Ole Miss Holds Off LSU 32-24 as Lane Kiffin’s Emotional Return Ends in Defeat.
OXFORD, Miss. — Lane Kiffin’s long-awaited return to Oxford ended with a difficult night for LSU. The No. 8 Ole Miss Rebels defeated No. 7 LSU 32-24 on Saturday night, overcoming a second-half comeback before quarterback Trinidad Chambliss delivered the decisive plays late in the game. For Kiffin, the result came at the end of an emotional evening at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, where he spent six seasons building Ole Miss into an SEC contender before departing for LSU late last November. Kiffin’s return was met with a hostile reception from the home crowd. Boos followed him throughout the night, particularly during his departure from the field after LSU’s final possession ended with an interception in the end zone. With the game on the line, LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt’s fourth-down pass bounced off the helmet of Ole Miss defender Kam Franklin and into the hands of defensive back Jaylon Braxton for the game-ending interception. Kiffin dropped to his knees as the Rebels celebrated. Afterward, Kiffin met Ole Miss coach Pete Golding at midfield. Golding previously served as Kiffin’s defensive coordinator at Ole Miss. Despite the loss, Kiffin said the return brought a range of emotions that extended beyond the football field. “It was just really a lot of emotions of gratefulness for this place and for the six years,” Kiffin said. “It went well beyond football.” Kiffin acknowledged that he was relieved the highly anticipated matchup was over.
“I’m sure I’ll be criticized for saying that, but yeah, I am,” he said.
Chambliss delivers when Ole Miss needs him
The difference in the game ultimately came down to Chambliss, who repeatedly answered LSU’s biggest pushes. The Ole Miss quarterback completed 33 of 48 passes for 363 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He also rushed for the touchdown that put the Rebels back in front after LSU had erased a 17-point deficit. LSU tied the game at 24 on Scott Starzyk’s 23-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, but Ole Miss responded immediately.
Chambliss directed a 75-yard drive that ended with his 14-yard touchdown run with 6:14 remaining. Ole Miss then capitalized on two LSU offside penalties during the ensuing conversion attempt. JT Lindsey finished the sequence with a 1-yard run on the 2-point conversion, giving the Rebels a 32-24 advantage. “The game’s at the end and Trinidad has the ball in his hand,” Kiffin said. “The guy made a lot of plays during the game and did a great job.” Chambliss transferred to Ole Miss after spending three seasons at Division II Ferris State. Kiffin had previously tried to recruit him to LSU.
LSU rallies after disastrous start
The Tigers struggled to find their rhythm early. LSU punted on each of its first three possessions and fell behind 17-0 before finally putting together a sustained scoring drive.
The Tigers responded with a 17-play, 75-yard possession that consumed nearly eight minutes. Dilin Jones finished the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run, cutting the deficit to 17-7. Ole Miss answered before halftime. Chambliss connected with Deuce Alexander for a 20-yard touchdown, sending the Rebels into the locker room with a 24-7 advantage. LSU came out of halftime with considerably more momentum and eventually erased the entire deficit.
Leavitt completed 16 of 27 passes for 158 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He also rushed for 63 yards and a touchdown. The Tigers reached the Ole Miss 6-yard line in the final two minutes, but the drive stalled. Leavitt missed tight end Zach Grace near the goal line on third down, setting up the decisive fourth-down play. The resulting interception ended LSU’s comeback attempt. “I’m proud of the way the guys battled back,” Kiffin said. “It was really good. But at the end, we didn’t finish.”
A charged atmosphere in Oxford
The intensity surrounding Kiffin’s return was evident well before kickoff. Kiffin said the stadium was already full roughly an hour before the game and described the atmosphere as a “storm” when LSU arrived. “The stadium was full an hour early,” Kiffin said. “So I guess I had to leave to get them to do that.” He added with a joke: “So you’re welcome.” For six seasons, Kiffin was the face of Ole Miss football. His departure for LSU came just weeks before the Rebels made their first College Football Playoff appearance, making Saturday’s matchup one of the most anticipated games of the season. But when the final whistle sounded, it was Golding and Ole Miss celebrating while Kiffin walked off the field with LSU’s second-half rally falling just short.
