While the Ole Miss Rebels are on the verge of the College Football Playoff and could play for an SEC Championship, they'll have to do so without the man who put them all together on this team. On Sunday, the Lane Kiffin sweepstakes came to an ugly end as the Rebels' head coach is on his way to LSU, taking most of his offensive staff with him, according to On3.
BREAKING: Lane Kiffin has lined up most of his offensive staff to join him at LSU, @clowfb reports.
— On3 (@On3sports) November 30, 2025
He's told them if they’re not on the plane to Baton Rouge today, they won’t have a spot on staff👀
The Tigers have a press conference scheduled for Monday to officially… pic.twitter.com/IDmEvCbXwz
The decision isn't official yet, but all signs point to the Ole Miss Rebels now having to join a loaded coaching carousel cycle where they'll need to join a field of SEC programs looking to land similar candidates. Ole Miss will likely move quickly to fill their vacancy to try and keep the momentum it's built as a program moving forward.
3 candidates make the most sense for Ole Miss
Dan Mullen - Head Coach - UNLV
The Ole Miss Rebels should instantly turn to a coach with SEC experience, and landing a coach who's won in Mississippi wouldn't be the worst idea. While Dan Mullen may not be the flashiest name, he's built winners at Mississippi State, Florida, and UNLV, and could instantly use his experience in Mississippi to keep the program rolling.
Joe Judge - Assistant Coach/Quarterbacks coach - Ole Miss
When it became apparent that Ole Miss may not let Lane Kiffin coach if he took another job, Joe Judge was instantly named the most likely candidate to be the interim. Given Joe Judge's NFL head coaching experience, if he's able to win a game or two in the Playoff for the Rebels, he could be the long-term fit.
Pete Golding - Defensive Coordinator - Ole Miss
While the Ole Miss defense is having a bad year, Pete Golding has long been mentioned as a name that could become a head coach. Hiring Pete Golding would make a ton of sense for continuity, as it could help keep recruits committed to Ole Miss as well as keep players from entering the Transfer Portal.