Is there any doubt that LSU coach Lane Kiffin is the most polarizing coach in college football?
FOX Sports college football analyst Matt Leinart doesn’t think so, and he’s taking it a step further.
“He’s the most polarizing coach, I think, in the history of college football,” Leinart said of Kiffin on Saturday’s “Big Noon Kickoff.” “He likes trolling. He likes to play the villain.”
No. 7 LSU faces No. 8 Ole Miss on Saturday night in Kiffin’s first game against the Rebels since leaving before the 2025 College Football Playoff to take the Tigers’ coaching position.
“This one feels a little different to me today,” Leinart said. “It’s going to be tough for LSU to go on the road today.”
Both teams are off to a 2-0 start this season, with LSU defeating Clemson in Week 1 (51-10) and Louisiana Tech in Week 2 (45-14). Meanwhile, Ole Miss scored a win over now-No. 23rd-ranked Louisville Cardinals in Week 1 (41-38) and handled Charlotte in Week 2 (41-9).
In addition to bringing numerous coaches with him from Ole Miss to LSU, including offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., Kiffin tried to get former Rebels tight end Dae’Quan Wright and defensive tackle Zxavian Harris — who were each in NFL training camps this summer — to join him in Baton Rouge this summer after a Louisiana judge granted a waiver to Louisianf4 players. who graduated from high school in 2022.
The SEC then barred any player appearing on the pro roster at any time from playing for a team in the conference. After a back-and-forth on the matter with the SEC, Kiffin backed down, refraining from adding Wright and Harris to LSU’s roster.
Big Noon Kickoff predicts the winner of the No. 7 LSU vs. No. 8 Ole Miss in the return of Lane Kiffin.
During Kiffin’s six years in Oxford (2022-2525), the Rebels went a combined 55-19, stringing together four double-digit winning seasons. LSU is Kiffin’s fifth collegiate coaching job, having coached Tennessee for one year in 2009 before leaving to coach at USC. Kiffin was the Trojans’ head coach for more than three years before being fired during the 2013 season.
After a three-year stint as Alabama’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under Nick Saban (2014-16), Kiffin served as the head coach at FAU for three years (2017-19) before being named the Rebels’ head coach prior to the 2020 season.
Kiffin boasts a 118-53 career record as a collegiate coach. He also coached the Oakland Raiders from 2007-08, posting a 5-15 record.
