Is Lane Kiffin pulling the greatest troll job in college sports history?

Is Lane Kiffin pulling the greatest troll job in college sports history? originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

There comes a time where college football slips into one of those reality-TV storylines that feel too absurd to be real, yet too entertaining to turn away from. From the wacky press conferences of the late great Mike Leach, to the controversy of the Urban Meyer Gators from the mid 2000's. This time, the main character is Lane Kiffin—agent of chaos, connoisseur of memes, offensive savant, and, apparently, the accidental protagonist of the 2025 coaching carousel.

The conversation around where Kiffin might coach in 2026 hasn’t been just loud—it’s been polarizing. You’ve got some camps insisting he’s hosting a circus, stoking drama by refusing to commit to Ole Miss. Some could rebut insisting the circus was built by everyone but Lane: national media, podcasts, boosters, and message-board prophets all pushing their own theories while Kiffin barely moves a muscle.

This latest saga truly ignited when Kiffin sat down with David Pollack on the See Ball Get Ball podcast and openly admired Steve Spurrier—the OG troll king. That little comment grew legs the moment Billy Napier’s Florida season began to disintegrate. Cue two weeks of talking heads debating whether Lane Kiffin could, not would, be the next coach of the Gators.

Important note: none of these conversations came from Lane Kiffin’s mouth. But in college football, a spark is enough to burn down the whole forest.

Then came the Brian Kelly situation at LSU—a decision Verge Ausberry could only postpone for so long. Once Kelly’s exit became inevitable, the national radar swung straight to Kiffin again. Suddenly, he wasn’t just a guy with options—he was the guy every fanbase with a vacancy wanted to claim.

And through all of it, the narrative snowballed: Lane hasn’t signed the long-term deal on Ole Miss’ table. Lane might be leaving. Lane wants out. Lane’s playing games. Lane’s stringing Oxford along.

Whether any of that was true didn’t matter; the perception calcified. Some compared it to his Tennessee exit a decade ago. Others suggested he might be just as disliked in Oxford by the time this is over.

All this because a man… didn’t immediately sign a contract.

The Coaching Precedent—Or Lack Thereof

The backlash gets even more dramatic when you stack Kiffin’s situation against the history.

• Les Miles bolted Oklahoma State during a 7–5 season heading to the Alamo Bowl—no such thing as a CFP existed.

• Mario Cristobal left Oregon before the era of expanded playoffs, avoiding the collision of loyalty and postseason stakes.

• Jimbo Fisher abandoned a 5–6 Florida State team mid-spiral.

• Brian Kelly left Notre Dame in 2021, but the Irish were only adjacent to a playoff spot thanks to the old four-team format.

None of these coaches had to walk away from a potential playoff run.Lane Kiffin might.

That’s the difference. And that’s why Andy Staples’ line—Ole Miss “cutting off its nose to spite its face”—lands so cleanly. Ole Miss has never been this close to the mountaintop. Not under Matt Luke (15–21, no bowls). Not under the Hugh Freeze “glory days” (39–25, one Sugar Bowl). Only under Kiffin has Ole Miss become a consistent national factor. They’re finally living in the neighborhood they always wished they could afford.

And now the internal conversation is… “stay or leave, but decide by Nov. 28”? If that sounds insecure, that’s because it is.

Recruits don’t commit to buildings—they commit to people. In modern college football, loyalty is a one-season rental. And yet Kiffin is being villainized for a narrative he didn’t create.

Inside Kiffin’s Public State of Mind

Kiffin’s SEC Media Days appearance this year didn’t feel like a coach plotting an escape. It felt like someone who’s lived a lot of life in a short period.

He spoke about Oxford’s role in helping him navigate the loss of both parents, emphasizing gratitude and perspective over theatrics. He praised coaching families—especially wives—for holding the unseen emotional weight of the sport. He discussed roster churn with a tired honesty, admitting Ole Miss has essentially had to “restart” every year because of the portal era. And he framed Austin Simmons’ new starting role not as pressure, but as opportunity.

