their high level of performance. Unfortunately, that means Friday’s Egg Bowl was my last game coaching the Rebels.”

Now, ESPN's Paul Finebaum has weighed in on the Kiffin saga during his show amid the Ole Miss Rebels' historic season in Oxford.

“I think Lane Kiffin looks like a complete fool today,” Finebaum said on Friday. “What was really interesting, which we tried to explain, but Lane Kiffin had every intention of coming to the game. What he wanted to do was to go on ESPN and try and spew all the ‘how much I love these players’.

"I don’t know exactly what went down. I can’t tell you that authoritatively, but I can tell you that pretty matter-of-factly. Nobody wanted Lane Kiffin there.

“I don’t know who finally said, ‘Lane, you’re not welcome. We don’t want you around,’ but I don’t think anybody wanted him around to let him do what he did on Saturday going on TV (during LSU’s Texas Bowl matchup against Houston).

Courtesy of Ole Miss Rebels Football.

"That’s what Lane Kiffin wanted. He wanted the exposure. He ends up going to a women’s basketball game in Baton Rouge so he can make SportsCenter this morning.”

Ole Miss will square off against the Miami Hurricanes on Jan. 8 in the Fiesta Bowl with Pete Golding and the Rebels one win away from clinching a spot in the National Championship.

More Ole Miss News:

Lane Kiffin Reacts to New Offensive Coordinator Being Hired By Ole Miss Football

Ole Miss Football QB Trinidad Chambliss Wins Major Award Amid Breakout Season

SEC Rival Emerging as Favorite to Land Ole Miss Football Quarterback Austin Simmons

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