Lane Kiffin and Mike Leach have mutual respect for one another. Leading up to the Egg Bowl, Kiffin and Leach expressed kind words for each another and downplayed the rivalry.

However, Kiffin doesn’t have the same admiration for Mississippi State’s cowbells.

Following Ole Miss’ 31-21 win over Mississippi State, Kiffin was asked about his Vince Carter gesture on the Ole Miss sideline toward MSU fans, and the Rebels head coach took the opportunity to sound off on the cowbells.

“Yeah, I probably shouldn’t have done that,” Kiffin said about his gesture towards MSU fans. “I get it now. It was different to come in here with Alabama. There are a lot of things said to you on the way out. Their players say a lot of things during the game. It gets emotional and it gets competitive. I did kind of get caught up in that.

“And those bells are really annoying, by the way. They don’t even come close to following the rule. Whatever rule that is that they are supposed to stop, they don’t.”

In 2019, the SEC passed a proposal forbidding forms of artificial noisemakers (cowbells) during games from the time the center puts his hand on the football until it is snapped.

MSU fans were called out earlier during the 2021 Egg Bowl for not following the rules. Kiffin made it a point to mention his thoughts on it, too, after the game.