Ole Miss Football Amid Coaching Changes and CFP Highlight Misnaming Incident
Ole Miss senior defensive tackle Zxavian Harris has publicly accused Lane Kiffin of attempting to steal Ole Miss's spotlight amid their College Football Playoff (CFP) run, labeling Kiffin as a troll. Harris described Kiffin's departure from Ole Miss—where Harris posted a career-high 10 tackles in the Rebels' 39-34 upset over Georgia—as a backhanded move and vowed Ole Miss will respond in kind.
Kiffin left Ole Miss to become the head coach at LSU, where he was introduced on December 1, 2025, in Baton Rouge. Following this change, several Ole Miss assistants including Charlie Weis Jr., Joe Cox, George McDonald, and Kevin Smith signed on to join Kiffin’s LSU staff. ESPN reported these coaching-staff moves and noted some Ole Miss aides may not return to coaching at Ole Miss after the season, amid transfer-portal dynamics. Kiffin stated there was clear and transparent communication with Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding and a plan through Ole Miss's historic championship run.
Amid these developments, Kiffin was noted to have attended an LSU women's basketball game instead of Ole Miss's upset win over Georgia, though he was reportedly considering attending the Ole Miss game.
Looking forward, Ole Miss will face Miami in the Fiesta Bowl on January 8, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. ET, with the winner advancing further in the College Football Playoff.
In a related CFP broadcast moment, ESPN announcer Greg McElroy mistakenly referred to Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy as Kyren Lacy during the Sugar Bowl semifinal between Ole Miss and Georgia. Kewan Lacy had an impressive performance, rushing for 93 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries, contributing to Ole Miss’s game-winning field goal in the final seconds. McElroy promptly corrected himself on-air.
The misnaming referenced Kyren Lacy, a former LSU wide receiver who died by suicide the previous year amid a legal battle related to a December 2024 fatal crash. Kyren Lacy had transferred to LSU in 2022 and had a notable 2024 season with 58 receptions for 866 yards and nine touchdowns; he was considered a likely NFL Draft prospect.
The Ole Miss team is positioned to face No. 10 Miami in the CFP semifinal, with the winner advancing to face the victor of the game between No. 1 Indiana and No. 5 Oregon.
