Lane Kiffin officially took the LSU job on Nov. 30, 2025, just two days removed from a win in the Egg Bowl against rival Mississippi State, and a week before the Rebels would officially be picked as an at-large team in the College Football Playoff.
Kiffin was not allowed to have his proverbial cake and eat it too, and departed for Baton Rouge without leading Ole Miss in the CFP. That job fell to defensive coordinator Pete Golding, who was installed as head coach and led the Rebels to the national semifinal, falling to Miami in a competitive national semifinal, 31–27.
