Lane Kiffin’s return to Oxford already had the kind of edge you’d expect, and LSU assistant Kevin Smith made sure the pregame temperature climbed even higher.
Smith, LSU’s running backs coach and a former Ole Miss assistant, got into it with Rebels fans before kickoff and fired off a line that instantly lit the fuse.
“The best running backs to ever come through here is because of me,” Smith told the Rebels faithful.
Ole Miss fans didn’t let that one slide. They booed Smith all the way back to the field during pregame warmups, turning a tense moment into an early flashpoint before No.
7 LSU and No. 8 Ole Miss even snapped the ball.
Smith was one of the few coaches who followed Kiffin to Baton Rouge, and his history in Oxford added another layer to the scene. During his time at Ole Miss, he coached several productive backs, including Kewan Lacy, who stayed with the Rebels. Smith also worked with Quinshon Judkins, who piled up 1,567 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns.
If LSU hoped to carry that pregame edge onto the field, Ole Miss had other plans.
The Rebels’ crowd was loud from the start, and the team backed it up with a 24-7 halftime lead. Trinidad Chambliss was sharp in the opening half, going 21-of-27 for 248 yards and two touchdowns. Lacy added a rushing score as Ole Miss kept stacking plays and points.
LSU, meanwhile, managed just 114 yards of total offense in what stood as its worst half of the season. The Tigers were set to receive the second-half kickoff, but by then the night had already swung hard in Ole Miss’ favor. For now, the Rebels were doing the talking on the scoreboard.
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Lane Kiffin's Return To Oxford Got Ugly After LSU's Loss
LSUs trip to Oxford ended with a 32-24 loss to Ole Miss, but the postgame scene carried its own edge. The rivalry already had enough bite with Lane Kiffin back on the sideline in a place where he once coached, and the atmosphere inside Vaught-Hemingway Stadium matched it, with a crowd large enough to set an attendance record.
As Kiffin made his way out afterward, police escorted him from the stadium following a tense encounter with former Ole Miss recruit Suntarine Perkins. It was the kind of ending that reminded everyone how personal these SEC games can get, especially when old ties, new loyalties and a loud crowd all collide in one night. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Loss Ended With An Awkward Ole Miss Moment Fans Noticed
Holly Rowe was back on the field Saturday night for the LSU-Ole Miss game, and the scene got lively quickly as No. 8 Ole Miss handed No. 7 LSU a 32-24 loss. The postgame portion of the broadcast brought the kind of raw emotion that follows a rivalry-style finish, with Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss fresh off the win and still caught in the moment during his live interview.
Chambliss wound up apologizing publicly after an expletive slipped out on the air, and he later expressed regret for how it played out. Rowe handled the exchange professionally, keeping the moment from overshadowing an already frustrating night for LSU, even if fans were left talking about the awkward ending just as much as the result itself. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Fans Were Shaken By A Frightening Scene Above Saturday's Game
The aerial shots over Saturdays Ole Miss-LSU game in Oxford had plenty of fans already locked in on the atmosphere inside the stadium, but one clip quickly shifted attention to the sky above it. A helicopter came in uncomfortably close to an ESPN camera drone capturing live views over the field, turning what should have been routine broadcast imagery into the kind of moment that made viewers stop and replay the footage.
The near-miss spread fast on social media, where LSU fans and plenty of other observers reacted with concern, and even a helicopter pilot weighed in after seeing the video. No collision occurred and the game went on without further incident, but the episode was a jarring reminder of how much is happening around a major college football broadcast before anyone ever talks about the final score. [Read more 🡒]