Lane Kiffin’s postgame moment went viral for the right reasons. After Ole Miss’ 34-26 win over Oklahoma, the head coach was caught exchanging playful words with a Sooners defender who had chirped throughout the game.
Kiffin later explained that it was part of his personality and nothing personal, noting the player had repeatedly told him the Rebels wouldn’t score. The bigger takeaway for Kiffin, though, was how his team handled late-game pressure one week after a tough fourth quarter at Georgia.
“We’re up two scores last week at Georgia, where they never lose except Alabama, and we didn’t finish it off,” Kiffin said.
“We got knocked down. And so that same situation happens today on the road; [ranked] team, No. 1 defense in the country. Can we be stronger in those situations, especially defensively? For that to happen, it’s really cool.” Per ESPN, Ole Miss flipped the script this time, outscoring Oklahoma 9-0 in the fourth quarter, holding the Sooners to 84 yards over the final 15 minutes, and forcing quarterback John Mateer into 10 incompletions on his last 15 throws, including a last-gasp heave that fell short of the end zone.
The win delivered a milestone for Kiffin’s tenure: Ole Miss’s first road victory over a ranked SEC opponent under his watch. According to ESPN Research, the Rebels are also 6-0 following a loss since the start of the 2023 season, exactly the kind of resilience Kiffin referenced. A week after being blanked late in Athens, Ole Miss answered with complementary football, leaning on a defense that closed the door and an offense that managed the game in winning time.
Kiffin also acknowledged the emotional carryover from Georgia. He said the sideline felt that “here we go” moment as the crowd surged and the opponent punched back, but this time the Rebels didn’t “freak out.” They steadied themselves, communicated, and finished.
The off-field noise isn’t going away, either. Per ESPN’s Molly McGrath, Kiffin told her he planned to address ongoing Florida coaching rumors directly with his team, framing the speculation as a compliment to the program and a necessary conversation for a roster with many newcomers. He emphasized that decisions are about everyday happiness, not money.
Ole Miss leaves with a signature response and a clearer identity: a team learning to win the fourth quarter when it matters most.
