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$54 million head coach declared new favorite for LSU vacancy

Rowan Fisher Shotton|
Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin (left) talks with South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Shane Beamer during warm ups prior to the game at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin (left) talks with South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Shane Beamer during warm ups prior to the game at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

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Ole Miss RebelsLSU Tigers

Lane Kiffin’s Ole Miss Rebels are 10-1, ranked No. 6 nationally, and riding the most successful stretch in program history.

Sitting third in a loaded SEC, Ole Miss is averaging 493.8 total yards per game (third-most in the country), 37.2 points per game (13th), and is in line for its first-ever College Football Playoff berth.

Yet the conversation surrounding Kiffin this week has shifted from the College Football Playoff to Baton Rouge.

On Thursday, Bovada released updated odds naming Kiffin the betting favorite to become LSU’s next head coach at +300, ahead of former LSU assistant Joe Brady, Tulane’s Jon Sumrall, and former Alabama (and LSU) coach Nick Saban.

After brief stints at Tennessee and USC, Kiffin rebuilt his career at Florida Atlantic before landing at Ole Miss in 2020.

In six seasons in Oxford, he has compiled a 54-19 record, including three consecutive double-digit win campaigns — a first in school history.

This season, the Rebels have secured a few signature wins, including edging out LSU 24-19 in Week 5, a 34-26 statement win against No. 8 Oklahoma in Week 9, and a dominant 30-14 victory over South Carolina seven days later.

Their latest 34-24 win over Florida kept playoff hopes alive and showcased what Kiffin brings to the table, with over 500 total yards on the day, including 224 rushing yards and three rushing TDs from sophomore Kewan Lacy.

Kiffin is still under contract at Ole Miss and set to make $9 million per year through 2031, meaning he is owed around $54 million.

Mississippi Rebels running back Kewan Lacy (5) and head coach Lane Kiffin.
Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels running back Kewan Lacy (5) and head coach Lane Kiffin react after defeating the Florida Gators at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The Tigers fired Brian Kelly on Oct. 26 amid a turbulent season and have since undergone sweeping administrative changes.

With a new president and athletic director in place, the search has intensified, with reports this week indicating LSU officials arranged a private jet for Kiffin’s family to tour Baton Rouge.

Florida, also in the market for a coach, has been linked to Kiffin as well, though he has remained noncommittal, telling reporters only that he expects to coach Ole Miss in the upcoming Egg Bowl.

As Ole Miss prepares for their rivalry game against Mississippi State and LSU continues its search, the spotlight remains firmly on Kiffin.

If he does choose to leave Oxford, whether for Gainesville or Baton Rouge, it would shift the SEC's balance of power.

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Rowan Fisher
ROWAN FISHER SHOTTON

Rowan Fisher-Shotton is a versatile journalist known for sharp analysis, player-driven storytelling, and quick-turn coverage across CFB, CBB, the NBA, WNBA, and NFL. A Wilfrid Laurier alum and lifelong athlete, he’s written for FanSided, Pro Football Network, Athlon Sports, and Newsweek, tackling every beat with both a reporter’s edge and a player’s eye.

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