While his former team was punching their ticket to the College Football Playoff semifinals, Lane Kiffin was up the road getting chummy with folks at his new home.
Kiffin, 50, held hands with LSU women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey as she brought him onto the court ahead of her team’s home game against the University of Kentucky on Thursday, January 1.
At roughly the same time, the Ole Miss football team was taking the field at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans in the Sugar Bowl against the University of Georgia. Ole Miss won 39-34, earning a date with the University of Miami in the semifinals on Thursday, January 8.
Kiffin accepted the head coaching job at LSU in November after six seasons at Ole Miss. According to Kiffin, he requested to coach the Rebels throughout the College Football Playoff, but the school denied his request. Ole Miss is now led by Pete Golding, who was named permanent head coach shortly after Kiffin’s departure.
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Following LSU’s 70-68 loss to Kentucky, Mulkey, 63 said Thursday night was her first time meeting Kiffin.
“He was very gracious to come over here,” she told reporters. “They have the [transfer] portal opening tomorrow. So I know he’s probably working. For him to come and let the LSU fans acknowledge him was very nice, and I appreciated him coming and walking out on the floor with me.”
Kiffin was thinking about attending the Sugar Bowl to support his former team alongside Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, according to Yahoo Sports. The plan was apparently plausible enough that Superdome security members were bracing for their potential arrival.
“I guess the article in the paper just wasn’t right [saying] he was going to the bowl game with the governor, huh?” Mulkey said. “How could you be at both places, right? It’s amazing what’s right in the paper and not right, huh? I always tell people, ‘Believe half of what you read in the paper.’”
For the record, it was never reported as fact that Kiffin would be in attendance at the Sugar Bowl, just that he and the governor were “considering” it.
While he skipped out on watching the game in person, Kiffin took to social media to congratulate Ole Miss on their big win
“What a great finish!!! So much fun!! Only two more to go @OleMissFB,” Kiffin wrote via X shortly after the end of the game.
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The victory was also a financial windfall for Kiffin, who earned a $500,000 bonus for the Rebels defeating the Bulldogs on Thursday.
As part of Kiffin’s exit from the university, LSU agreed to cover his full bonus structure from his Ole Miss contract.
The Rebels’ playoff run could become even more financially lucrative for Kiffin if they keep up their winning ways.
Kiffin will make another $750,000 if Ole Miss defeats Miami in the semifinals and an additional $1 million if they win the College Football Playoff National Championship. The winner of the game between Ole Miss and Miami will face the winner of the January 9 game between the University of Indiana and the University of Oregon on January 19.
