All offseason, the buildup pointed to one game: Lane Kiffin’s first trip back to Oxford after leaving Ole Miss for LSU. That wait is over, and the Tigers and Rebels finally meet Saturday night with plenty of tension baked in.
Both teams come in at 2-0, but the storyline goes well beyond the records. Kiffin’s decision to leave Ole Miss after last season and take the LSU job instead of staying to coach the Rebels in the College Football Playoff shifted how he’s viewed in Oxford, and this matchup gives Ole Miss fans their first real chance to make that clear. Kiffin, meanwhile, gets a shot to show the Rebels he was right to move on.
On the field, Ole Miss will lean on Trinidad Chambliss, who has emerged as the biggest name in the game while continuing his push for the Heisman Trophy. Chambliss, who returned to college this year after gaining an extra year of eligibility in the offseason, has opened the season hot.
LSU’s quarterback situation adds another layer. Sam Leavitt, the high-profile transfer from Arizona State, was listed on the Tigers’ injury report, leaving open the possibility that LSU could have to turn to a backup in one of its biggest games of the season.
The stakes are straightforward: the winner gets the edge in the race for a potential College Football Playoff spot, while the loser is left needing to recover quickly to keep postseason hopes alive.
Kickoff is set for Saturday, Sept. 19, at 7:30 p.m. ET, 6:30 p.m.
CT from Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi. ABC will carry the broadcast, with Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit on the call and Holly Rowe and Laura Rutledge reporting from the sideline after College GameDay’s morning visit to Oxford.
For those watching on the move, the game will also be available on fubo, DIRECTV, and the ESPN app. New users can find free trials through fubo and DIRECTV.
Earlier in the day, Ole Miss fans made sure Kiffin’s return felt like an event, bringing a loud welcome to College GameDay and greeting him with a mix of chants.
LSU’s remaining schedule includes Texas A&M, McNeese, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Auburn, Alabama, Texas, Tennessee and Arkansas. Ole Miss still has Florida, Vanderbilt, Missouri, Texas, Auburn, Georgia, Oklahoma, Wofford and Mississippi State ahead.
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Mizzous Final SEC Tune Up Puts Two Worrying Questions In Focus
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Xai'Shaun Edwards has a chance to be part of that answer, and Missouri may need that kind of flexibility sooner rather than later. The other concern is harder to ignore in the red zone, where Troy has been efficient enough to keep opponents honest and has turned every one of its six trips inside the 20 into points, a profile that puts extra pressure on Missouri to clean up the finish if this game turns into more than a comfortable afternoon. [Read more 🡒]