It’s here. The game we’ve had circled since last November is finally here.
LSU and Ole Miss. Lane Kiffin,’s return to Oxford nearly 12 months after fleeing town on a jet right before the playoffs. He’s been in the safe haven of Baton Rouge all season.
Not anymore. Not tonight.
‘HE’S DUST’: OLE MISS STUDENTS RIP LANE KIFFIN AS LSU COACH PREPARES FOR HATRED IN OXFORD
Ole Miss freshman Michael Francolino holds up a sign before ESPN’s College GameDay in Oxford, Miss., on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. The GameDay visit for the Ole Miss-LSU game marks the return of head coach Lane Kiffin since leaving Ole Miss. (USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect)
Kiffin and the Tigers are in town ahead of tonight’s primetime showdown, and fans spent the morning warming up the vocal chords ahead of kickoff.
And by that, I mean they let Kiffin HAVE IT just 30 seconds into ESPN’s College GameDay.
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Take a … listen:
All eyes on Lane Kiffin today
Amazing. This is why college football is the best. Frankly, there’s not a close second in terms of atmosphere. Rebel fans are FIRED UP for tonight’s game. It’s personal for them. Oxford is buzzing right now.
The national guard is on hand. Police presence has tripled over the past few days. Hotel prices have soared into the quadruple-digits.
The Grove, by all accounts, has been mayhem.
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A sign is seen at ESPN College GameDay ahead of the Ole Miss-LSU game in The Grove in Oxford, Miss., on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. (USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect)
And it’s all because Lane Kiffin ditched town last fall, with Ole Miss on the cusp of a legit national title run, for LSU. It was the biggest story in sports for months.
“Would Lane leave?”
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Some thought he’d stay. Others thought he’d go to Florida. But, in the end, LSU was always the logical choice. And so, Lane hopped on his PJ, and left Oxford in the dust.
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Just like that, he was gone. And the fans were furious. Rightfully so, by the way. Kiffin built Ole Miss into a national championship program, and then bolted before finishing the job.
Lane Kiffin speaks at a press conference as he is introduced as the new head football coach of the LSU Tigers at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on Dec. 1, 2025. (Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images)
Tonight, he returns. All eyes will be on Oxford.
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LSU. Ole Miss.
If this morning’s College GameDay was any indication, maybe watch the game on mute if the kiddos aren’t in bed yet.