Lane Kiffin decision sparks player-led push to build CFP staff at Ole Miss

Lane Kiffin is expected to sign a lucrative head coaching contract with LSU on Sunday, choosing the Tigers over his Ole Miss team as the Rebels gear up for a College Football Playoff run.

Kiffin’s new contract with LSU will pay him around $12 million per season over the next seven years, according to a report from ESPN. The 50-year-old coach is expected to inform Ole Miss players of his decision before a public announcement on Sunday.

Kiffin met with Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter and school chancellor Glenn Boyce for hours on Saturday night. The delay in the meeting reportedly stemmed from Kiffin’s desire to coach the Rebels on their College Football Playoff run before taking the LSU job in 2026.

It appears Kiffin won’t be afforded that luxury, and he could poach several key Ole Miss coaches before the team embarks on its bid for a national championship.

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“Select players” are scheduled to meet with Kiffin and Ole Miss leadership on Sunday to help build a staff for the Rebels’ upcoming College Football Playoff run.

“The delay in Ole Miss’ team meeting is tied, in part, to some of the staff challenges that could arise with Lane Kiffin’s departure. Select players are expected to be meeting throughout the morning with Kiffin and administration,” ESPN’s Pete Thamel reports. “… How the Ole Miss staff will be set up for the CFP has been a focus of the conversation, as some offensive staff members are expected to go to LSU.”

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Ole Miss capped off its 2025 college football season with an Egg Bowl victory over the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Friday afternoon. The Rebels finished their regular-season campaign with an 11-1 record, marking the program’s best season in school history.

Ole Miss quarterbacks coach Joe Judge and defensive coordinator Pete Golding are reportedly viewed as the top two candidates to serve as the Rebels’ interim head coach in the College Football Playoff, as long as they don’t follow Kiffin to LSU.