Pat McAfee sends strong message to Lane Kiffin amid Florida, LSU rumors

ESPN personality Pat McAfee is rarely caught without an opinion, and the subject of Lane Kiffin's future was no exception. Discussing the Ole Miss coach who is now the star of the coaching searches at LSU and Florida, McAfee dropped his advice for the 50-year old Kiffin on College GameDay.

McAfee's advice

I would like to say, if Lane Kiffin is listening... you're allowed to be happy and content, Brother. You're allowed to be at a place and have massive success. You're allowed to build a place from scratch. You're allowed to become a GOAT at a place. I think there is a feeling among a lot of coaches like, 'Hey, you've got to get to this job.'... Rich Rod[riguez] wanted Michigan, he's back at West Virginia. If he would have never left, that guy probably has the entire university named after him.... [Kiffin] is very content, and after watching his documentary, it's like, you're allowed to be happy, dude. You don't have to be chasing all the time.
Pat McAfee

Lane Kiffin is the only one who knows what he's gonna do right now..

He's done a fantastic job at Ole Miss and if I was him I think I would stay #CollegeGameDay pic.twitter.com/8CbHCauyIK
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) November 22, 2025

A similar situation from McAfee's past

McAfee tied Kiffin's situation to one he experienced as a player, when Rich Rodriguez left his West Virginia program ahead of the 2007 Fiesta Bowl. Rodriguez left great success at West Virginia (60-26, with three straight double-digit win seasons to end that run) to struggle at Michigan (15-22) and Arizona (43-35) before ultimately working his way back to West Virginia.

Kiffin's Ole Miss dominance

Kiffin has led Ole Miss to success unseen at the school since the racial integration of the SEC in the mid-1960s. Since 1962, Ole Miss had three 10-win seasons before the hiring of Kiffin for the 2020 season. Kiffin has posted four 10-win seasons, including the last three in a row.

The pending decision

But LSU and Florida are apparently both engaged in a high-dollar bidding war to make Kiffin offers of around $13 million per year. While Ole Miss has made massive support strides in enabling Kiffin's massive transfer portal recruiting classes, there is some concern about a bottom-line bidding war. Kiffin is in his sixth season at Ole Miss, which is by far the longest tenure he's had in any spot (the other best was USC, where Kiffin was fired early in his fourth season).

With a decision slated for the end of Ole Miss's regular season next Friday, plenty will be watching the Kiffin Sweepstakes. And while plenty will offer advice, McAfee's thoughts (with Kirk Herbstreit joining in his conclusion of 'Stay in Oxford') are certainly notable.