Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss are off this week ahead of the Oct. 2 meeting at Alabama, and coach Lane Kiffin addressed how it affects the Rebels.

“This is an early bye,” Kiffin said on the SEC coaches media teleconference. “We would have liked it to be later, but it is what it is, especially when you’re playing well.”

As for Alabama, Kiffin believes the Crimson Tide are doing quite well, especially considering how they beat Florida on the road with a young QB. Kiffin then offered some advice for the media, and how its coverage of Alabama impacts Ole Miss.

“As we know, they have a great team and great players,” Kiffin said. “I wish the media would stop upsetting Coach Saban by saying this is a weak team and has weaknesses. They went on the road against a top-10 team in The Swamp with a freshman quarterback and won. Now people are saying they’re weak and have weaknesses. That doesn’t help us much.”