Paul Finebaum Issues Warning to Prominent Head Coach Following Move to National Powerhouse

ESPN announcer Paul Finebaum before the SEC Championship game. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

LSU Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin has been the talk of the offseason.

A big part is that the SEC head coach elected to leave the Ole Miss Rebels after a successful six-year run to join the Tigers. Kiffin left after going 55-19, with his best season coming in his last.

He led the Rebels to an 11-1 record and their first College Football Playoff berth. However, Ole Miss' administration elected not to allow Kiffin to coach the playoff run after he took the job in Baton Rouge.

This caused some controversy since Kiffin played a major part in leading them to that point. But if he coached Ole Miss during that playoff run, there would be a lot of promotion of LSU. The Rebels decided they didn't want to prop up an SEC rival.

LSU Vice President and Director of Athletics Verge Ausberry has admitted he would have likely made the same decision.

LSU Tigers new head coach Lane Kiffin speaks at the South Stadium Club. | Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Kiffin's Exit Still Burns in Oxford

The tension really boiled over this offseason when Kiffin elected to give an interview with "Vanity Fair" and discussed some of the challenges he faced recruiting in Oxford.

"[They would say], 'Hey, Coach, we really like you. But my grandparents aren't letting me move to Oxford, Mississippi,'" Kiffin said. "That doesn't come up when you say Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Parents were sitting here this weekend saying the campus' diversity feels so great: 'It feels like there's no segregation. And we want that for our kid because that's the real world.'"

Paul Finebaum Expects a Hostile Return in Oxford

That statement had Ole Miss fans fuming and has drawn even more attention to the regular season game between the two. That game will be played at 7:30 p.m. ET on Sept. 19 in Oxford. During ESPN's SEC football schedule release show, Paul Finebaum warned Kiffin about what might await him that day.

“One day, I will solve the riddle of which fan base hates Lane Kiffin more, Tennessee for 2009 or this?” Finebaum said. “And I think we’re going to find out this day. When Kiffin went back to Tennessee a couple of years ago, they threw golf balls and mustard at him. That will be Kindergarten stuff compared to this.”

Finebaum is right. This will likely be one of the most hostile environments in college football this year. However, despite all the hatred Ole Miss fans may have for Kiffin, they must refrain from going over the line. The boos and things of that nature are fine. But throwing stuff at him or any of his new players is over the line.

Ole Miss Can Send the Strongest Message

Because if the Rebels really want to get at Kiffin, they will beat him on that Saturday. They will then use that momentum to go to the CFP again, but this time they will take home the national championship, showing Kiffin what could have been.

That's the best way to get back at him, because if Ole Miss can beat Kiffin and LSU, it will send the clearest message possible: The Rebels can thrive without him and still chase the championship he left behind.