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Lane Kiffin may be gone from Ole Miss, but the new LSU coach remains interested in how his former team performs in the College Football Playoff.
Ole Miss Rebels proved they'll be fine without Kiffin after Trinidad Chambliss passed for 362 yards and two touchdowns in the team's 39-34 win over third-seeded Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on Thursday night.
New LSU head coach Lane Kiffin speaks at South Stadium at Tiger Stadium on December 1, 2025. (Matthew Hinton/Imagn Images)
“A lot of people doubted us before the season started, and they still doubted us when our coach left,” Chambliss said after the game. “We just want to play ball and have fun, and I think that’s showing right now.”
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Kiffin, who was rumored to possibly be in attendance at the College Football Playoff quarterfinals in New Orleans, celebrated the team's victory in a post on social media.
“What a great finish!!! So much fun!! Only two left,” he wrote in a post on X, tagging the Ole Miss football team.
While Kiffin's well wishes could be interpreted as words of goodwill, Kiffin stands to benefit financially if the Rebels continue to win.
LSU head football coach Lane Kiffin waves to the crowd during the first half of an NCAA basketball game against Kentucky. The game took place in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on January 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Peter Forest)
According to Front Office Sports, Part of LSU's deal to lure Kiffin away from Ole Miss was to pay him the full amount of his bonuses from his previous employer. Kiffin earned $150,000 for the Rebels making the playoffs, and that amount was increased to $250,000 when Ole Miss defeated Tulane in the first round.
win on Thursday night over Georgia increased that bonus to $500,000, and a win over Miami in the semifinals would increase that number to $750,000.
Trinidad Chambliss #6 of the Ole Miss Rebels makes a pass while under pressure from Elijah Griffin #90 of the Georgia Bulldogs during the first quarter of the 2025 College Football Playoff quarterfinals at the Allstate Sugar Bowl at Caesars Superdome on January 1, 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Chris Greiten/Getty Images)
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And what will Ole Miss earn by winning the title for Kiffin? The total amount is $1 million.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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