Lane Kiffin Offers Blunt Reason He Won’t Coach Ole Miss In College Football Playoff

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Lane Kiffin finally reached a decision on his coaching future on Sunday.

After some thought, he decided to take the LSU job rather than stay at Ole Miss. He coached his final game with Ole Miss on Friday, a 38-19 win over Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl.

The win got Ole Miss to 11-1, and there’s a high likelihood the program will be in the College Football Playoff when the matchups are finalized. Ole Miss will be coached by Pete Golding moving forward, who was the defensive coordinator under Kiffin this season.

After Kiffin made his decision, he spoke to ESPN’s Marty Smith before heading to Baton Rouge and confirmed why he’s not coaching Ole Miss in the CFP.

“This was a very challenging, difficult day. We went through a lot last night with (athletic director) Keith Carter, trying to figure out a way to make this playoff run work and to coach the team,” Kiffin said. “At the end of the day, that’s his decision, and I totally respect that. I understand that decision. I just totally wish the team the best of luck. Wished that I was coaching, but I understand that it was a very challenging position for him and the chancellor to be in, and I totally respect that. I just really hope they play really well and go win the national championship.”

Kiffin spent six years at Ole Miss, compiling a 55-19 record. He helped the program go 11-1 this year before taking the LSU job.

Kiffin has also been the head coach at Florida Atlantic, USC, and Tennessee. He has a 117-53 overall record in 14 seasons as an FBS head coach.

Related: Lane Kiffin Reveals Why He Left Ole Miss For LSU

This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Dec 1, 2025, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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