New Development Puts Lane Kiffin's Ole Miss Future in Question
Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin is one of the hottest names in college football amid a growing coaching carousel this fall. More News: Two College Football Programs Reached Out to Marcus Freeman: Report With Florida, Penn State and LSU looking for a new leader, Kiffin’s resume with the Rebels looks like a no-brainer for any athletic director in need of a splashy hire to soothe itchy boosters. Ole Miss is ranked No. 7 with a 7-1 record before they host South Carolina on Saturday. The Rebels have scored big wins over then-No. 4 LSU on Sept. 27 and then-No. 13 Oklahoma in Week 9. OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI – SEPTEMBER 27: Lane Kiffin, Head Coach of the Mississippi Rebels, is seen during warm-ups before the college football game against the Louisiana State Tigers at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on September 27, 2025 in Oxford, Mississippi. (Photo by Randy J. Williams/Getty Images) More News: Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman Gives Brian Kelly Brutal Reality Check Kiffin’s win over the Sooners triggered an automatic contract extension from Ole Miss. However, that won’t preclude Kiffin from asking for a better contract to stay with the program in 2026 or potentially seeking employment with a new school after the season. Per Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports, Ole Miss has made “attempts” to give Kiffin a better deal, but the 50-year-old coach has decided to wait before signing a new contract extension with the program. “The fact that Kiffin hasn’t yet signed a new contract with OIe Miss (there have been attempts made from the university) is probably a good sign that this drama will continue to play out over the next few weeks or months and may even bleed into the Rebels’ potential run in the College Football Playoff,” Dellenger wrote. Kiffin is in a good position to wait to sign any offer from Ole Miss during the season. The LSU and Florida jobs don’t appear to be coming off the market anytime soon. The Rebels have a favorable schedule in November, playing no ranked teams for the remainder of the regular season. Ole Miss is tied with No. 5 Georgia for third place in the SEC and has an opportunity to rise and play for the conference championship on Dec. 6 if a few things go their way in the coming weeks. If Ole Miss makes the CFP, Kiffin could command an even greater salary than what the Rebels were prepared to offer him in-season. For more on the NCAA, head to Newsweek Sports.