Chris Fowler shares perspective on why Lane Kiffin left Ole Miss for LSU
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We’re almost to the first full college football Saturday of the season. With that comes conversation and debate about expectations for the sport’s most notable programs. This year, there’s no school being talked about more than LSU.
The Tigers, through their own actions, have done this to themselves. Nonetheless, their standard remains sky high. To ESPN’s Chris Fowler, that includes Lane Kiffin winning a national championship in Baton Rouge.
“[Lane Kiffin] went [to LSU] to win a championship. That’s why he was hired. He didn’t feel he had as good a chance at Ole Miss,” Fowler said on First Take. “That was front and center in his decision,”
While winning the College Football Playoff in year one would immediately justify Kiffin’s decision, Fowler doesn’t see that as a reasonable ask. However, he believes Kiffin getting the Tigers into the CFP is a necessity.
“[Forty million dollars] on a roster, that creates expectation. That creates pressure… and I don’t think they’re that far away,” Fowler said. “I don’t expect them to win it this year, but I think it’d be very disappointing for their fans if they’re not in that 12-team bracket.”
Fowler added that Kiffin has “a lot at stake” in his first month, with LSU playing Clemson, Ole Miss and Texas A&M in September. The enigmatic head coach has made his bed, though, and the only way it will stay comfortable is winning. LSU and Clemson kick off at 7:30 p.m. E.T. on Saturday (ABC).
