Lane Kiffin sends strong message amid calls to leave Ole Miss

After a dramatic 34-24 comeback over Florida on Saturday that left Vaught‑Hemingway Stadium chanting “We want Lane,” Ole Miss and Lane Kiffin find themselves at a crossroads.

On the one hand, the program is poised for its first-ever College Football Playoff berth, while the coach most responsible for that ascent faces intense external recruitment and an internal deadline to decide his future.

During Saturday’s win over the Gators, Rebels fans broke into Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer,” a moment Ole Miss AD Keith Carter quickly reshared with the caption “Utopia!!”

On Monday, Kiffin responded, reacting to the post with his own message: “Currently in the ‘good ole days.’”

Currently in the “good ole days” ❤️💙 https://t.co/b5lmLd1DQ4
— Lane Kiffin (@Lane_Kiffin) November 17, 2025

Kiffin carries a 115-53 overall career college mark that places him among the sport’s most successful active leaders and has turned Ole Miss into a consistent 10‑win program since his arrival in 2020.

The 2025 Rebels (10-1, 6-1 SEC) enter rivalry week ranked No. 6 in the country behind an offense that’s averaging 493.8 yards per game (third-most) and 37.2 points per game (12th).

Winning that consistently in a loaded SEC while running a high-octane offense has put him squarely on the map as this year’s coaching market heats up.

Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin. — Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin embraces running back Kewan Lacy (5) after defeating the Florida Gators at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Florida and LSU are publicly reported as aggressive suitors; multiple outlets say members of Kiffin’s family toured Gainesville and Baton Rouge over the past week, and LSU reportedly even arranged transport via a private jet for him and his family members on Saturday.

That interest collided with Ole Miss’s urgent need for clarity as athletic director Keith Carter has asked Kiffin to resolve his intentions before the Egg Bowl against Mississippi State on Nov. 28.

Kiffin’s contract runs through Dec. 31, 2031, after triggering an automatic extension following the Rebels’ win over Oklahoma on Oct. 25.

That extension gives him a base pay reported at around $9 million annually from 2025 onward and a structured buyout at around $36.6 million.

While Ole Miss heads into the postseason with real title aspirations, recruiting, staff stability and playoff planning can’t be finalized until the program knows whether its head coach will stay.

Carter’s public nudge, coupled with Kiffin's framing of his Ole Miss run as the “good ole days,” suggests movement is coming.

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