Lane Kiffin isn’t offering much help when it comes to Sam Leavitt, and he didn’t seem interested in changing that during his weekly radio show in Baton Rouge.
With LSU set for a top-10 showdown against Ole Miss on Saturday, Kiffin declined to get into the quarterback’s condition. Leavitt was upgraded to “questionable” in Thursday’s latest injury report after previously being listed as “doubtful,” and reports said back spasms had kept him out of workouts.
The bigger picture for Kiffin was the road trip to Oxford, Mississippi, where LSU will play in a charged setting that also brings him back to a former coaching stop. He said the challenge starts early.
“You know, when you go on the road and you’ve got to weather the storm that comes with all that, and you’ve got to really focus on yourselves and play really well early in the game,” Kiffin said.
He also brushed aside the idea that the rivalry has poisoned relationships between the staffs. In his telling, there’s plenty of competition, but not the kind of animosity fans might expect.
“It’s exciting, you know, to be in a top-ten game and have the two programs playing and stuff, but I think people would be surprised how the staffs get along, you know,” Kiffin said. “They’d be really surprised that we were on the phone for 25 minutes with Pete Golding last night, Charlie and I, so that’ll really get some people really confused.”
That part caught the attention of people in the room. Tyler Hurst said he expected a little more edge between the sides.
“It was a little bit of a shock to hear that they like each other. I would have liked to hear that there would be a little bit more hatred there. It makes the rivalry a little bit more exciting,” Hurst said.
Hurst also wanted a clearer update on Leavitt, saying Kiffin’s silence only added to the uncertainty.
“Kiffin likes to play mind games. We know that.
And that’s what he plays to his strong suit. So, you know, I want to, you know, as a fan, though, hear that, like, ‘He’s doing well.
He’s going to play. We expect him to come out in full pads, full uniform,’” Hurst said.
Logan Taylor had the same basic reaction, saying he wanted more than the limited information Kiffin gave.
“Honestly, I wish he would have talked a little bit more about Sam Leavitt’s condition. It’s kind of been up in the air. We don’t know if he’s just messing, playing mind games,” Taylor said.
Will Stonewall saw it differently, arguing that keeping opponents guessing can still be a weapon.
“You always want to surprise your opponent, especially when returning back to an environment such as Oxford, Mississippi, and Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. So I think it is imperative for him to ease down all the tensions,” Stonewall said.
Kiffin’s own message pointed back to football and away from the noise. He said the key on Saturday is to stay locked into execution instead of getting pulled around by the atmosphere.
“I always talk about ‘Let them try to play on emotion because that will go up and down. You play on execution, you know, and just focus on the execution and not the environment and all the noise,’” Kiffin said.
The Magnolia Bowl matchup carries a notable marker, too: Saturday will be the first time since 1962 that LSU and Ole Miss are both ranked in the top 10 at the same time.
In Other News...
LSU Ole Miss Rivalry Just Turned Personal For Lane Kiffin
With the Ole Miss-LSU matchup approaching, the buildup has already spilled far beyond the usual trash talk. Landry Kiffin, the daughter of LSU head coach Lane Kiffin and a student at Ole Miss, took to social media to address signs and comments directed at her that crossed a line, adding a deeply personal layer to a rivalry game that already carries plenty of heat.
She also pushed back forcefully against sexual allegations made about her involving an Ole Miss player, saying she has never met the player and criticizing fellow students for the way they handled the moment. The game is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, but the attention around it now includes a reminder that rivalry weekend can turn ugly well before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Fans Face A Real Game Day Risk This LSU Weekend
Ole Miss is getting ready for one of the marquee dates on the home schedule, and the timing could not be less forgiving. With LSU coming to Oxford and a huge crowd expected to pour in, the weekend is shaping up to bring mid-to-upper 90s heat along with the usual traffic, tailgating and long hours outdoors that come with a big SEC game.
Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi and other local hospitals are stepping up emergency staffing in anticipation of heat-related illnesses, a reminder that this kind of atmosphere can turn dangerous fast. Medical professionals are urging fans to hydrate well before kickoff and watch closely for signs of heat exhaustion, especially if alcohol is part of the day, because the combination can make a hot football weekend even riskier. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Fans Heading To Oxford Just Got A Rivalry Warning
Saturday nights matchup between Ole Miss and LSU already had the feel of a high-stakes SEC event, and now the Rebels are adding an extra layer of crowd control before kickoff. Ole Miss Athletics announced that anyone wearing LSU gear or colors will not be allowed in the student section, a move aimed at keeping that part of Vaught-Hemingway Stadium reserved and reducing the chance of trouble in a game that always carries a little more edge than most.
The warning comes after previous tensions between the schools spilled into conflict, including an arrest during a recent baseball series. With kickoff set for 6:30 p.m. CT on ABC, the focus in Oxford is supposed to be on the football, but the student section policy is a reminder that the rivalry can still create issues well before the first snap. [Read more 🡒]