Lane Kiffin’s LSU Debut Raises Eyebrows as He Leaves Texas Bowl Early
Lane Kiffin left the Texas Bowl shortly after his appearance on ESPN and didn’t stay for LSU’s entire game pic.twitter.com/Zs4PERAdA1
— Unnecessary Roughness (@UnnecRoughness) December 28, 2025
Lane Kiffin’s transition to LSU hasn’t exactly flown under the radar-and his latest appearance only adds more fuel to the fire. Roughly a month after accepting the head coaching job in Baton Rouge, Kiffin made a surprise cameo on ESPN during LSU’s Texas Bowl matchup against Houston. But it wasn’t just his words that got people talking-it was his early exit.
Kiffin’s “just built different.”
— Russ Latino (@RussLatino) December 28, 2025
Ya know, like a psychopath that doesn’t care about anything but himself. https://t.co/IYBkd1Nx5c
Kiffin joined the ESPN broadcast crew of Tom Hart and Cole Cubelic during the second quarter, offering a few thoughts on his whirlwind move from Ole Miss to LSU. He praised his former team for their dominant 41-10 win over Tulane in the opening round of the College Football Playoff, calling it “the biggest game in the history of the state of Mississippi.” That’s a bold statement, but it tracks with Kiffin’s flair for the dramatic.
This tracks in all the ways you would expect. https://t.co/OwyTGtm7Cc
— VitaminJSays (@VitaminJSays) December 28, 2025
But while Kiffin was technically in the building to watch his new team, LSU fans didn’t get the full commitment they might’ve hoped for. Not long after his on-air appearance, cameras caught Kiffin leaving the stadium early-well before LSU’s tight 38-35 loss to Houston was sealed.
And when asked during the broadcast what he was focused on during the game, Kiffin didn’t exactly deliver a rousing message to Tiger Nation. “Yeah, I didn’t have as much time as you’d think [to watch the game],” he said.
Wait, I was told LSU football was a “blue blood” program and that no fan (much less the head football coach!) EVER, EVER left a game early!
— Lee Ann Thigpen (@Leeleefix) December 28, 2025
What gives??? 🤷🏻♀️ https://t.co/OjERlRqox6
“I saw the opening kickoff... And then I get on the phone, because we had some people calling some agents.
This is the world we live in now. It’s all day long.”
That comment didn’t sit well with fans-especially those already skeptical about Kiffin’s commitment to LSU in this early stage. For a coach who’s stepping into one of the most high-pressure gigs in college football, skipping out before the final whistle of his first game-even if he wasn’t coaching it-wasn’t exactly the tone-setter many were hoping for.
Got his moment to make the night about him, took it, then rolled on out in typical Lane Kiffin fashion I see https://t.co/iPjPGACJuq
— Kyle Crook (@OutlawCrook6) December 28, 2025
Adding to the scrutiny is a bit of déjà vu from earlier this year. Back in September, Kiffin publicly criticized Ole Miss fans for leaving games early, saying, “I think it’s really important for the players when you come back out of the tunnel for the second half or you go into the end zone and you look up and see the difference...
Looks like that’s about to be a total waste of a police escort https://t.co/uk2RwpUGHt
— Mason Voth (@TheRealMasonV) December 28, 2025
If the product’s really bad and the stadium’s half empty-I understand-but I really don’t understand it.” Fast forward a few months, and now it’s Kiffin walking out before the final whistle.
Leaving a game early, already fitting in well with LSU fans https://t.co/OqRUcX3JB5
— Matthew Carden (@BamaWaldo) December 28, 2025
It’s a tough look, no matter how you spin it. Kiffin is known for his charisma and candor, but moments like this can make it harder to win over a new fanbase-especially one as passionate and demanding as LSU’s. The Tigers may not have expected him to coach the bowl game, but many were hoping for a stronger show of presence and support.
Rain Man abandoning his team before the job is finished……yet again. https://t.co/96IYoKnY9m
— The Loaf (@BlackmanHair) December 28, 2025
Now, with the bowl season in the rearview and a new chapter ahead, Kiffin’s going to need to shift the narrative-and fast. Because in Baton Rouge, patience is in short supply, and expectations are sky-high.