Lane Kiffin's Ole Miss return 'will make Mardi Gras look like a backyard barbecue'
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Officials are almost literally calling in the cavalry for Lane Kiffin's return to Oxford.
Well, close enough.
People close to the situation told USA TODAY Sports horse-mounted officers from the Mobile, Alabama, and New Orleans police departments are being brought in to assist with security, crowd control and fan management for Saturday night's primetime showdown between Kiffin's No. 7 LSU Tigers and his former team, the No. 9 Ole Miss Rebels.
"This thing will make Mardi Gras look like a backyard barbecue," one New Orleans-area law enforcement official told USA TODAY Sports, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
That might be hyperbole.
Then again, maybe not.
Few regular-season games generate this level of anticipation. Kiffin's first trip back to Oxford as LSU's coach already carries enough intrigue on its own. Add a top-10 SEC showdown, College Football Playoff implications and months of lingering emotions from a messy departure, and it's easy to understand why officials are preparing for an unusually charged atmosphere.
Sean Tindell, Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, said the goal is to ensure headlines are made on the field, not off it.
"I've got confidence in the fans of Ole Miss and LSU ultimately," Tindell told the Clarion Ledger, part of the USA TODAY Network. "As competitive as it is and everybody wants their team to win, to handle themselves appropriately and act right."
If the weekend unfolds without incident, it won't be for lack of planning.
Everyone involved appears to understand the stakes of a game that will draw the attention of the entire college football world, even though the two campuses are separated by only 336 miles. The spotlight will be enormous.
So, apparently, will the security presence.
"The safety of our campus community and visitors is always a priority,” Ole Miss Director of University Police and Campus Safety Daniel Sanford said in a statement to USA TODAY Sports. “While we cannot share specific security measures for safety reasons, University Police are working closely with local and state law enforcement partners to provide a safe and secure game-day environment.”
People briefed on preparations for the "Kiffin Bowl" say planning has been underway for months.
Kiffin addressed security at his weekly news conference.
“I guess there’s real safety issues, and so there’s people that have a plan for that," Kiffin said. "It is what it is."
The game marks just the second time Kiffin has coached an SEC program against a former SEC employer, and officials throughout the conference are treating it accordingly.
Sources told USA TODAY Sports multiple SEC schools, along with the league office, have shared information and best practices in advance of Saturday night's matchup. Those discussions are routine for high-profile games but have carried added significance given the anticipated atmosphere in Oxford.
According to those familiar with the planning, the goal is simple: Share effective game-management strategies and prepare for every possible scenario. A regular participant in those conversations is Jeremy Hammond, the SEC's assistant commissioner and game management director.
Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter said the buzz about Kiffin's return necessitating huge security increases is getting overblown. There will be more law enforcement than normal, he said, but it's more due to crowd control, like in other sellout games in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium such as the 2025 College Football Playoff game against Tulane.
"It's getting a little blown out of proportion," Carter told the Clarion Ledger. "Obviously we know there's going to be several-hundred-thousand people coming to Oxford. I think that the added security measures are more just from that perspective. You know, just the fact that we're going to have you know massive humanity on the square, a massive humanity in The Grove, you know the stadium's going to probably set a record crowd."
Conference officials don't have to look far for a reminder of how quickly emotions can boil over when Kiffin returns to a former stop.
In 2021, Kiffin led Ole Miss into Knoxville, where he had spent a single turbulent season before leaving Tennessee for USC. Ole Miss won 31-26, but a controversial officiating decision that wiped away a Tennessee defensive touchdown sparked chaos. Fans showered the field with debris, forcing a lengthy delay and ultimately resulting in a $250,000 fine for Tennessee.
Kiffin's return to Oxford carries similar emotional undertones.
In fact, LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry has had Kiffin's return trip to Oxford on his mind since the spring, understanding long ago that this would be far more than just another SEC road game.
“Our security teams will be on top of it. At the end of the day, you’ve got to play the game,” Ausberry told USA TODAY Sports in May. “We’re going to make sure he’s in a safe position.
“99.9% of the people who will be there, they want to see the game. They want to see Ole Miss destroy us, and our fans will want to see us destroy them. That’s the way it is. That’s SEC football.”
LSU standout linebacker Whit Weeks, whose unique perspective on this week’s game includes his dating Kiffin’s daughter, Landry, since before last season’s meeting, admitted during a Tuesday news conference he expects his new coach and former bitter enemy to be persona non grata.
“I haven’t really thought about that, but I know he’s going to get it,” said Weeks, laughing off the question. “I know they don’t like him up there. But he’s prepared for that. It is what it is.
“He’s done it before in his career, so he’s more prepared than anybody.”
Pete Golding, Ole Miss’s first-year coach and former Kiffin defensive coordinator, already this week pleaded with Rebels’ fans to be on their best behavior.
Sanford echoed those sentiments.
“The university plans extensively for home football weekends, and we are prepared for large crowds on campus and in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium,” Sanford said in his statement to USA TODAY Sports. “Given the size of the crowd expected this weekend, fans and visitors should expect an increased law enforcement presence throughout campus on game day. We encourage everyone to allow plenty of time to navigate campus and to follow directions from law enforcement and game day personnel.
“The Magnolia Bowl is a storied rivalry with passionate fanbases. The Grove and our campus have a long tradition of welcoming visitors, and we encourage everyone to bring that same spirit of hospitality and respect throughout the weekend.”
Let whatever narratives spring from the game revolve around its action on the field, Ausberry urged.
“It’s going to be a tough environment. I can’t say it won’t be, but we need to keep the game played on the field,” he said. “That’s with our fans, too. We go there and respect them. That’s their place. That’s their home.
“For 60 minutes, it’s going to be a battle on the field. That’s where mature people will keep it.”
USA TODAY Sports reporters Matt Hayes and Blake Toppmeyer, Clarion Ledger reporter Sam Hutchens contributed to this story.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lane Kiffin's Ole Miss return 'will make Mardi Gras look like a backyard barbecue'
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