Lane Kiffin is expected to clarify his future after the Egg Bowl.
But speculation about whether the Ole Miss head coach is staying or leaving — presumably for LSU or Florida — will take a back seat for a few hours Friday afternoon when the No. 7 Rebels (10-1, 6-1 Southeastern Conference) and Mississippi State (5-6, 1-6) meet in Starkville, Miss., in the annual Egg Bowl.
And there’s plenty at stake.
Ole Miss should clinch a spot in the College Football Playoff by winning, and the Bulldogs, in addition to placing a big blemish on their archrival’s special season, can become bowl eligible with a win.
“This is a huge game,” Kiffin said. ” … There’s a lot at stake, and we’re excited for the matchup and the chance to finish off a great regular season.”
This could be Kiffin’s last game as Rebels head coach, and it could also be one of the most significant wins in school history.
“Of course there’s a lot at stake for us,” he said, “but I’ve always said in rivalries, the records don’t matter. You see it every year — games go differently than the spreads or predictions say. Rivalry games stand on their own.”
Kiffin noted that Mississippi State has taken games into overtime against Tennessee (a 41-34 loss) and Texas (a 45-38 loss). Second-year Bulldogs coach Jeff Lebby was Kiffin’s offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach in 2020 and 2021 at Ole Miss.
“Mississippi State is talented,” Kiffin said. “I think Jeff Lebby has done a great job making them competitive, and they have really improved. … I think Jeff is one of the best offensive minds in football. He did great work here, and I have a lot of respect for him. I also think Mississippi State hiring him reflects well on Ole Miss. He’s not just a good coach — he’s a great person.”
Lebby’s first Mississippi State team went 2-10 overall and 0-8 in the SEC, and the Bulldogs failed to become bowl eligible for a second consecutive season after 13 straight bowl trips. Getting a sixth win Friday would be a big boost for the program.
“There’s a ton to play for,” Lebby said. ” … We have the opportunity to hit two huge goals for us as a program in year two. It’s exciting for us. It’s about us maximizing every day from a preparation standpoint to give ourselves a chance to be able to go 1-0 on Friday morning in a huge game with a great atmosphere and a lot at stake.”
Mississippi State has lost the last two Egg Bowls and is 1-4 against Kiffin.
“You see the guys that are from our state that have played in this game, man, there’s great pride … the rivalry, to our fan base, our community, our university, our program, understanding that there’s a lot that goes into this,” Lebby said. “And for a calendar year, understanding the momentum it gives us.
“The ability to create from a recruiting standpoint, I think that’s a huge thing. Those are the things that we’re constantly looking at, talking about and understanding. (A win would) mean a lot to our program, our university, and community.”
Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter shared last week that an announcement about Kiffin’s future will come on Saturday, the day after the Egg Bowl.
