Lane Kiffin gave props to his former team after its College Football Playoff run ended, but — like many Ole Miss fans — he had questions for the officials.
Lane Kiffin criticizes refs in Ole Miss-Miami: Former Rebels coach weighs in on game's final play originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Ole Miss players likely didn’t spend their College Football Playoff run wondering what former coach Lane Kiffin was up to or what he had to say, but the rest of the college football world has had just about no escape from Kiffin since he bolted for LSU in November.
The highly paid coach has long been active on social media, even amid a tumultuous few weeks that saw him leave Oxford for Baton Rouge, and he followed Ole Miss’ journey to the semifinals every step of the way.
After the Rebels lost a thrilling Fiesta Bowl on Thursday night and saw their run come to an end, Kiffin reacted on X.
Here’s a look at what Kiffin had to say about his former team and the officials after Ole Miss was eliminated.
MORE:Why Lane Kiffin left Ole Miss for LSU
What did Lane Kiffin say?
Kiffin tweeted a broken heart gif after Ole Miss' defeat, but he praised the Rebels for "amazing effort and grit" despite the loss.
"Best season ever in the history of Ole Miss!!" Kiffin said, certainly remembering that he was part of it for the first 12 games.
Once the dust settled, though, Kiffin had a bone to pick with the officials for their decision not to call a penalty on the final play of the game.
Kiffin argued De'Zhaun Stribling was interfered with on Ole Miss' Hail Mary attempt at the end of the fourth quarter, with replay showing Stribling grabbed by a defender and at least partly pulled down.
Pass interference 💯!!! https://t.co/99jrGosJ5w
— Lane Kiffin (@Lane_Kiffin) January 9, 2026
Pass interference calls are generally rare on Hail Mary attempts because of the amount of hand fighting that is naturally part of a scrum, but some on Ole Miss' side — including coach Pete Golding, who gestured toward the officials when the clock struck zero — believed Miami put the Stribling at enough of a disadvantage to necessitate a penalty.
MORE:Explaining the no-call at end of Fiesta Bowl
While Miami will play on, Ole Miss' loss might be some final closure on what became a months-long saga with Lane Kiffin at the center. Kiffin and LSU will focus on the 2026 season, while Golding will get the chance to fully prepare for his first season at Ole Miss once he finds out whether Trinidad Chambliss will be his quarterback.
Category: General Sports
