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Will Lane Kiffin be the head coach at Ole Miss in 2026? It’s become one of the biggest storylines of the college football campaign.
LSU and Florida are calling after midseason firings. There is interest on Kiffin’s side. It was confirmed this week with a pair of private trips.
Kiffin has been at Ole Miss for six seasons, winning nearly 75% of his games to build the Rebels into a perennial playoff contender. He has a shot to make his first appearance following a 10-1 start in 2025.
Unfortunately, off the field distractions have overshadowed those on-field accomplishments. Press conferences are filled with questions of job speculation. Kiffin has done little to quiet the noise.
He refused to reject Florida interest after beating the Gators this weekend.
Lane Kiffin’s family is touring SEC cities.
Ole Miss beat Florida in Oxford on Saturday. His ex-wife and family members were in Florida a day later. That appears to have been the first stop in a two-day tour.
Lane Kiffin’s family has arrived at BTR pic.twitter.com/jewiF5vSBb
— ALL THINGS GEAUX (@AllGeaux) November 17, 2025
Rumors circulated as flight trackers posted photos of a private plane at the Baton Rogue airport. That jet was believed to have arrived from Mississippi.
Suspicions were confirmed later that afternoon. The family was in Baton Rouge on Monday. Kiffin and Co. are clearly weighing their options in regard to his coaching future.
LSU officials arranged for a plane to pick up several of Kiffin’s family members Monday in Oxford, Mississippi, sources said, and they flew to Baton Rouge to tour the city.
-NOLA.com
It is worth noting that Kiffin was not on the trip. Still, it proves his willingness to listen to the pitch.
What will Kiffin do?
It’s been reported that Ole Miss is working towards a contract extension to keep Lane Kiffin put. He’s insisted that money is not the most important piece in decision making.
The coach has shown an ability to win consistently in Oxford. The question is, will he continue building on that success or start anew at an SEC power?
Both Florida and LSU, while lacking the recent resume of the Rebels, are considered steps up in terms of program prominence. Each owns multiple national titles over the last two decades. Resources and financial commitment will not take a back seat.
Kiffin’s been critical of Ole Miss’s fan support in the past, but overall, he seems happy with the program and its direction. Administration has done its part to keep it that way.
They face their most difficult task thus far, though, with those two major SEC rivals calling.
The coach is not ready to show his cards quite yet. He’s also not ruling out the possibility of a departure, which has big money Mississippi boosters frustrated.
The hysteria only continues to grow with the Kiffins’ recent visits to Gainesville and Baton Rouge. This will only make the Rebs sweat more!
Did Ole Miss give an ultimatum?
It is being reported that the coach has until the Egg Bowl to decide his future. If he does not choose to adhere to that timeline, it could have major playoff implications.
If Lane Kiffin doesn’t meet deadline, Ole Miss would have to decide if it would allow him to coach in playoffs, sources told On3sports. If there is no resolution, it will be an agonizing decision for Kiffin & the Rebels.
Despite the reports, Kiffin denies any beef with administration. He appeared on the Pat McAfee Show Tuesday to clear the air. The coach denied any demands being given by Ole Miss.
“That’s absolutely not true,” he said. “There’s been no ultimatum. I don’t know where that came from… We’re having a blast. I love it here.”
That should ease the Rebels’ minds a bit. Still, many remain on edge. Those around the program are supposedly bracing for a potential exit.
Multiple sources tell OutKick that some folks in Oxford behind the scenes are doing their own due diligence on potential coaches, in case Kiffin does decide to leave Ole Miss.
The Rebels do not want to be put in a position to replace Lane Kiffin. With that being said, they want answers and they’ll be prepared for all options.
The program will hope for resolution in the coming days.