Ole Miss reportedly forces Lane Kiffin into tough decision amid Florida, LSU interest

While speculation remains around whether Lane Kiffin will stay put or take another coaching job next season, his current school wants some answers sooner rather than later, and is willing to force him into a decision in the very near future.

Ole Miss wants a response from Kiffin about his future with or without the school at some point before playing against rival Mississippi State on Nov. 28, according to a new report from On3 Sports.

That date appears to be a hard deadline for Kiffin to tell Ole Miss what his future plans are, and if they don’t get an answer, the situation could reportedly become very tense.

What if Ole Miss gets no answer?

In the event Kiffin misses that deadline, there is a question around “what the ramifications could be” for him after that.

Notably, Ole Miss would have to decide if it would allow Kiffin to coach the team in the College Football Playoff, according to the report.

“If there is no resolution, it will be an agonizing decision for Kiffin and the Rebels,” reporter Brett McMurphy said.

It’s moments like this that can become very tense. SEC schools usually only make requests like this at very crucial times when they know there is credible pressure coming from rival programs.

Ole Miss has already reportedly offered Kiffin a contract extension, raising the question around what the coach could really be waiting for. He could be feeling out what LSU and/or Florida are willing to offer him and waiting to see if Ole Miss matches or beat it.

SEC rivals reportedly make contact

Rumors around Ole Miss’ apparent ultimatum for its head coach come on the same day it was reported that his family have been taken on tours around SEC country by the two other blue blood programs interested in hiring him.

LSU sent a private airplane to Oxford to pick up members of Kiffin’s family and gave them around Baton Rouge, and a Kiffin family member also visited Gainesville, Fla., over the weekend as the Gators have expressed interest in him, according to reports.

Ole Miss is enjoying historic success

The developing situation comes at a remarkable moment for the Ole Miss program, as it enjoys the historic success that Kiffin is credited with helping create.

The Rebels are 10-1, winning double digit games for a program-first three-straight seasons, and on the verge of making the College Football Playoff for the first time.

What the markets are saying

The betting markets have taken notice of the new report around the Kiffins visiting Baton Rouge and Gainesville and adjusted their expectations accordingly.

Kiffin remains the favorite to be named LSU’s head coach, but saw his probability nearly double from 23 percent to 49 percent in the last day in what remains a very fluid situation, according to the latest figures listed by the prediction market Kalshi.

He is also the top-listed candidate to take the coaching job at Florida, remaining more stable at 58 percent, but still the favorite by a wide margin, 46 points ahead of the next contender, Tulane coach Jon Sumrall, at 12 percent, according to Kalshi.

What happens next?

Ole Miss finds itself on the verge of the biggest accomplishment in its history as a football program.

But instead of celebrating and focusing on that, it now faces the question of whether the coach responsible will even be on its sideline at that vital moment.

Should there be no conclusion at the point Ole Miss has apparently laid down, a tormenting decision could follow.

All odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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