A group of Tennessee fans took hate-watching to Oxford on Saturday night.
Instead of staying home for Tennessee’s game against Kennesaw State, seven Volunteers fans made the trip to watch Lane Kiffin from the other side of the rivalry lens as Ole Miss hosted LSU. Per The Athletic’s Joe Rexrode, each fan paid $600 for a ticket.
They showed up fully dressed for the occasion, wearing Tennessee gear that included jerseys and checkerboard overalls. Whether they had mustard bottles and golf balls stashed away as well is anyone’s guess.
A not insignificant Vol presence today in Oxford. These guys told me they paid $600 a ticket to “hate watch” Lane Kiffin tonight.
As one said to an Ole Miss fan: “Please go belt to ass on him!” pic.twitter.com/cZmj94vo6M
- Joe Rexrode (@joerexrode) September 19, 2026
At halftime, the trip was paying off in a big way. No.
8 Ole Miss was rolling past No. 7 LSU, 24-7, with Trinidad Chambliss carving up his home field.
He had 248 passing yards and two touchdowns in the first half.
The Tennessee crowd in Oxford may also have liked what they saw from their own team back home. No. 15 Tennessee was leading Kennesaw State 21-3 at halftime, putting those fans in position to enjoy the full double dose of good news.
Lane Kiffin’s last trip to Knoxville as Ole Miss head coach in 2021 did not go well for the Rebels, and Saturday night was shaping up with a much different feel. Whether Ole Miss could finish the job or Kiffin could flip the script still remained to be seen.
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Tennessee Suddenly Has A Backfield Concern At The Worst Time
DeSean Bishops afternoon against Kennesaw State turned into a reminder of how quickly a running game can change course. The Tennessee back was hurt in the first half with a hip injury, then came back briefly in the third quarter before leaving again because of pain, forcing the Volunteers to keep adjusting on the fly. Backup Daune Morris picked up extra carries and finished off a touchdown, helping steady things while the offense waited to see how much Bishop could give.
For a Tennessee team heading into a matchup with Texas, the timing could hardly be worse. Bishop had been part of the backfield rhythm, and his status now adds another layer of uncertainty to a spot where depth and durability matter most. The Volunteers will spend the next stretch hoping the injury is less serious than it looked, because the margin for error gets a lot thinner when a key runner is suddenly in question. [Read more 🡒]
Lane Kiffin Just Changed The SEC Race For Tennessee Fans
Lane Kiffins move from Ole Miss to LSU instantly shifted the SEC conversation in a way Tennessee fans will recognize right away. The reported seven-year, $91 million deal is a major swing in the coaching market, and Kiffin pointed to advice from mentors and the chance to take over a program with a national-title pedigree as central to his choice.
For the Volunteers, the ripple effect matters because it reshapes the league landscape around them and changes the path Ole Miss now has to navigate. With Kiffin gone, Ole Miss turned to defensive coordinator Pete Golding as its head coach for the College Football Playoff, a sudden transition that leaves one of Tennessees conference rivals adjusting at the biggest possible moment. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Fans Just Got Another Reason To Be Excited About Georges
David Gabriel Georges keeps showing why Tennessee fans are so eager to see him in orange. The 5-star running back commitment for the Volunteers turned heads again in a high school game for Baylor School, breaking loose for an 80-yard touchdown on a screen pass that showed off the kind of open-field burst and playmaking ability that made him such a coveted recruit in the first place.
For Tennessee, the clip is another reminder that the backfield future could be in good hands. DeSean Bishop has also given the Vols a boost with his recent play, and the running back room will stay under the microscope as the schedule moves ahead. Georges is still on the way rather than already part of the rotation, but moments like this only sharpen the anticipation around what he could bring once he gets to Knoxville. [Read more 🡒]