Chris Fowler sees Lane Kiffin’s move to LSU through one lens above all else: championships.
Speaking on First Take, Fowler said Kiffin left Ole Miss because Baton Rouge offered the better path to the title he was hired to chase.
“[Lane Kiffin] went [to LSU] to win a championship. That’s why he was hired.
He didn’t feel he had as good a chance at Ole Miss,” Fowler said on First Take. “That was front and center in his decision,”
Fowler doubled down on that point by saying Kiffin believed LSU gave him a better shot than Ole Miss.
“[Lane Kiffin] went [to LSU] to win a championship. … He didn’t feel he had as good a chance at Ole Miss as he did at LSU.” @cbfowler 's thoughts on why Lane Kiffin left Ole Miss to go to LSU 👀 pic.twitter.com/zma83hxG8n
- First Take (@FirstTake) September 2, 2026
That doesn’t mean Fowler expects an immediate title run. He said a College Football Playoff championship in year one would be a huge bonus, but not a fair standard to hang on Kiffin right away. What he does see as non-negotiable is LSU getting into the 12-team field.
“[Forty million dollars] on a roster, that creates expectation. That creates pressure… and I don’t think they’re that far away,” Fowler said. “I don’t expect them to win it this year, but I think it’d be very disappointing for their fans if they’re not in that 12-team bracket.”
Fowler also pointed to the opening stretch of the season as a major test for Kiffin, noting that LSU faces Clemson, Ole Miss and Texas A&M in September. In his view, Kiffin has plenty on the line right away.
LSU and Clemson kick off at 7:30 p.m. E.T. on Saturday (ABC).
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