Georgia coach Kirby Smart provided college football with its laugh of the year last Saturday against Auburn, appearing to successfully argue that he was clapping when it looked like he was clearly trying to call a timeout.
What Smart did not realize, however, is that this week's opponent—Lane Kiffin's Ole Miss team—is the one you would least want to play immediately after an embarrassing incident. During the game Saturday, Kiffin appeared to mock the incident.
ABC's cameras captured Kiffin seemingly mouthing "I was clapping" to a referee while making a timeout gesture, with both breaking into laughter.
The No. 5 Rebels took a 21–20 lead over the No. 9 Bulldogs into halftime.
“I was just clapping” pic.twitter.com/NgRt5KazPA
— Bunkie Perkins (@BunkiePerkins) October 18, 2025
Kiffin, in his sixth-year with Ole Miss—where he's the third-winningest coach in history—has spent much of this season cultivating an even more media-friendly persona than usual. An E:60 special on his life has been heavily promoted by ESPN since its September premiere.
The Rebels, currently 6–0, have not navigated a season unbeaten since 1962.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Lane Kiffin Appears to Troll Kirby Smart With Gesture to Official During Georgia Game.
