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Like LSU, Penn State and other powerhouse college football programs are looking for their next head coaches, Ole Miss Rebels coach Lane Kiffin continues to surface in speculation.
Former NFL player and current ESPN personality Pat McAfee is among those who don't want Kiffin to even think about leaving Oxford, Mississippi.
McAfee, West Virginia University alum, was speaking on ESPN's “College GameDay” on Saturday when the topic of Kiffin came up.
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College GameDay sportscaster Pat McAfee on set before the game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Texas Longhorns at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio on August 30, 2025. (Jason Mowry/Getty Images)
“I would like to say that if Lane Kiffin listens to me … you can be happy and contented, brother,” McAfee said. “You’re allowed to be somewhere and be hugely successful. You're allowed to build this place from scratch. You are allowed to become the GOAT in some place. I think there's a feeling among a lot of coaches, “Hey, you've got to get to this job, you've got to get to this job.”
Rumors of Kiffin's move to LSU intensified after it was reported that university officials and athletic administrators had finalized terms on a massive contract for Kiffin, who has a 115-53 record in his college football coaching career between Tennessee, USC, Florida Atlantic and Ole Miss. LSU parted ways with Brian Kelly after three straight losses to ranked opponents earlier this season.
Ole Miss Athletic director Keith Carter and university president Glenn Boyce spoke with Kiffin Friday afternoon to discuss his future. After the meeting, Carter issued a statement saying Kiffin's future will be decided next Saturday after the annual Egg Bowl against Mississippi State. This is the final game of the regular season for the No. 6 Rebels.
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How much is LSU willing to give Kiffin, who has a 54-19 record with the Rebels since taking over in 2020? Although contract negotiations remain volatile, Yahoo Sports reported executives negotiated a seven-year deal, full of incentives and worth at least $90 million.
That would make Kiffin the highest-paid college football coach in the country.
It's also worth noting that LSU is set to pledge “a significant zero investment in the roster and a revenue share in excess of $25 million,” which would give Kiffin, one of the top recruiters in the country, enormous resources to attract top talent across the 50 states. NIL resources are critical for coaches when recruiting the players needed to produce winning seasons in today's college game.
Ole Miss Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin speaks to the media during SEC Media Day at the Omni Atlanta Hotel on July 14, 2025. (Jordan Godfrey/Imagn Images)
Meanwhile, Florida, which fired Billy Napier earlier this season, is hoping to lure Kiffin to Gainesville to rebuild a program desperate to return to the top of college football's rankings.
Both programs — and perhaps others — are well aware that Kiffin has a good relationship with the Rebels, who are poised to make a run at the College Football Playoff this season. They will continue their due diligence on other coaching targets, but Kiffin will remain the top candidate until his decision is made.
It's a tough situation for the current Rebels players, who are all vying for a spot in the CFP. Given the public nature of the Kiffin situation, McAfee understands what they're going through.
While he was with the Mountaineers, former coach Rich Rodriguez left WVU for Michigan. While McAfee understands it from a player's perspective, Rodriguez's time in Ann Arbor did not prove fruitful.
Mississippi head coach Lane Kiffin watches his team play against Oklahoma during the first half in Norman, Okla., Oct. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams)
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“RichRod went to Michigan. He returned to West Virginia. If he had never left, the entire university would probably be named after him,” McAfee said, adding to his argument for Kiffin remaining at Ole Miss.
It's a long week ahead in Oxford and college football as everyone tunes in to see what the future holds for Kiffin.
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