OXFORD, Miss. — The future of Ole Miss football will be decided on November 29. Coach Lane Kiffin, at the center of a high-profile tug-of-war, will announce whether he is staying with the Rebels or leaving for a powerhouse program like Florida or LSU the day after the team’s crucial rivalry game against Mississippi State.
The timeline, confirmed by Athletic Director Keith Carter in a statement Friday, is designed to keep the fifth-ranked Rebels focused on their historic season. The team, currently 10-1 and in contention for a College Football Playoff berth, has a bye week that allowed Kiffin to formally meet with officials from both Florida and LSU.
“The announcement timeline ensures the Rebels’ players and coaches can concentrate fully on next Friday’s game,” Carter stated, adding that he and Chancellor Glenn Boyce have had “pointed and positive conversations” with Kiffin about his future.
The decision creates a complex scenario. While most outsiders believe Kiffin is likely to leave, his departure would create immediate upheaval for a team poised to host a playoff game. The timing raises the unprecedented question of whether the playoff selection committee might factor such a major coaching disruption into its final seeding.
Kiffin, a top offensive mind, has remained publicly silent on the specifics. “I’m going to stay on what I’ve done for six years, which isn’t talking about other jobs,” he said this week, while expressing his love for Ole Miss. Behind the scenes, however, his family has taken scouting trips to both potential new campuses, and he has met with high-level administrators, including Louisiana’s governor.
Now, after the final whistle of the Egg Bowl, one of the most anticipated decisions of the college football offseason will arrive.
By James Kisoo
