Lane Kiffin made his much-discussed return to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, directing the LSU Tigers against his former team, Ole Miss. The atmosphere was electrifying, with the Ole Miss crowd making their sentiments known on Saturday night.
Pete Golding and the Ole Miss Rebels triumphed with a 32-24 victory over Kiffin and the visiting Tigers, thrilling the packed house in Oxford. The match set a program record with 70,033 fans filling the stadium.
After the game, Kiffin reflected on the intense environment, describing it as like entering a “buzz saw” for his team. “The stadium was full an hour early. So, I guess I had to leave to get them to do that,” Kiffin remarked to reporters post-game, adding, “You’re welcome.”
Kiffin departed his former 11-1 Ole Miss team just before its College Football Playoff pursuit last season, opting to take up a new role with LSU. He secured early season victories over Clemson and Louisiana Tech, but faced his first coaching defeat with the Tigers against the Rebels.
Meanwhile, Ole Miss has commenced the season 3-0 and is gearing up for a road game against the Florida Gators this coming weekend.