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Lane Kiffin may be gone from the Ole Miss sideline, but the new LSU coach still has an interest in how his former team fares in the College Football Playoff.
The Ole Miss Rebels proved they’d be fine without Kiffin after Trinidad Chambliss passed for 362 yards and two touchdowns in the team’s 39-34 win over third-ranked Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on Thursday night.
New LSU head coach Lane Kiffin speaks in the South Stadium Club at Tiger Stadium on Dec. 1, 2025. (Matthew Hinton/Imagn Images)
“A lot of people doubted us before the season and they still doubted us when our coach left,” Chambliss said after the game. “We just want to play ball and have fun, and I think it’s showing right now.”
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Kiffin, who was rumored to possibly attend the College Football Playoff quarterfinals in New Orleans, celebrated the team’s win in a social media post.
“What a great finish!!! So much fun!! Only two more to go,” he wrote in a post on X, tagging the Ole Miss football team.
While Kiffin’s well wishes could be interpreted as being said in good faith, there is a financial benefit to Kiffin if the Rebels keep winning.
LSU head football coach Lane Kiffin waves to the crowd during the first half of an NCAA basketball game against Kentucky. The game took place in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on January 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Peter Forest)
OLE MISS-GEORGIA SUGAR BOWL THRILLER ENDS WITH DELAYED CELEBRATIONS AS OFFICIALS DEMAND LAST SECOND PLAY
According to Front Office Sports, part of LSU’s deal to lure Kiffin away from Ole Miss was to pay his full bonus structure from his former employer. Kiffin earned $150,000 for the Rebels reaching the playoffs, which was raised to $250,000 when Ole Miss defeated Tulane in the first round.
Thursday night’s win over Georgia raised the bonus to $500,000, and a win over Miami in the semifinals will raise that number to $750,000.
Trinidad Chambliss #6 of the Ole Miss Rebels throws a pass while being pressured by Elijah Griffin #90 of the Georgia Bulldogs in the first quarter during the 2025 College Football Playoff quarterfinals at the Allstate Sugar Bowl at Caesars Superdome on January 1, 2026 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
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And what will Ole Miss winning the title give Kiffin? A total of 1 million dollars.