It felt… dare we say… Saban-esque. Measured. Reflective. Grounded. That’s not usually the vibe of someone halfway out the door.

The Fuel: Family Visits, Ultimatums, and the LSU Calculus

But the storyline sharpened in the last two weeks:

Layla Kiffin’s Baton Rouge Visit

His wife flew into Baton Rouge for a six-hour city evaluation—not a casual Monday vibe. It signaled LSU interest was real, not theoretical.

Ole Miss’ Reported Ultimatum

Stewart Mandel reported that Ole Miss set a Nov. 28 deadline for Lane’s decision—a deadline that would collide directly with the Egg Bowl. Even if the date is debated internally, the pressure is not.

Saban, Jimmy Sexton, and the Agency Power Play

Nick Saban is believed to be advising Kiffin. Jimmy Sexton—Kiffin’s and Saban’s agent—benefits massively if a Sexton client takes over LSU’s NFL-factory roster. CAA, Sexton’s agency, would gain prime NIL leverage and NFL access through Baton Rouge.

As of Thanksgiving morning according to Matt Moscona of LockedOn LSU, LSU insiders shifted from 90/10 Kiffin-to-LSU to 55/45.

The swing? Playoff implications, public perception, and Lane’s legitimate love for Oxford.

If Ole Miss wins the Egg Bowl and locks in a CFP spot, leaving becomes a reputational risk he may simply refuse to take.

Kirk Herbstreit and Pat McAfee both went on-air urging him to stay—a public peer pressure campaign unlike anything we’ve seen in a coaching sweepstakes.

The Coaching Dominoes Are Already Falling

LSU bet everything on Kiffin.

And while LSU waited:

• Eli Drinkwitz took a mega-extension at Missouri.

• Auburn and Florida started circling Jon Sumrall.

• Alex Golesh potentially the next Arkansas Head Coach

• Backup options around the country vanished in real time.

If Kiffin says no, LSU’s board goes from: Lane → Drinkwitz → Sumrall → Blake Bakerto Sumrall or internal promotion, depending on whether Auburn swoops first.

This is why the Egg Bowl isn’t just a rivalry game. It’s a seismic event in the coaching landscape.

So… Could This All Be the Greatest Troll Job Ever?

And now here we are. Hours before the decision. The sport fixated on this Friday afternoon, refreshing feeds like it’s National Signing Day 2006.

We’ve seen dramatic choices before—LeBron’s “The Decision” might be the gold standard—but Kiffin’s saga has its own chaotic flavor. Because with Lane, you can never quite tell where the line is between sincerity and performance art.

Given everything we know…Given his history…Given the narrative he didn’t create but absolutely understands…Who’s to say Lane didn’t simply lean into all of this? Not maliciously—strategically. Let the media run wild. Let the speculation peak. Sit back, smirk, and watch the sport combust around a storyline built on assumptions.

If today is the deadline—and the Egg Bowl truly becomes the final stage—then the symmetry is absurdly poetic.

• Florida waits and realizes: Welp, he’s not coming.

• LSU might have to “Geaux” elsewhere, resetting their entire timeline.

• Ole Miss sits bracing for impact.

And Lane Kiffin strolls back into Oxford, the place he’s come to call home.

If that happens, then the Egg Bowl could take on a whole new meaning—with egg on the faces of everyone who swore they had “sources.” And in that moment, quietly and hilariously, Lane Kiffin may have pulled off the greatest troll job in college sports history.

More college football news:

• Deion Sanders buyout, contract details as Colorado Buffaloes coach

• Ole Miss reportedly gives Lane Kiffin an ultimatum as family visits Florida and LSU

• Virginia Tech reportedly funding roster near top of ACC for James Franklin

• Bill Belichick goes viral for awkward handshake after Wake Forest loss

• Texas state trooper reportedly relieved of duties after player exchange at Texas A&M