Ole Miss Fans Greet Lane Kiffin With Vulgar Chants During Return to Oxford - Newsweek

Ole Miss fans made their feelings about Lane Kiffin's return crystal clear before kickoff Saturday, greeting their former coach with vulgar chants as ESPN's College GameDay broadcast live from Oxford, Mississippi, ahead of a top 10 showdown between LSU Tigers and the Rebels.

The two teams have had a long rivalry since they first played in 1894 and have since played against each other 114 times.

Fans repeatedly directed expletive-laden chants at Kiffin, who left Ole Miss for LSU following last season, setting the stage for one of the most emotionally charged games of the college football season.

The hostility extended beyond the television broadcast. According to the Associated Press, mockery of Kiffin could be seen and heard throughout The Grove, the university's famed tailgating area, where fans displayed signs and vented frustration over the coach's departure.

During his morning TV appearance, when boos and chants could be heard from the crowd, Kiffin said, “There’s going to be a lot of emotion all through the stadium obviously that you’re feeling there right now," the AP reported. Some signs held by the crowd behind the set also referred to Kiffin as a traitor, according to the outlet.

Despite the reaction, Kiffin remained focused on the matchup, telling the show's panel that both teams feature talented players and coaches and describing the contest as a major national game between two elite programs.

Meanwhile, Matt Garrett, an Oxford resident and Ole Miss graduate, told the AP that a lot of the heckling was in good fun and that many weren't “truly angry” at Kiffin because “he's done a lot for northern Mississippi and a lot for this program.”

Garrett added that Ole Miss fans were annoyed at the timing of his departure, which was right before the Rebels entered the College Football Playoff, and because of how Kiffin abruptly left Oxford aboard a private jet sent by LSU to get him.

“How they kind of handled everything in the process was very unprofessional,” Garrett added. “There is going to be some anger, I'm sure, but hopefully with the Southern hospitality we have, we'll keep everything under control.”

Newsweek reached out to LSU and Ole Miss by email Saturday for comment.

The game represents far more than a matchup between two nationally ranked Southeastern Conference programs.

Kiffin spent six seasons building Ole Miss into a contender before leaving for LSU, a move that angered many fans who believed the Rebels were positioned to compete at the highest level.

His return to Oxford as the opposing coach has become one of the biggest storylines of the college football season.

According to the AP, state officials have said they were assembling the state’s largest law enforcement presence ever for a college football game. Authorities are reportedly expecting around 100,000 people to come to Oxford—many of them without tickets to the 64,000-seat Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

“Our priority is making sure everyone can enjoy the game and surrounding events safely,” Sean Tindell, commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, said during a press conference earlier this week. “This enhanced presence is about being prepared, staying proactive and working together.”

Kiffin is one of college football's most recognizable coaches.

He arrived at Ole Miss in 2020 and helped transform the Rebels into a consistent winner, leading the program to multiple 10-win seasons, bowl appearances and a College Football Playoff berth.

His success elevated the profile of the program and made him one of the sport's most sought-after coaches. But that success also made his departure particularly painful for many Ole Miss supporters. After accepting LSU's coaching job, Kiffin left behind a program he had helped rebuild, creating a rift that remains evident among fans.

LSU and Ole Miss are scheduled to meet Saturday night in what many analysts consider one of the biggest games of the college football weekend. Both programs entered the contest nationally ranked, with Tigers at No. 7 and Rebels at No. 8, adding even more significance to an already emotional matchup.

Ole Miss coach Pete Golding and Kiffin have both emphasized keeping players focused on football rather than the noise surrounding the game. Whether the Rebels gain revenge or Kiffin spoils the party in his return, the former Ole Miss coach has already become the central figure in one of the season's most talked-about storylines.

Newsweek’s reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn here.

Contact Newsweek editors for this story: Steve Mollman and Anthony Murray.