New LSU football head coach Lane Kiffin continues to settle into life in Baton Rouge.
On the same night that his former team, the Ole Miss Rebels, was playing a huge game in the quarterfinal round of the College Football Playoff in New Orleans, Louisiana, against the Georgia Bulldogs, Kiffin was in a different part of the state to catch a different college game.
Kiffin spent his Thursday night at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge to watch a women's basketball game between the No. 5 LSU Tigers and No. 11 Kentucky Wildcats. He even entered the game alongside LSU women's basketball head coach Kim Mulkey, while holding each other's hand in what looked like a symbolic show of LSU coaching power.
Kiffin was greeted with loud cheers, and he appeared to acknowledge the fans with a wave as he and Mulkey came out of the tunnel.
Lane Kiffin makes his entrance in the PMAC with Kim Mulkey. #LSU vs Kentucky pregame pic.twitter.com/fGxBmZxg6P
— Mike Scarborough (@ScarboroughMike) January 2, 2026
Mulkey later said that Kiffin found time to watch her team's game in person despite the transfer portal opening up.
“He was very gracious to come over here and let the LSU fans acknowledge him,” Mulkey said, per the Associated Press.
“They have the (transfer) portal opening tomorrow, so I know he’s working. I appreciated him coming.”
Unfortunately for Mulkey and the Tigers, Kiffin's presence didn't lead to a victory, as they ended up suffering an 80-78 loss to Kentucky, as Wildcats senior guard Tonie Morgan drained a game-winning 3-pointer with 0.5 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
Kiffin takes over the LSU football program as head coach after leaving Ole Miss following the 2025 regular season.
