So earlier this month, Lane Kiffin’s ex-wife Layla and their son Knox took a little private-jet trip to Baton Rouge and Gainesville. According to Paul Finebaum, that alone is enough to distract the Ole Miss Rebels as they sit on the verge of making the playoff. Stephen A. Smith wasn’t having any of Finebaum’s logic, however.

He clapped back, defending Kiffin’s right to explore better opportunities while calling out Finebaum’s hypocrisy. Stephen A. pointed out that Finebaum has also shown interest in jobs outside ESPN. He reminded him live on air about his own career wandering:

“Wait a minute, Paul. I recall you saying that you absolutely love working at ESPN but you sat up there on the airwaves and said, ‘Hey man, if the opportunity presents itself, I might be a Senator.’”

Finebaum has looked at other options, too, so criticizing Kiffin for doing the same isn’t exactly fair.

The core of Stephen A.’s argument was simple: exploring new jobs doesn’t mean you dislike the one you already have.

“Two things can be true… You can absolutely, positively love where you are, but you can explore a potentially better opportunity,” said Smith.

Stephen A. also pointed out that coaching jobs at major programs, such as LSU (a $90 million job) or Florida, are naturally appealing. They come with more resources, more national spotlight, and potentially better odds at championships. With that in mind, he argued it’s entirely reasonable for Kiffin to listen at least when those schools come calling.

Stephen A. wasn’t saying Kiffin handled everything perfectly. Instead, he was pointing out that Finebaum’s criticism lacked self-awareness, since Finebaum has publicly considered career changes as well.

Looking for better opportunities is normal, it’s part of ambition, and “This is America”, people are allowed to see what else is out there without being judged for it.

Still, the entire saga could end up having a domino effect on Ole Miss’s playoff hopes.

CFP Chair Hunter Yurachek on Ole Miss’ playoff shot if Lane Kiffin dips after Egg Bowl

On November 26, college football insiders shared an interesting exchange on X about what might happen to Ole Miss’s playoff chances if Lane Kiffin leaves after the Egg Bowl.

CFP committee boss-man Hunter Yurachek was asked directly how the committee would treat Ole Miss if Kiffin announced he was going and the school chose not to let him coach in the playoff.

Yurachek didn’t give a firm answer, saying, “We’ll take care of that when it happens. We don’t look ahead.”

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The reporter tried to pin him down, asking whether the committee could penalize Ole Miss without any games played under an interim coach. Yurachek explained that losing a key coach is something the committee is allowed to consider. However, he also pointed out they currently have “no data point for Ole Miss without their head coach.”

That basically means they haven’t seen how the team performs without Kiffin, so it’s hard to judge.

When the reporter pressed again, trying to confirm whether the committee cannot punish a team without evidence, Yurachek still wouldn’t commit to a clear yes or no. Instead, he ended with, “It could be considered by the committee.”

In simple terms, he left the door open: the committee might consider Kiffin’s absence, but they’re not promising anything until the situation actually becomes real.