STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — The 124-year-old football rivalry between Ole Miss and Mississippi State has a new subplot that could very well overshadow what is a high-stakes game in its own right.
The sixth-ranked Rebels (10-1, 6-1 SEC, No. 7 CFP) could lock up a spot in the College Football Playoff with a victory Friday over the Bulldogs (5-6, 1-6) in the Egg Bowl — only to have their celebration muted if coach Lane Kiffin announces after the game that he has decided to leave the program for another suitor.
During the past two weeks, Kiffin family members have traveled from Oxford to both Gainesville, Fla., and Baton Rouge, La., while Ole Miss has sought to fend off efforts by Florida and LSU to lure away their coach.
Kiffin and athletics director Keith Carter had a meeting last Friday where they reportedly discussed the coach’s future. Carter emerged from that with a public statement that Kiffin was focused on the Egg Bowl and a decision on his future would be announced by Saturday.
The sixth year Rebels coach has offered little clarity since.
“Keith and I have a great relationship. We communicate daily on a lot of things and I love it here. It’s been amazing,” Kiffin said. “We’re in a season that’s the greatest run in the history of Ole Miss at this point, having never been at this point.
“It’s really exciting. So, I’m just living in the moment,” Kiffin continued. “And our players are, too, you know? I see their joy … about where they’re at and have so much on the line. It’s just awesome to be a part of.”
This is the second time that the rivalry game has been shadowed by Kiffin’s potential exit from Oxford.
In 2022, Kiffin was linked to an opening at Auburn. His Rebels lost to the Bulldogs at home, 24-22, and wound up 8-5, but Kiffin signed an extension with Ole Miss.
Going for gold
A trophy known as the Golden Egg has gone to the winner of this matchup since 1927 — a year after a brawl broke out in Starkville after Ole Miss fans attempted to take down the goal posts.
There has been plenty more vitriol between them since, regardless of what else was at stake for either team.
On Friday, the stakes are higher for the Rebels, but the Bulldogs have a chance to extend their season as well because one more victory would make them bowl eligible in coach Jeff Lebby’s second season.
“We have a bunch of staff members that played here and played inside this game, understand what it’s about,” Lebby said. “The more you can talk about that part of it and guys that have come before and played in between the white lines in this game, they have the ability to communicate to our guys that haven’t been here long and don’t know the history as some of the others.
“It’s great for our entire football team to understand the urgency of what’s at stake,” Lebby added. “You see the guys that are from this state and have played in this game, there’s great pride in how we do what we go do on Friday.”
Recent dominance
Ole Miss has had the better of this rivalry in recent years, winning the past two and four of the past five.
But Kiffin, who had Lebby on his Ole Miss staff earlier this decade, has been impressed by the Bulldogs’ improvement this season.
“Lebby’s done a great job,” Kiffin said, calling him “one of the best offensive minds in football.”
Meanwhile, Kiffin, who declined to discuss his future this week, said his players have not appeared distracted by the uncertainty surrounding their coach.
“Our team has been very focused since noise has been out there,” Kiffin said. “It’s a different generation … They all can leave every year. A lot of that is financially based. And so, they don’t think the traditional way.”
