Category: sports

Change made with MSU football

Davis Wade Stadium

A familiar face will reportedly return to Starkville.

UPDATE: The future of Ole Miss football

Entering Tuesday, there was speculation the College Football Playoff committee could move Ole Miss down in the rankings because of Lane Kiffin’s departure. The committee did just the opposite, moving the Rebels up one spot to sixth. The final rankings to solidify the playoff bracket will be released Sunday. It is almost a lock for Vaught-Hemingway Stadium to host a first round playoff game.

Also, the university on Tuesday announced new head football coach Pete Golding would hold a news conference Wednesday afternoon, giving reporters their first opportunity to talk to him. Then came word late Tuesday he had changed his mind.

That focus on the team was mentioned by the coach when he addressed the crowd at the Ole Miss basketball game Tuesday night.

Lane Kiffin leaves Ole Miss for LSU

Lane Kiffin announced online Sunday afternoon he is leaving Ole Miss for LSU. Look below for his announcement and the latest developments on the fallout from his move from Oxford to Baton Rouge:

5:18 pm

Lane Kiffin spoke with ESPN’s Marty Smith before leaving for Baton Rouge.

3:47 pm

3:30 pm

3:21 pm

2:56 pm

2:54 pm

2:43 pm

Bruce Feldman’s 2019 profile of Pete Golding when he was at Alabama.

2:37 pm

Ole Miss makes the announcement about its new football coach. CLICK HERE TO READ

2:25 pm

The LSU announcement. CLICK HERE TO READ

2:17 pm

Audio from the team meeting with Ole Miss Athletic Director Keith Carter and Chancellor Glenn Boyce.

2:15 pm

2:12 pm

Nicole Auerbach of NBC Sports with her column on Lane Kiffin’s departure:

Lane Kiffin’s messy departure from Ole Miss shows he has not changed at all

2:10 pm

2:03 pm

1:58 pm

1:52 pm

1:49 pm

1:41 pm

1:23 pm

1:25 pm

1:23 pm

1:19 pm

1:19 pm

1:17 pm

1:06 pm

Nothing changes for Ole miss in the latest AP Top 25 just out.

1:03 pm

Florida makes its announcement on a new football coach. The university says Jon Sumrall will finish out the season with Tulane.

12:58 pm

12:57 pm

12:49 pm

Reaction from NBC Sports’ Nicole Auerbach and The Athletic’s Chris Vannini:

12:40 pm

12:32 pm

12:21 pm

Memphis loses its football coach to Arkansas.

Meanwhile, Florida reportedly is expected to fill its opening for a football coach by hiring Tulane’s Jon Sumrall

12:04 pm

Team meeting that was originally set for 9 am is scheduled for 1 pm.

12:04 pm

11:41 am

11:40 am

11:32 am

11:12 am

11:07 am

11:03 am

10:30 am

10:30 am

10:10 am

Also from Outkick-Fox senior reporter for college sports Trey Wallace:

At least some Ole Miss staffers tied to Kiffin can’t tell players not to take their finals because it binds them into the school.

Somewhere, Ed Orgeron might be on cell phone

10:10 am

Auburn turns to South Florida for its new football coach.

10:01 am

ESPN’s Matt Barrie is joined by Paul Finebaum to discuss the fallout from Lane Kiffin’s expected move from Oxford to Baton Rouge.

12 am

Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde: Ole Miss should ask its team leaders what path gives them the best shot at a national title: keeping Kiffin in place or naming an interim. CLICK HERE TO READ

11:55 pm

11:00 pm

From Football Scoop’s John Brice: LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry deployed former LSU national championship-winning coach Nick Saban, who would add six additional crowns during his tenure at Alabama, to speak with Kiffin on more than one instance about the benefits of the LSU job, sources said on multiple occasions.

Additionally, LSU officials arranged for Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry to speak with Kiffin by phone in what sources said was a lengthy conversation.

CLICK HERE TO READ

Social media giant makes splash with Egg Bowl deal

Corporate sponsorship of college athletics is not new, but a special sponsorship for Mississippi’s biggest ballgame is.

Facebook has signed up as the presenting sponsor of the Egg Bowl.

That sponsorship comes with a branded logo for the game (see above) and branding under the script State logo on the 50-yard line (see below) for Friday’s contest at Davis Wade Stadium.

The Facebook branding will be on the field at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium for the 2026 Egg Bowl.

Friday’s announcement came six days after commercial branding made its debut on the Ole Miss football field with the Aflac logo for the Florida game.

Learfield, which made the Egg Bowl deal, did not say how much the social media giant paid the schools for the right to display its logo or how long the sponsorship will last.

The latest on Lane Kiffin

Many expected to find out Lane Kiffin’s football coaching future Friday after a meeting with top Ole Miss officials. We at least know what the future apparently holds through the end of next week.

So the white hot speculation in the days leading up to that meeting will not subside just yet, especially since two other Southeastern Conference schools still want Kiffin as their coach and are willing to wait for his answer. Yahoo Sports reported Friday night LSU is looking to make an offer that may include a contract worth at least $90 million and a big money investment in NIL. That report comes after a Thursday meeting between representatives of Kiffin and Florida, according to 247 Sports. Former Mississippi State and current Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin reportedly took part in that meeting.

Also not likely to subside is the grumbling by some fans that Ole Miss is even in such an awkward position in the first place.

Meanwhile, the 10-1 Rebels not only have the Egg Bowl ahead but a likely appearance in the College Football Playoff, which could include an opening round game at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

As for AD Keith Carter, he has two challenges to address if Kiffin departs for Baton Rouge, Gainesville or elsewhere:

  • Choose an interim coach
  • Choose a permanent replacement

The second challenge would likely be the tougher task since Ole Miss would not be the only school looking for a football coach from the same group of candidates — a group that becomes smaller if Arkansas, Auburn and the Florida/LSU loser make hires before the CFP first round December 19 or 20.

Then again, Carter could find his new coach in Oxford if the interim coach can guide the Rebels to a successful postseason run.