Lane Kiffin picks LSU, won't coach in CFP as Ole Miss promotes Pete GoldingMatthew Glenesk, USA TODAYSun, November 30, 2025 at 8:03 PM UTC·4 min readWe have white smoke! Lane Kiffin is swapping the Grove for the Bayou.
Kiffin is leaving Ole Miss football to be the LSU coach.
Kiffin, who is replacing Brian Kelly in Baton Rouge, made his decision two days after winning a third straight Egg Bowl, securing the Rebels' first College Football Playoff berth and setting a program record with 11 wins. He will not coach Ole Miss' CFP game. Defensive coordinator Pete Golding will be promoted to permanent head coach and lead the Rebels in the CFP and beyond, per multiple reports.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementGolding signed a three-year contract extension this past offseason that pushed him up the ladder among the highest-paid assistants in the SEC with a salary of $2.55 million this season.
"After a lot of prayer and time spent with family, I made the difficult decision to accept the head coaching position at LSU," Kiffin posted to social media at 3 p.m., Sunday. "I was hoping to complete a historic six season run with this year's team by leading Ole Miss through the playoffs, capitalizing on the team's incredible success and their commitment to finish strong, and investing everything into a playoff run with guardrails in place to protect the program in any areas of concern. My request to do so was denied by Keith Carter despite the team also asking him to allow me to keep coaching them so they could better maintain their high level of performance. Unfortunately, that means Friday's Egg Bowl was my last game coaching the Rebels.
"While I am looking forward to a new start with a unique opportunity at LSU, I will forever cherish the incredible six years I spent at Ole Miss and will be rooting hard for the team to complete their mission and bring a championship to Oxford."
HAYES: Lane Kiffin drama has reached peak stupidity, should surprise no one
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementTOPPMEYER: No matter Lane Kiffin decision, respect Ole Miss CFP run
The day after the Egg Bowl had been circled as a decision day after Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter set a deadline for clarity on Kiffin's status. ESPN's Marty Smith reported Kiffin went to the Ole Miss football facility Saturday to gameplan for a potential SEC Championship game vs. Georgia and met with Carter and Ole Miss chancellor later in the afternoon and into the evening. An apparent "sticking point" was Kiffin's desire to coach the Rebels in the CFP.
A 10 a.m. ET team meeting Sunday was pushed back to 2 p.m. as Ole Miss and LSU fans awaited news.
On Fox Big Noon Kickoff, Bruce Feldman reported Saturday morning LSU offered Kiffin a seven-year deal, "in the neighborhood of $100 million."
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"I talked to LSU sources this morning, and they are very confident that Lane Kiffin is going to come to Baton Rouge and accept this Tigers job."
Feldman said the allure of coaching a program that has seen three of its past four coaches win national titles recently may be "too tempting" for Kiffin to pass up.
Kiffin is in the final stages of his sixth season and has led the Rebels to a bowl game in each season since arriving in 2020. The Rebels missed a bowl in the four seasons before Kiffin arrived.
Virginia Tech hired James Franklin as its next head coach. Franklin was fired earlier this season at Penn State. He replaces Brent Pry, who was fired midseason by the Hokies.
Oklahoma State hired Eric Morris from North Texas to be the Cowboys next head coach. Morris replaces longtime OSU coach Mike Gundy, who was fired earlier this season.
Colorado State hired Jim Mora Jr. as its new head coach. Mora led UConn to back-to-back nine-win seasons and replaces Jay Norvell, who was fired midseason.
Oregon State hired Alabama co-offensive coordinator JaMarcus Shephard as its head coach, replacing Trent Bray who was fired after an 0-7 start this season.1 / 4These college football coaches are on the move. See who found new home
Virginia Tech hired James Franklin as its next head coach. Franklin was fired earlier this season at Penn State. He replaces Brent Pry, who was fired midseason by the Hokies.1 / 4These college football coaches are on the move. See who found new home
Virginia Tech hired James Franklin as its next head coach. Franklin was fired earlier this season at Penn State. He replaces Brent Pry, who was fired midseason by the Hokies.2 / 4These college football coaches are on the move. See who found new home
Oklahoma State hired Eric Morris from North Texas to be the Cowboys next head coach. Morris replaces longtime OSU coach Mike Gundy, who was fired earlier this season.3 / 4These college football coaches are on the move. See who found new home
Colorado State hired Jim Mora Jr. as its new head coach. Mora led UConn to back-to-back nine-win seasons and replaces Jay Norvell, who was fired midseason.4 / 4These college football coaches are on the move. See who found new home
Oregon State hired Alabama co-offensive coordinator JaMarcus Shephard as its head coach, replacing Trent Bray who was fired after an 0-7 start this season.Ole Miss was paying Kiffin $9 million, according to a report from the USA TODAY Sports network. It ranked as the 10th-highest salary for a coach nationally.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementKiffin has previously been coach at Tennessee, USC, Florida Atlantic and Ole Miss. He was also the coach of the Oakland Raiders and an assistant under Nick Saban at Alabama and has built his reputation as an elite offensive mind and transfer portal recruiter.
How much does Lane Kiffin owe Ole Miss to leave
Lane Kiffin's contract calls for a $4 million penalty to end the pact before Dec. 31, 2025.
Lane Kiffin record at Ole Miss
Kiffin has turned the Rebels into a college football power player since arriving in Oxford. He has led Ole Miss to New Year's Six bowl games in 2021 and 2023.
2020: 5-5 (Covid)
2021: 10-3 (Sugar Bowl)
2022: 8-5 (Texas Bowl)
2023: 11-2 (Peach Bowl)
2024: 10-3 (Gator Bowl)
2025: 11-1
Clarion Ledger Ole Miss reporter Sam Hutchens contributed to this story.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThis article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lane Kiffin leaves Ole Miss for LSU football job, won't coach in CFP
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