Lane Kiffin gets surprising Paul Finebaum defense as LSU title pressure mounts

Lane Kiffin gets surprising Paul Finebaum defense as LSU title pressure mounts

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Lane Kiffin gets surprising Paul Finebaum defense as LSU title pressure mounts

The college football season is just around the corner, and the race for the College Football Playoff will soon begin. Several teams will have new faces leading the way, including the LSU Tigers. With that new face comes enormous pressure to deliver.

That new face, of course, is ever-polarizing head coach Lane Kiffin. After leaving Ole Miss in the middle of a CFP run, he takes over an LSU program that is seven years removed from its last national championship.

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Much of the conversation surrounding Kiffin has been straightforward: championship or bust. However, despite those lofty expectations, Kiffin has an unexpected ally defending him. Paul Finebaum recently addressed the “championship-or-bust” narrative.

Dec 1, 2025; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU new head coach Lane Kiffin speaks at South Stadium Club at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

“That’s not really true. He’s got everything going in such a good direction that I think as long as the signals are pointing up and the program looks like it is different than a year ago under Brian Kelly, they are going to be in good shape,” Finebaum said on “The Next Round.”

A little grace for Kiffin?

Ultimately, the pressure will still be there. LSU is on its third head coach since winning its last national title. Kelly arrived with expectations of transforming the program, but he ultimately fell short.

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Kiffin’s track record suggests he can eventually lead LSU into championship contention. He built Ole Miss into a rising power good enough to make it to the CFP semifinals. With greater resources and one of the nation’s premier recruiting brands, LSU could provide the opportunity he needs to take the next step.

LSU head coach Brian Kelly and Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin shake hands after a college football game between Ole Miss and LSU at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss., on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. Ole Miss defeated LSU 24-19. | The Clarion-Ledger via Imagn Images

Chances are LSU will get off to a strong start under Kiffin. By his second season at Ole Miss, following the COVID-19 campaign, he had already led the Rebels to a Sugar Bowl appearance.

During his six seasons at Ole Miss, Kiffin produced four 10-win seasons and won three major bowl games.

The expectations are understandable now that he is leading one of college football’s traditional powers. The question is whether Kiffin can meet those expectations and deliver despite the pressure.

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