Lane Kiffin Takes Shot at Ole Miss After Accepting LSU Job
Despite leading the No. 7 Ole Miss Rebels (11-1) to the school's best regular-season result in program history , head coach Lane Kiffin's future with the program has been in question for weeks.
The sixth-year head coach with a 55-19 record in Oxford, who is renowned for his high-octane offenses, has been linked to both the Florida Gators and LSU Tigers jobs. While the decision came down to staying at Ole Miss or leaving for LSU, it was revealed that the hold-up in his final decision was that Ole Miss wouldn't allow him to finish out the season if he left for another job.
Despite knowing he wouldn't be able to finish the season with Ole Miss, Kiffin officially announced that he will accept the LSU job, while getting off a shot at Ole Miss in the process.
As seen in the statement, Kiffin directly calls out Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter for refusing to let him coach the team.
"My request to do so was denied by Keith Carter despite the team also asking him to allow me to keep coaching them so they could better maintain their high level of performance," Kiffin wrote. "Unfortunately, that means Friday's Egg Bowl was my last game coaching the Rebels."
Minutes before Kiffin released a statement, it was confirmed by On3's Chris Low that his now-former defensive coordinator, Pete Golding, will be promoted to head coach.
“Defensive coordinator Pete Golding is expected to remain at Ole Miss and will coach the Rebels in the playoff. Golding could also be a candidate to replace Kiffin as Ole Miss’ head coach,” Low posted on X.
Later, On3's Pete Nakos and ESPN's Pete Thamel reported that Golding has been named Kiffin's permanent replacement.
In terms of Ole Miss' playoff aspirations, the belief is that the Rebels won't be dropped out of the CFP rankings, but the move could see them fall a couple of spots when the committee announces the rankings Tuesday before the playoff bracket unveiling on Dec. 7.
Kiffin will replace Brian Kelly, whom LSU fired after a four-year stint that saw him go 34-14. Kiffin is expected to be introduced in Baton Rouge on Monday.
Related: Ole Miss Gives Players Interesting Rule Amid Lane Kiffin News
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Nov 30, 2025, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
