Could Ole Miss fire Lane Kiffin if he's leaving for LSU or Florida? What post-Egg Bowl fallout might look like

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OXFORD — Ole Miss football coach Lane Kiffin’s looming decision about his future will throw three schools into an avalanche of activity.

Kiffin, the sixth-year coach at No. 6 Ole Miss (10-1, 6-1 SEC), is a top candidate for coaching searches at LSU and Florida.

Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter said in a press release that an announcement on Kiffin’s future is expected the day after the Egg Bowl, which is on Nov. 28 (11 a.m., ABC).

What happens if Kiffin darts for an SEC rival the day after the regular season ends with the Rebels in contention for their first College Football Playoff berth? Here’s what the fallout would look like for Ole Miss.

Would Lane Kiffin coach Ole Miss in CFP if he’s leaving for LSU, Florida?

The first question would be when is Lane Kiffin leaving?

For what it’s worth, Kiffin said Nov. 24 he has not considered not finishing out the postseason with the Rebels. Dragging the decision out helps that.

Kiffin would like to coach in the CFP even if he’s planning on leaving. If they are dead-set on landing him, LSU or Florida would probably wait.

Carter and Ole Miss could put a stop to that. On one hand, the CFP is Ole Miss’ best leverage in retaining Kiffin. But it would be a bad look if the Rebels allowed the future coach of an SEC rival to be in the building with players who could transfer with him.

Would Ole Miss fire Lane Kiffin? That would cost Ole Miss $36.6 million. Could Ole Miss find cause by proving Kiffin violated his contract in some way? It would probably involve lawyers on both sides in a similar fashion to how LSU is fighting things out with former coach Brian Kelly.

Ole Miss football will need an interim coach for postseason

Quarterbacks coach Joe Judge makes a lot of sense to be an interim coach. Judge is in his second year at Ole Miss. He has coached in the NFL for 12 seasons and been the head coach the New York Giants.

Defensive coordinator Pete Golding is also a potential candidate to lead Ole Miss through the CFP or bowl game.

Aside from being a leader who can stitch the locker room back together, the interim also needs to be capable of being the head man on the sideline for the biggest game in Ole Miss history, should the Rebels reach the CFP.

Keith Carter needs to hire Lane Kiffin’s replacement quickly

The faster this can be done, the more beneficial it will be for the program.

On one hand, other teams with openings are competing to snap up top candidates. Tulane coach Jon Sumrall is a hot name, but Ole Miss should move quickly in case Auburn or Arkansas makes an offer. Maybe the Rebels swing big for a sitting Power 4 coach such as Kenny Dillingham at Arizona State or Vanderbilt’s Clark Lea.

Hiring a new coach will also help round out the staff. Expect Kiffin to take some of his assistants with him.

What about Ole Miss 2026 class on early signing day?

The early signing period is Dec. 3-5. Early signing day has evolved into the main period for recruits in 2026 class to sign.

Ole Miss’ first task before any game will be to keep its recruiting class intact. The Rebels have the No. 20 incoming class, according to 247Sports Composite.

Could losing Lane Kiffin hurt Ole Miss’ CFP ranking?

Unless an Egg Bowl loss knocks the Rebels out of the CFP bracket, the first game Ole Miss plays without Kiffin will be the most important game in program history. If Kiffin leaves, or if the Rebels look shaky in the Egg Bowl, Ole Miss would be best served to do a little politicking.

Undefeated FSU was excluded from the CFP in 2023 when quarterback Jordan Travis was injured. Could the CFP committee bump Ole Miss out of a CFP home game because it lost its head coach?

Kiffin said Nov. 24 that a CFP game in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium would be the biggest sporting event in Mississippi history. The CFP begins Dec. 19.

Can Ole Miss be transfer portal king without Lane Kiffin?

The Rebels may still be competing when the transfer portal opens on Jan. 2. The semifinals are on Jan. 8 and 9.

Regardless, the first transfer portal haul post-Kiffin will be a significant indicator of the team’s immediate future. It’s only fair to expect some of Ole Miss’ best players to follow Kiffin to a new school. Others could leave for an unrelated opportunity.

That cuts both ways. An incoming coach is presumably bringing some players with him for 2026.

Sam Hutchens covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at Shutchens@gannett.com or reach him on X at @Sam_Hutchens_

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: If Lane Kiffin is leaving for LSU, Florida, could Ole Miss fire him?

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