Kirk Herbstreit lobbies Ole Miss to let Lane Kiffin coach in CFP regardless of LSU decision
By Jacob Moss
Published:
The Ole Miss Rebels capped off their best regular season in program history on Friday by knocking off their hated in-state rivals, Mississippi State, to move to 11-1 on the year and lock up their spot in the College Football Playoff.
The SEC Championship is also still in play for the Rebels, but everybody’s attention in Oxford is fixed on whether or not head coach Lane Kiffin decides to remain with the Rebels or depart for LSU.
Speculation has been swirling around whether or not Ole Miss would allow Kiffin to coach the Rebels through the Playoff if he leaves, and ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit touched on the subject during College GameDay, lobbying hard for Kiffin to be allowed to coach regardless of his lingering LSU decision.
“This team is a team that you don’t want to see in the CFP right now,” Herbstreit said. “So I think that if you’re in charge at Ole Miss, and if Lane decides to go elsewhere, I think you need to set your emotions to the side. You need to look at 2025 and this team with their coach, and give them a chance to finish this run.”
Kiffin has shepherded Ole Miss to heights it hasn’t seen in over 60 years, but if he decides to leave, it may be too much for the administration to overlook, even if his being on the sidelines gives the Rebels the best chance to win.
It’s just one of the many wrinkles that have made this one of the wildest coaching searches in recent memory.
