Paul Finebaum names coach who may leave SEC powerhouse after 2025 and why

ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum speculated Lane Kiffin may leave Ole Miss after 2025 if the Rebels fail to reach the playoff.

ESPN college football personality Paul Finebaum believes Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin could move on from the Rebels should they miss the playoffs again. | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

Lane Kiffin’s tenure at Ole Miss has often balanced between loyalty and ambition, and Paul Finebaum believes that tension could soon reach a breaking point. During ESPN’s Week 8 edition of The Matt Barrie Show, the longtime analyst said Kiffin’s future in Oxford might depend heavily on whether the Rebels reach the College Football Playoff this season.

Ole Miss fell to Georgia 43–35 in Athens, a defeat that kept the program just outside the top playoff tier and reignited questions about how long Kiffin will remain. The Rebels scored touchdowns on their first five possessions but were shut out in the fourth quarter as Georgia rallied behind quarterback Gunner Stockton’s four-touchdown performance. Kiffin’s postgame tone was firm but frustrated, acknowledging that his team “didn’t finish when we had a chance to.”

Finebaum said the end of 2025 could bring a crossroads for the SEC coach. He recalled that Kiffin nearly left Ole Miss once already and believes the pattern could repeat if the playoff continues to elude him.

Paul Finebaum Says Kiffin Could Exit If Rebels Miss Playoff

Paul Finebaum didn’t mince words about where things stand between Kiffin and Ole Miss. “I think it’s getting more difficult, and Lane Kiffin has been on the precipice of leaving,” Finebaum said. “He was heading to Auburn a couple of years ago, that is not in debate, and then his daughter got in the way. That story is confirmed. He was looking at Florida last year. It’s a tug-of-war with him right now because I think he really does love where he is. But Lane Kiffin is a fierce competitor, and he has to wonder, can he do much better than what he did last year?”

Kiffin’s 2024 team posted one of the best seasons in school history, setting a new standard for Ole Miss under his watch. Yet Finebaum cautioned that the ceiling may have already been reached unless the Rebels break through the playoff barrier.

Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin and the Rebels fell short against Georgia on Saturday. | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

“If Lane Kiffin is not in the playoffs this year,” he added, “I think there is a higher likelihood that he could leave.”

That warning lands as Ole Miss approaches the most delicate stretch of its schedule. The loss to Georgia ended an undefeated run and left the Rebels needing help from elsewhere in the SEC to stay alive in the playoff conversation.

Georgia Defeat Highlights Ole Miss Ceiling Under Kiffin

Kiffin called the 43–35 loss a missed opportunity, saying Georgia “made a lot of plays on both sides of the ball” while his team “did not do that in the fourth quarter.” The Rebels led by nine entering the final period but couldn’t slow Stockton, who threw three second-half touchdowns.

Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss finished with 263 passing yards and three total scores but completed just over half his throws. The Rebels managed 88 rushing yards against a Georgia defense that stiffened late. “We have to coach better in big situations,” Kiffin said. “Those guys made really significant plays when they needed them.”

Ole Miss Rebels running back Kewan Lacy (5) was limited to 31 rushing yards against Georgia, but did find the end zone twice. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The setback echoed a familiar script for Ole Miss in high-stakes games. Kiffin admitted the team must “run the ball a little more” to ease pressure on Chambliss and regain offensive balance. Even so, he rejected the idea that the Georgia result defined the season, saying, “This isn’t like this statement game… because we lost to Georgia in a one-score game that we were ahead of two scores, now all of a sudden our program has got to be revamped and relooked at.”

Still, the coming weeks will determine whether Kiffin’s vision can sustain momentum. The Rebels visit Oklahoma next before closing against South Carolina, The Citadel, Florida, and Mississippi State. Finebaum’s comments hint at what may hang in the balance: if Ole Miss ends 2025 outside the playoff picture again, Kiffin could be tempted to explore what comes next.

Ole Miss will visit Oklahoma at Gaylord Family Stadium on Saturday at noon ET.