Lane Kiffin in awkward $90m position as Florida State decision gives worrying precedent for Ole Miss’ playoff hopes

Ole Miss faces the unusual possibility of heading into the playoffs without its well-paid head coach.

Then again, selectors may spare them the embarrassment and deny the 11-1 Rebels’ despite an impressive record.

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Lane Kiffin is reportedly the subject of a massive $90million offer from LSU, who fired Brian Kelly despite facing a $54million buyout on Wednesday.

“While specific details of the contract remain fluid, sources told Yahoo Sports that school executives have discussed a seven-year, incentive-laden deal worth at least $90 million — figures that would make Kiffin, at the very least, tied for the highest-paid coach in the sport,” Ross Dellenger wrote. “The school is, as well, promising significant NIL-related roster investments exceeding $25 million — perhaps the most important determining factor for the coach.”

Kiffin, who has also been linked with Florida, is under contract until 2031 on a deal worth $9 million annually.

He is yet to comment on the speculation, but Rebels athletic director Keith Carter is pressing for a decision.

“An announcement on Coach Kiffin’s future is expected the Saturday following the game,” Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter wrote in a statement ahead of the Egg Bowl clash with Mississippi. “Coach Kiffin and I have had many pointed and positive conversations regarding his future at Ole Miss.

“While we discuss next steps, we know we cannot lose sight of what is most important — our sixth-ranked team that is poised to finish the regular season in historic fashion.”

Lane Kiffin confronts reporter after win

The Rebels — enjoying their best season in six decades — are potentially on course for a massive home playoff game after beating the Bulldogs 38-19.

Kiffin confronted reporter Ben Garrett, who said ‘Can’t turn a hoe into a housewife. Hoes don’t act right’ of the coach this week, after the victory.

“You want to walk in here and call me a hoe. See how it goes,” Kiffin said while flanked by cops, before turning away toward the locker rooms.

ESPN insider Marty Smith reported that Ole Miss will match any offer for their boss and announcer Dave Pasch took aim at Carter for forcing a decision.

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“Clearly it is a decision that is more by the administration than it is by Lane Kiffin in terms of the timing being tonight or tomorrow morning,” he said. “You wonder if that pushes Lane Kiffin in another direction.”

While heading into the playoffs without the 50-year-old at the helm would be a huge blow, it may be a moot point.

Cruelly, Kiffin’s departure could see the team demoted by the College Football Playoff committee.

Two years ago, Florida State was dropped because quarterback Jordan Travis, and backup Tate Rodemaker were both injured.

Third-stringer Brock Glenn went 8-of-21 for 55 passing yards in a 16-6 win over Louisville in Saturday’s ACC championship game before the demotion, which set a worrying precedent for Ole Miss.

The committee’s official selection principles listed on the playoff website include “other relevant factors such as unavailability of key players and coaches that may have affected a team’s performance during the season or likely will affect its postseason performance.”

The word ‘coaches’ will be worrying for Rebels bosses.

“Florida State is a different team than they were through the first 11 weeks,” Boo Corrigan — chairman of the playoff selection committee — said to explain the decision.

Could Ole Miss be left out of the playoffs?

Would losing Kiffin mean a similar demotion is on the cards?

Committee Chair Hunter Yurachek did his best to avoid a direct answer in a media teleconference.

According to the transcript, On3 college insider Brett McMurphy asked: “Hunter, I wanted to clarify something you said. Make sure I heard it correctly. If Lane Kiffin announces he is leaving after the Mississippi State game, and the school decides it will not allow him to coach in the playoffs, the Rebels cannot be negatively impacted because the committee has not seen Ole Miss play any games without him. Is that correct?”

Yurachek replied: “We’ll take care of that when it happens. I mean, we don’t look ahead. It is the loss of a player, loss of a key coach is in the principles of how we rank the teams. But again, we don’t have a data point for Ole Miss without their head coach.”

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McMurphy added: “I understand that. I’ll follow up. I’m not asking you to look ahead. I’m simply asking you to tell me, if you have not seen a team play without its head coach, and its team is no longer the head coach, based on not having a data point of seeing them play without the head coach, are you saying you can’t negatively impact them?

“It sounds like to me that’s what you’re saying. I just want to clarify that. I’m not asking you to say whether he’s leaving, whether he’s staying, but simply, if the coach is not there and they have not played any games without him, you can’t penalize them because you haven’t seen them play without him.”

Yurachek responded: “It could be considered by the committee.”

Of course, Kiffin could announce he is staying and end the speculation.

Ole Miss has already won the battle this weekend with a victory over its rivals.

The war could just be beginning.

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