Greg McElroy predicts the 'most toxic feud' in college football after coaching change

Greg McElroy anticipates the rivalry between LSU and Ole Miss will reach new levels of hostility following Lane Kiffin’s exit.

The Ole Miss Rebels have won three of the last five games in the Magnolia Bowl rivalry with the LSU Tigers. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

College football relies on the deep disdain shared between neighbors. States that share a border often possess a history of conflict that plays out on the gridiron every autumn. These yearly battles divide families and communities while serving as the emotional centerpiece of the sport. The intensity rarely fades even when the games end.

ESPN college football analyst Greg McElroy shared his belief on the Always College Football podcast that the friction between the LSU Tigers and the Ole Miss Rebels had just escalated. The recent announcement that LSU Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin accepted the job in Baton Rouge changes the dynamic of the series.

Kiffin left Oxford after an 11-1 season to join a conference foe. The move turns a historic competition into a bitter personal dispute. McElroy argues that Kiffin remaining inside the Southeastern Conference amplifies the animosity.

"This now has turned up the rivalry between LSU and Ole Miss, the Magnolia Bowl," McElroy said. "It was always a heated rivalry. This now moves it into what might be the most toxic feud in college football."

Lane Kiffin Departure Adds Heat To Magnolia Bowl History

McElroy noted that Kiffin is now a primary antagonist for the Oxford fanbase. The analyst compared Kiffin to other controversial figures in the region's sports history.

"I think Lane Kiffin will fully embrace the heel role now taking over in Baton Rouge," McElroy said. "He will become public enemy number one in Oxford. You thought Dan Mullen or maybe Tommy Tuberville was that guy. No more. He might be in the pantheon of Mississippi sports villains after this move."

The departure of head coach Lane Kiffin from Ole Miss and his arrival at LSU will likely ramp up the tensions in the Magnolia Bowl rivalry. | Ayrton Breckenridge/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The two programs have competed for the Magnolia Bowl Trophy since 2008. The series began in 1894 and reached its initial peak during the 1950s and 1960s. While the Tigers lead the all-time series 64-43-4, the Rebels secured a 24-19 victory in September 2025.

Kiffin leaving the Rebels to lead their direct rival adds a new chapter to a game that has seen streaks of dominance from both sides. Ole Miss Rebels athletic director Keith Carter denied Kiffin the chance to coach the playoff run so he promoted defensive coordinator Pete Golding to head coach immediately.

The Rebels will await their seeding and opponent for the College Football Playoff bracket reveal on Sunday at noon ET on ESPN.