Sources: LSU Expected to Hire Lane Kiffin on Sunday - ESPN
By Mark Schlabach and Pete Thamel
Nov 30, 2025, 01:00 AM ET
OXFORD, Miss. -- The Lane Kiffin saga is finally coming to a head. Sources tell ESPN that LSU is poised to secure Lane Kiffin's services away from Ole Miss on Sunday. While the deal isn't finalized as of late Saturday night, it's widely anticipated that Kiffin will sign on the dotted line.
If he does, Kiffin will reportedly earn around $12 million annually over seven seasons, with potential bonuses, making him one of the highest-paid coaches in college football. Kiffin, 50, led the Rebels to an impressive 11-1 regular season record, culminating in a 38-19 victory over Mississippi State, securing their place in the 12-team College Football Playoff.
However, sources indicate that Kiffin is unlikely to coach the Rebels in the CFP, as the expectation is that he will join LSU in 2026. On Sunday, Kiffin will meet with Ole Miss players at 10 a.m. ET, followed by an announcement about his future.
The saga took an interesting turn when Kiffin decided to make a decision on Saturday, meeting with Rebels athletics director Keith Carter and chancellor Glenn Boyce at the chancellor's home in Oxford. Despite the anticipation, no announcement was made.
There was a glimmer of hope that Kiffin might coach the Rebels in one more game if they clinched a spot in the SEC championship game in Atlanta. However, Alabama's victory over Auburn in the Iron Bowl dashed those hopes, as the Rebels' fate was sealed.
The Rebels' CFP hosting rights are still in the balance, but even with Kiffin's potential departure, they are likely to host a first-round game at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Dec. 19 or 20. Ole Miss officials are adamant about not allowing Kiffin to coach the Rebels in the CFP if he takes a job with an SEC rival, like LSU.
This stance is primarily due to the opening of the transfer portal on Jan. 2 and the desire to avoid giving LSU an unfair advantage in the upcoming season.
