Lane Kiffin Florida, LSU coaching search rumors, latest news, updates on Ole Miss coach – The Clarion-Ledger

Another week has passed and there is no resolution on whether Ole Miss football coach Lane Kiffin will leave for the openings at Florida or LSU.
But it’s about to get pretty interesting.
The No. 7 Rebels (8-1) host The Citadel (4-5) on Nov. 8 (noon, SEC Network+), and their next game is at home against Florida on Nov. 15.
Kiffin is still reportedly a top candidate at Florida after the Gators fired coach Billy Napier. He’s also reportedly still a top candidate at LSU after the Tigers fired coach Brian Kelly.
Kiffin has not addressed either opening publicly other than to say the reports are a credit to the players, coaches and the success of the program.
Kiffin has not been acting like a coach who might leave. Near the end of Ole Miss‘ 30-14 win over South Carolina in Week 10, Kiffin participated in the celebration of a game-sealing interception by throwing a football into the student section.
A sellout crowd of 67,491 was on hand for the South Carolina game, many well before the game kicked off at 6 p.m. It was what Kiffin had been asking for after he called out Ole Miss football fans for a lackluster showing in an uninspiring home win against Washington State on Oct. 11.
“It starts in warmups with the other team,” Kiffin said after the South Carolina game. “I thought when we came back out it was really intense. It was loaded, so great to see. I think teams feed off of that, especially defensively.”
Kiffin said he was surprised that LSU fired Kelly, but he understands the rationale for the move.
“It was very surprising,” Kiffin said Oct. 27. “I think it’s the college world we’re living in. If you think about it, players now are like NFL players in how they are paid. Now I feel like college coaches now are more like NFL coaches where the firings happen quicker.”
In a video posted on X by Brad Logan of WFCA FM Sports, Kiffin can be seen pausing behind the end zone after the win over Oklahoma on Oct. 25. He clapped and pointed to the ground before saying something to the fans in the stands.
Speculation on social media was that Kiffin said he was not leaving Ole Miss.
“I don’t know if I should repeat what I said, but it was not what is getting played that I said,” Kiffin said Oct. 26. “Sorry to tell you, that’s not what I said.
“I was kind of caught up and said something about the stadium and that we’ll be back here next year to the stadium. It was just one of those moment things. But, it wasn’t what some people think I said.”
Ole Miss will play at Oklahoma in 2026.
“I just told them, ‘Hey, this happens every year here. So this isn’t new, but a lot of you guys are new,’ ” Kiffin said Oct. 26. “So all it is is a credit to the program and the coaches and players for doing well and having the success we have . . .
“It goes Georgia, Alabama, then us. So, that’s pretty cool. Especially when you throw Texas and Oklahoma in there. So that’s all that’s a product of and it shouldn’t be a distraction.”
Kiffin’s win against Oklahoma triggered an automatic contract extension.
Because it was Ole Miss‘ seventh regular season win, Kiffin’s state contract with the Ole Miss Athletic Foundation will be automatically extended one year on Jan. 1, 2026. Kiffin’s contract now runs through Dec. 31, 2031.
The added year will be worth $9 million with $7.2 million guaranteed.
Kiffin’s $9 million salary is tied for No. 6 in the SEC.
On Oct. 19, Kiffin was asked about the Florida opening, and Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter’s recent comments about wanting to extend Kiffin’s contact.
“I don’t comment on these other jobs or these ongoing things in-season,” Kiffin said. “That’s awesome that Keith said those things and I don’t take that for granted. I’m extremely appreciative of how everyone has been here. The chancellor (Glenn Boyce), everybody. I’m flattered that that would even be discussed halfway through the season, but I don’t deal with that.”
As of Dec. 1, 2025, if Ole Miss fires Kiffin without cause, he would be set to receive $36.6 million.
It is the No. 15 most expensive buyout out of the 105 USA TODAY could review and No. 7 in the SEC.

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