Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss’ Playoff Heartbreak

Lane Kiffin wasn’t able to coach Lane Kiffin in the College Football Playoff after leaving Ole Miss for LSU. Yet, he seemed to stay connected with his former team during the playoffs.

Maybe it was because LSU, his new school, would grant him a bonus with every playoff win for the Rebels this season, which adds a twist to the situation.

Unfortunately, Ole Miss’ inaugural playoff appearance ended in disappointment, losing 31-27 to No. 10 Miami.

Despite his departure, Kiffin seems to still care quite a bit about the Rebels. He expressed his feelings after the game, tweeting, “Great effort and grit @OleMissFB. Best season in Ole Miss history!! Love you all,” complete with an emotional emoji.

As the game concluded, Ole Miss attempted one last desperate play—a deep ball thrown by Trinidad Chambliss into the end zone. This sparked discussions about whether defensive pass interference should have been called, and Kiffin certainly believed it should have been. He reacted on social media by stating, “100 pass interference!!!”

The playoff situation for Ole Miss was even more complicated, with Kiffin’s departure leading many of his assistants to follow him to Baton Rouge. However, while Kiffin couldn’t finish coaching, LSU allowed some of the Ole Miss assistants, like offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., to navigate between the two teams.

In the next round, Miami will go up against the top-seeded Indiana Hoosiers, who are aiming to become the first modern-era college football team to finish a season with a 16-0 record after defeating No. 5 Oregon State decisively.