Lane Kiffin may no longer be coaching Ole Miss, but his presence still looms large over the program-and he might be making that presence felt in a big way come Thursday night.
Kiffin, who recently made the high-profile jump from Ole Miss to LSU, has reportedly been invited to attend the Sugar Bowl alongside Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry. That’s right-Kiffin could be in the building when his former team takes the field for its biggest game in program history, a College Football Playoff showdown against Georgia.
According to reports, the invitation is real, and while nothing is set in stone just yet, security preparations are already being discussed in case the duo makes an appearance.
Now, let’s set the stage here: Ole Miss is heading into uncharted territory with a shot at a national championship on the line. But they’re doing it without the head coach who led them there.
Instead, it’ll be defensive coordinator Pete Golding-now officially the full-time head coach-guiding the Rebels against a powerhouse Georgia squad. And here’s where things get even stranger: six LSU assistants are reportedly helping coach Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl.
Yes, you read that right. LSU assistants, coaching Ole Miss, in a College Football Playoff game.
It’s an unprecedented situation, and it’s raised eyebrows across the sport. There are murmurs of tampering.
Trust between programs and coaches is starting to fray. And with Kiffin potentially showing up in the stands, it’s hard to imagine the spotlight being anywhere else once the cameras start rolling.
This wouldn’t be the first time Kiffin has inserted himself into the moment, either. During LSU’s bowl game against Houston, he made a brief appearance on ESPN’s broadcast before ducking out after a quick interview. It was a flash of the attention-grabbing style that’s defined much of his career-never far from the headlines, even when he’s not on the sideline.
And let’s be honest: very few coaches in college football embrace the spectacle quite like Lane Kiffin. If he does show up at the Sugar Bowl, especially seated next to the governor of Louisiana, he won’t just be a guest in the building-he’ll be the storyline.
The cameras will find him. The crowd will react.
And the buzz around the game will only grow louder.
Kickoff between Georgia and Ole Miss is set for 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, airing on ESPN.
The game itself is massive. But with Kiffin possibly watching from the stands, the drama might extend well beyond the field.