The Ole Miss Rebels just wrapped up the best season in program history-but you wouldn’t know it by the mood in Oxford right now. Lane Kiffin is gone, off to LSU, and he didn’t leave quietly.
He took a chunk of his coaching staff with him, and now the Rebels are staring down a future that feels a lot more uncertain than it did just a few weeks ago. For a program that finally cracked the College Football Playoff, the question now is whether that success was a one-time high or the start of something sustainable.
Right now, the answer leans toward the former.
One of the loudest voices expressing concern? Prominent Ole Miss booster Matt Bowers.
The New Orleans native and owner of Matt Bowers Auto Group took to social media this week to air some frustrations-and he didn’t hold back. His message wasn’t just about Kiffin’s departure.
It was about the culture around Ole Miss football and how, in his view, it doesn’t stack up to the regional powerhouses that dominate the sport.
Bowers pointed to programs like LSU, Florida, and Tennessee-teams with massive, passionate fanbases that extend far beyond alumni. He sees those kinds of followings as essential in the modern NIL and revenue-sharing era, where donor money and fan support can directly impact a program’s ability to compete. According to Bowers, that’s where Ole Miss is falling short.
“This is a touchy subject. I come in peace,” Bowers wrote.
“I actually think (having non-alumni fans) is what gives LSU an edge. The most vocal and most extreme fans aren’t affiliated with the school via attendance or donations.
They buy tickets and beer and merch and always show up. LSU, Florida, UTenn, Bama (somewhat) all have this part of their fanbase, but LSU (to me at least) has the strongest.”
It’s a fair point, and one that speaks to a broader truth in college football-success on the field is only part of the equation. Programs that build a culture, that create a sense of identity and belonging beyond the campus, tend to attract lifelong fans. And those fans matter now more than ever.
Bowers continued, saying, “I WISH Ole Miss had a regional fanbase like that. It’s true 90%+ of the stadium has some affiliation with the school.
It’s hard to recruit that as adults. It’s a thing you have to grow up with, I think.
It’s part of the culture in South Louisiana. It’s not like that many places in the country.”
That’s the kind of statement that’s bound to stir up some emotion-and it did. Lane Kiffin, never one to miss an opportunity for a little digital gamesmanship, responded with a jab of his own.
“Stop gaslighting your own fans Matt. 🤦♂️ We made progress yesterday and you write this ……” Kiffin posted, quote-tweeting Bowers’ comments.
It’s a classic Kiffin move-trolling his former program while rallying his new one. And with LSU set to visit Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on September 19, you can bet that date is already circled in red ink for both fanbases.
But while the Ole Miss drama is taking center stage, there’s another SEC program quietly sitting on the sidelines of this conversation: Auburn.
Noticeably absent from Bowers’ list, Auburn wasn’t mentioned-and frankly, that’s not surprising. The Tigers haven’t been a serious part of the national conversation in a while, and it shows. The program has struggled to find consistency, both on the field and in the front office, and the results have been underwhelming.
Sure, Auburn made it to the Birmingham Bowl, and yes, the crowd at Protective Stadium was solid. But when they traveled to the Music City Bowl, the turnout dipped-and so did the performance. Maryland came to play that day, and while Auburn fans outnumbered the Terps’ faithful, it was the Big Ten team that walked away with the win.
That’s the kind of moment that sticks with a fanbase. Auburn supporters are as passionate as any in the country, but they haven’t had much to rally behind in recent years. The Tigers have been stuck in a cycle of short-lived coaching tenures and underwhelming seasons, and that’s left the program on the outside looking in when it comes to conversations about SEC dominance.
But it doesn’t have to stay that way.
New head coach Alex Golesh has a real opportunity here. If he can stabilize the program, bring some energy back to the Plains, and-most importantly-win games, Auburn could be right back in the thick of things.
This is a fanbase that’s hungry, loyal, and ready to explode if given a reason. One big season, one run to the CFP, and the Tigers could remind everyone just how powerful that orange and blue wave can be.
So while Ole Miss is licking its wounds and LSU is flexing its muscles, don’t forget about the sleeping giant in Auburn. The SEC never stays quiet for long-and neither do the Tigers when they’re rolling.