Lane Kiffin LSU, Florida coaching search rumors, latest updates on Ole Miss coach

NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...

Ole Miss football coach Lane Kiffin has been linked to the openings at LSU and Florida.

Kiffin was linked almost immediately to the opening at Florida after Billy Napier was fired on Oct. 19 and to LSU after Brian Kelly was fired Oct. 26.

LSU also fired athletic director Scott Woodward on Oct. 31.

The No. 8 Rebels (7-1, 4-1 SEC) host South Carolina (3-5, 1-5) on Nov. 1 (6 p.m. CT, ESPN).

Here’s where things stand after nearly two weeks of speculation.

What Nick Saban said about Lane Kiffin coaching rumors

Nick Saban, Kiffin’s former boss at Alabama, spoke to On3 on Oct. 29 about what is the best situation for Kiffin.

“What used to make a job great was facilities, fan support, good academic support, recruiting base and being able to create value for the players,” Saban told On3. “Now that has been minimized to how much money do you have to spend on building a roster. That is the most important thing by far.

“Lane is the first name up for Florida and the first name up for LSU, but I think you can have a long debate on whether either one of those jobs is actually better than the job he has now because he has some guys over there at Ole Miss that give him pretty much whatever he wants from a roster standpoint. He may not necessarily have the same thing at Florida or LSU.”

How Lane Kiffin reacted to LSU’s Brian Kelly getting fired

Kiffin said he was surprised that LSU fired coach Brian Kelly, but he understands the rationale for the move.

“It was very surprising,” Kiffin said Oct. 27. “I think it’s the college world we’re living in. If you think about it, players now are like NFL players in how they are paid. Now I feel like college coaches now are more like NFL coaches where the firings happen quicker.”

What Lane Kiffin told Pat McAfee about LSU job opening

Kiffin appeared on “The Pat McAfee Show” on ESPN Oct. 27, and McAfee asked Kiffin about LSU firing Kelly, and Kiffin’s message to his players.

“I usually don’t talk about it with the team because we’ve dealt with this for a number of years because our players have performed really well and won a lot of games here,” Kiffin said on the show. “This attention has come with that.”

Why did Ole Miss fans think Lane Kiffin said he wasn’t leaving?

In a video posted on X by Brad Logan of WFCA FM Sports, Kiffin can be seen pausing behind the end zone after the Oklahoma game Oct. 25. He clapped and pointed to the ground before saying something to the fans in the stands.

Speculation on social media was that Kiffin said he was not leaving Ole Miss.

“I don’t know if I should repeat what I said, but it was not what is getting played that I said,” Kiffin said Oct. 26. “Sorry to tell you, that’s not what I said.

“I was kind of caught up and said something about the stadium and that we’ll be back here next year to the stadium. It was just one of those moment things. But, it wasn’t what some people think I said.”

Ole Miss will play at Oklahoma in 2026.

What Lane Kiffin said to Ole Miss players about Florida rumors

“I just told them, ‘Hey, this happens every year here. So this isn’t new, but a lot of you guys are new,’ ” Kiffin said Oct. 26. “So all it is is a credit to the program and the coaches and players for doing well and having the success we have . . .

“It goes Georgia, Alabama, then us. So, that’s pretty cool. Especially when you throw Texas and Oklahoma in there. So that’s all that’s a product of and it shouldn’t be a distraction.”

What is Lane Kiffin’s salary and why did his contract get extended?

Kiffin’s win against Oklahoma triggered an automatic contract extension.

Because it was Ole Miss‘ seventh regular season win, Kiffin’s state contract with the Ole Miss Athletic Foundation will be automatically extended one year on Jan. 1, 2026. Kiffin’s contract now runs through Dec. 31, 2031.

The added year will be worth $9 million with $7.2 million guaranteed.

Kiffin’s $9 million salary is tied for No. 6 in the SEC.

What Lane Kiffin said about his name coming up in Florida coaching search

On Oct. 19, Kiffin was asked about the Florida opening, and Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter’s recent comments about wanting to extend Kiffin’s contact.

“I don’t comment on these other jobs or these ongoing things in-season,” Kiffin said. “That’s awesome that Keith said those things and I don’t take that for granted. I’m extremely appreciative of how everyone has been here. The chancellor (Glenn Boyce), everybody. I’m flattered that that would even be discussed halfway through the season, but I don’t deal with that.”

Lane Kiffin buyout

As of Dec. 1, 2025, if Ole Miss fires Kiffin without cause, he would be set to receive $36.6 million.

It is the No. 15 most expensive buyout out of the 105 USA TODAY could review and No. 7 in the SEC.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Is Lane Kiffin leaving Ole Miss for LSU or Florida? Latest updates

More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos