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Lane Kiffin is the next head coach of the LSU Tigers, but he won’t finish his 2025 season with the Ole Miss Rebels, even though he helped lead them to a likely College Football Playoff berth.
But as part of his new deal with the Tigers, it appears Kiffin will be paid for the Rebels’ success should they manage to make a national title appearance.
LSU has reportedly agreed to pay Kiffin the same bonuses he was set to receive with Ole Miss should they make the CFP, according to Nola.com. If the Rebels are in the final group selected by the CFP committee, Kiffin would get $150,000 for it from Ole Miss just to play one game in the first round.
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Ole Miss Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin in the fourth quarter against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium on Nov. 2, 2024. (Nelson Chenault/Imagn Images)
Even better, Kiffin was to earn $250,000 if the team reached the quarterfinals, $500,000 for a semifinal appearance and a whopping $750,000 if Ole Miss reached the national championship.
In the off chance Ole Miss wins that title game, Kiffin should receive $1 million.
LANE KIFFIN ENDS CRYPTIC MESSAGE DAY AFTER TAKES LSU HEAD-COACHING JOB
While Kiffin made his decision to go to Baton Rouge next season, he wanted to finish the season as head coach of the Rebels, regardless of how far they made the playoffs. However, he pointed to Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter, who he said turned down the request to stay at Ole Miss until their season ended.
“We went through a lot last night with Keith Carter trying to figure out a way to make this playoff work and be able to coach the team. And at the end of the day, it’s his decision and I totally respect that. I understand that decision,” Kiffin told ESPN of Carter’s choice not to let him finish the season as the Rebels’ coach.
“I just wish the team good luck, I wish I was coaching… I just hope they play really well and win the national championship.”
Ole Miss Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin throws a football before the game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on Oct. 25, 2025. (Kevin Jairaj/Imagn Images)
Kiffin said he spoke with college football coaching legends Pete Carroll and Nick Saban before making his decision to go to Baton Rouge.
“My heart was here. But I talked to some mentors — Coach Carroll, Coach Saban. Especially when Coach Carroll said, ‘Your dad would tell you to go. Take the shot.’
“I always hated how we gave it one year at Tennessee and left. I hated the feeling of it. I think we gave a lot to this program and to this city and some of the historic wins in this stadium, best regular season in school history. So I’m proud of that part. But it just became time. I talked to God and he told me it was time to start a new chapter.”
Ole Miss defensive coordinator Pete Golding was named head coach to replace Kiffin in Oxford.
Ole Miss Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin during the game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on Oct. 25, 2025. (Kevin Jairaj/Imagn Images)
Details of Kiffin’s new deal with LSU began to emerge, and he is reportedly set to make $13 million per season with the Tigers, making him the second-highest paid college coach in the country behind Georgia’s Kirby Smart.
But the report also mentions that if Kiffin were to lead the Tigers to a national title, an escalator in his contract would make him the highest-paid coach.
