Rebels Stun Kiffin in Emotional Return to Oxford
In one of the most anticipated homecoming games in recent college football memory, Lane Kiffin returned to Oxford as LSU's head coach only to watch his former team spoil the narrative. Ole Miss quarterback Sam Leavitt, cleared from injury earlier this week, led the Rebels to a 32-24 victory over the Tigers before a sellout crowd at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Saturday evening.
The game carried extra stakes beyond the usual SEC rivalry. Kiffin, who coached Ole Miss from 2020-2025 and led the program to its most successful stretch in decades, faced his former players and staff just months after accepting the LSU job. The magnolia state had prepared for this moment since December, with security measures heightened and ticket demand reaching unprecedented levels.
Leavitt's Performance Silences Doubters
Leavitt, who was listed as doubtful on the injury report earlier this week, started and played the majority of the game. His presence changed the complexion of Ole Miss's offense, which had looked inconsistent in previous weeks. The sophomore signal-caller completed 24 of 36 passes for 287 yards and two touchdowns, adding 43 rushing yards on 11 carries.
"Sam wanted to play," Pete Golding said in his postgame press conference. "He went through everything we asked him to do this week. When your quarterback gives you that look, you trust him."
LSU's Furious Comeback Falls Short
The Tigers, who fell behind 29-10 entering the fourth quarter, mounted a furious rally behind backup quarterback Pauling Jones. LSU scored two touchdowns in the final 12 minutes to cut the deficit to 32-24, but an onside kick attempt with 1:47 remaining failed, and Ole Miss ran out the clock.
Pauling Jones finished 18 of 29 for 241 yards and two scores, but the early deficit proved too large to overcome. LSU's defense, which had struggled all night against Ole Miss's balanced attack, allowed 412 total yards.
Rankings Implications
The loss drops LSU from No. 7 to an expected No. 11 in next week's AP Top 25, while Ole Miss is projected to rise to No. 4—its highest ranking since the 2021 season. For Kiffin, the defeat marks his second loss in three games after opening the season with a dominant win over Florida State.
"We didn't play complementary football," Kiffin said. "When you go on the road in the SEC and give up 32 points, you're not going to win. Credit Ole Miss. They played better than us."
Golding, meanwhile, has now won three straight games against his former boss and elevated Ole Miss into legitimate SEC West contender status. The Rebels host Arkansas next week before traveling to Tuscaloosa to face Alabama.
