Rebels coach reminded everyone that the Lane Train runs on its own schedule
Lane Kiffin silenced a lot of people on Saturday at Oklahoma with a 34–26 win over the 13th-ranked Sooners — and not just about Ole Miss’ playoff chances, but also the ongoing speculation surrounding the Florida Gators.
Since Billy Napier was fired in Gainesville, every conversation about the future has centered on Ole Miss and whether the Rebels would still have their head coach in Oxford next season.
Many people spent more time discussing that situation than talking about the Rebels’ road trip to Norman and the potential to secure their playoff spot.
Well, on Saturday afternoon — even with a few questionable decisions from the head coach — Ole Miss essentially clinched a postseason berth, judging by its remaining schedule. Yes, there are still games against South Carolina, The Citadel, Florida, and Mississippi State, but winning at Oklahoma was the biggest test so far.
There have been reports about a contract already being offered, Kiffin having a conversation with his players about the outside noise, and plenty of other chatter that could be described as distractions for the football team.
But what Ole Miss was able to do against Oklahoma on Saturday now has the Rebels in the driver’s seat, with a clear path to the postseason.
Sorry, Florida fans, you’re going to be waiting this one out for a while.
There’s no way Kiffin bolts for Gainesville or even entertains the Florida opening until his season with Ole Miss is either over or the team has been eliminated from the College Football Playoff conversation.
Oklahoma Fans Understood The Assignment In Their Trolling Of Ole Miss
That didn’t happen on Saturday. This was very much a game where Lane Kiffin told everyone to back down with the narratives. As for that reported meeting with his players on Friday afternoon — that’s standard procedure in college football.
“Proud of our guys,” Kiffin said postgame. “We just talked at length last night about overcoming adversity — in games, in season, and in life. You can either get knocked down and get up, or you can get up stronger.”
There were multiple times against the Sooners when the game could have flipped, even with Ole Miss leading by double digits at one point.
Lane Kiffin Talking That Smack to Oklahoma Player Postgame
It’s fitting that the Ole Miss coach had a little trash talk ready for a Sooner after the win, given how much he heard from Oklahoma’s defense during the game.
Let’s be honest — it’s hard for Lane to throw on a filter, especially when he’s on the receiving end for four quarters.
“A little quieter now than before,” Kiffin said to an Oklahoma player. “This guy yelled at me during the game like five times about how great they were and how we weren’t going to score on them.”
Turns out, Ole Miss took all the fire started over the past week and left it in Norman.
This was a monster win for the Rebels, who now have a clear path to the postseason.
As for Lane Kiffin and Florida, that conversation isn’t going anywhere — though the Gators are going to be waiting until December, or even January, to find out whether he’s ready for a move south.
Heads up: the Rebels are in CFP contention once again, and Lane Kiffin just keeps being Lane Kiffin.
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