By Harshit
BATON ROUGE, LA — NOV. 22, 2025
Lane Kiffin has once again become the most talked-about coach in college football. This time, the conversation is bigger than any rumor cycle before it. According to Yahoo! Sports’ Ross Dellenger, LSU is finalizing a massive $90 million offer to pry Kiffin away from Ole Miss and install him as the Tigers’ next head coach.
The potential move would be the boldest swing yet in a chaotic coaching carousel — and could fundamentally reshape the SEC power map heading into the expanded College Football Playoff era.
Kiffin’s Future in Flux
What makes this situation even more dramatic is the uncertainty surrounding Kiffin’s intentions. Dellenger reports that Kiffin’s “true intent remains a mystery — even to those closest to him.” That uncertainty has hung over Oxford as Ole Miss prepares for the annual Egg Bowl on Nov. 28.
Ole Miss officials said Friday that “an announcement on Coach Kiffin’s future is expected the Saturday following the Egg Bowl” — adding even more anticipation to a rivalry game already packed with playoff implications.
Ole Miss on the Edge of a Playoff Berth
In his sixth season with the Rebels, Kiffin has engineered one of the strongest periods in program history. Ole Miss sits 10-1 and is still in realistic contention for a College Football Playoff berth.
It’s a remarkable turnaround for a program that missed four consecutive bowl games before Kiffin arrived in 2020. Since then, he has delivered:
- 2020: 5-5 (Outback Bowl)
- 2021: 10-3 (Sugar Bowl)
- 2022: 8-5 (Texas Bowl)
- 2023: 11-2 (Peach Bowl)
- 2024: 10-3 (Gator Bowl)
- 2025: 10-1 and rising
Beyond wins, Kiffin has transformed Ole Miss into a modern offensive machine, backed by elite transfer portal recruiting and a system built around speed, creativity, and explosive plays.
Why LSU Is Going All-In
LSU fired head coach Brian Kelly earlier this season after a disappointing 5-3 start and has been aggressively pursuing a “program-defining hire” ever since. Kiffin fits the criteria perfectly:
- Proven offensive innovator
- National brand appeal
- SEC familiarity
- Strong track record with quarterbacks
- Success across multiple programs, including USC, Tennessee, and Florida Atlantic
LSU believes Kiffin can return the Tigers to national-title contention — and they are paying like it.
The Numbers Behind the Offer
Ole Miss currently pays Kiffin roughly $9 million annually, the 10th-highest salary in college football. LSU’s reported offer blows that off the board with a $90 million base package, plus an estimated $25 million annually in roster cash/NIL support — effectively positioning LSU as one of the sport’s most financially aggressive programs.
If Kiffin were to leave before Dec. 31, 2025, he would owe Ole Miss a $4 million buyout, a relatively small hurdle in the context of a deal this size.
What Happens Next
If Kiffin accepts LSU’s offer:
- Ole Miss will immediately enter its most consequential coaching search in years
- LSU will instantly become a major SEC and CFP threat in 2026
- Salaries and NIL expectations across the SEC may spike even higher
If Kiffin declines and stays:
- Ole Miss could surge into the playoff as a unified, highly motivated team
- LSU may be forced to pivot quickly with limited elite options remaining
- The Rebels will push to secure Kiffin with another major salary restructure
Either way, this decision is shaping up to be one of the defining moments of the 2025 season.
The Big Picture
College football is in the middle of a structural transformation — from NIL and the transfer portal to the playoff expansion and rising salaries. LSU’s pursuit of Kiffin highlights how aggressively programs will act to position themselves inside the new playoff reality.
And until Kiffin speaks, the entire SEC will be watching.