Lane Kiffin and his Ole Miss Rebels delivered a stunning performance in college football, decisively defeating Arkansas 63-31 in Fayetteville. Prior to this impressive win, the Rebels faced unexpected skepticism from Alabama’s head coach, Nick Saban, who hinted at an Arkansas victory during the November 2 edition of ESPN’s “College GameDay.”
Saban voiced concerns about Ole Miss’s offensive capabilities, stating, “Ole Miss has not really been able to play offense like they really expected to. Their defense has been really good, but I really like what Bobby Petrino has done with Taylen Green and the way Arkansas is playing. I’m going to take Arkansas.”
Despite the rat poison of criticism, Kiffin’s squad rose to the occasion. This victory not only solidified their standing but also triggered a one-year contract extension for Kiffin, reportedly worth $9 million, as highlighted by USA Today’s Steve Berkowitz. This extension guarantees $7.2 million, extending Kiffin’s tenure with the Ole Miss Athletics Foundation through December 31, 2023.
However, Kiffin faced more than just Saban’s remarks in the lead-up to the game. On November 1, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey criticized teams in the conference for allegedly faking injuries, and Kiffin found himself at the center of this controversy. Many media reports included Kiffin’s image when discussing the topic.
Kiffin firmly disagreed with the notion that Ole Miss is synonymous with faking injuries. Instead, he argued that his team suffers the most from such tactics, emphasizing, “I know some people say, ‘OK, that sounds weird, coming from me.’ We’re a tempo offense. I’ve been saying this for years, ‘OK, that faking an injury hurts us more than anybody — us and Tennessee, probably, more than anybody in America. It happens to us more than anybody. It happened last week over and over again.’ So, I know it may surprise you, I was very happy for that.”
While the week may have presented challenges in terms of narrative, Kiffin achieved the most crucial victory on the field. The Rebels now look ahead to their upcoming match against Georgia on November 9, where their hopes for the College Football Playoff will be on the line. With a solid performance against Arkansas, Ole Miss has positioned itself as a formidable contender in the SEC and beyond.
