Lane Kiffin’s era at Ole Miss may be over, but his heart clearly still beats for the Rebels. Despite wanting to lead them through the CFP, his decision to accept the rival job forced Ole Miss AD Keith Carter to move quickly and hand the reins to Pete Golding. Yet, when Ole Miss won its first-round CFP game, the new LSU head coach publicly congratulated the Rebels.

“Congrats to all the coaches and players @OleMissFB and especially @CoachGolding and seeing his 2 boys on the sidelines. 💙❤️ Great win today. #1-0. #BeatGeorgiaInTheBoot,” wrote Kiffin on X after Ole Miss qualified for CFP quarterfinal participation.

With Golding’s two sons, Braxton and Bentley, on the sideline during the CFP game, the moment felt especially meaningful to Kiffin, a coach who values family deeply.

When rumors started circulating about Kiffin leaving Ole Miss, the fans and the school wanted him to stay as head coach. But based on many factors, Kiffin chose the Tigers, though his family connections haven’t changed the fact that he still cares for the Rebels.

While Lane’s late father, Monte Kiffin, served as a defensive analyst at Ole Miss, his brother, Chris Kiffin, had multiple coaching stints in Oxford. His son, a promising high school QB prospect, attended Oxford High School. Besides, from the moment he arrived in 2020, Lane Kiffin experienced plenty of good days there.

The results piled up just as fast as the milestones, as he posted a 55–19 record, making him the third-winningest head coach in school history. During his run at Ole Miss, Kiffin rewrote the program’s standards, and history followed him everywhere. The Rebels saw three straight 10-win seasons for the first time, with a program-record 11 wins in both 2023 and 2025. Then came the breakthrough moment: Ole Miss’s first-ever CFP appearance in 2025.

Now, even though those roots still run deep after his departure, the Rebels earned their first-ever CFP win with a 41–10 blowout of Tulane and will now face Georgia next. Kiffin already shared his support on social media, using a hashtag to cheer Ole Miss on as they aim to beat the Bulldogs and move one step closer to a national title.

But beyond all the connections, what really grabs attention from Ole Miss’s win is Kiffin’s cash-in. While the new LSU head coach signed a seven-year deal worth $13 million per year, the contract comes with a twist. As per the terms, he also pockets the same CFP bonus from LSU this postseason that he would have earned had he coached Ole Miss.

Under those terms, he has already earned $250,000 from his new home.

Why did Lane Kiffin earn $250,000 from LSU?

Lane Kiffin’s deal with LSU includes a jaw-dropping clause. Under that structure, a first-round appearance nets $150,000, a quarterfinal run earns $250,000, and if Ole Miss wins the national championship, LSU will give Kiffin $1 million. Now, with Ole Miss participating in the CFP quarterfinal, Kiffin earns that $250K.

Despite not leading, Lane Kiffin’s influence still looms large. Under Pete Golding, Ole Miss didn’t miss a beat, storming to a 14-0 lead over Tulane and cruising to a 41-10 blowout at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Ole Miss now sets its sights on Georgia in the CFP quarterfinal at the Sugar Bowl. If they win that game, the Rebels move closer to a national title, while Kiffin inches even closer to a hefty bonus.

Despite the money, the new LSU head coach claimed he chose LSU not for the salary, but for its impressive history.

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“When you take the history, tradition, passion and the great players in the state of Louisiana, no one can argue that when you’re in Tiger Stadium on Saturday night, there is nothing like it,” said Kiffin.

Regardless of the reason, it’s true that he will now pursue his dream of winning a national title with LSU.