Lane Kiffin won’t coach LSU’s next game

LSU head coach Lane Kiffin will be monitoring two programs closely during the postseason.

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No. 7 Ole Miss is set to make the College Football Playoff after finishing the regular season with an 11-1 record.

The Tigers are set to pay Kiffin bonuses that he would have received from the Rebels had he stayed in Oxford for the CFP. Kiffin could make $1 million if Ole Miss wins the national championship.

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Kiffin will also monitor how LSU does in its bowl game as he evaluates the roster before 2026. The Tigers finished their regular season on Saturday with a 7-5 record after losing 17-13 to No. 8 Oklahoma.

LSU is eligible for a bowl game and intends to play in the postseason.

During his introductory press conference on Monday, Kiffin told reporters that he did not intend to coach LSU during the bowl game, trusting interim head coach Frank Wilson to finish the season.

“(Wilson and I) have spent a lot of time together the last 24 hours that I’ve been here,” Kiffin said, via Reed Darcey of Nola.com, “and so I’ve made the decision that he’s gonna still stay in that role as the head coach of that team for the bowl game.”

Kiffin is giving Wilson the opportunity that he wishes Ole Miss would have afforded him in the CFP.

It’s not uncommon for incoming coaches to skip the bowl season.

However, Luke Fickell coached Wisconsin in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl in 2022 after taking the job in November. He led the Badgers to a 24-17 win over Oklahoma State.

Kiffin’s first test as the head coach of LSU won’t be easy. The Tigers will host Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers on Sept. 5. Clemson will be motivated to win that contest after finishing the regular season with a disappointing 7-5 record.

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