Lane Kiffin has a massive decision to make over the next several days.
Ahead of his 10–1, No. 6-ranked Ole Miss Rebels heading to Starkville to take on Mississippi State this Friday afternoon in the Egg Bowl, the 50-year-old remains the top coach in this year's carousel, and rumors continue to swirl that he could be leaving for another job.
While Kiffin has been adamant that he’s focused on what’s in front of him and not the talk of his potential departure, the University has felt compelled to release a statement, saying that a decision on his future in Oxford will be made by this coming Saturday.
MORE: Lane Kiffin Timeline: A Look at the Ups and Downs of Football’s Most Polarizing Coach
Ahead of Saturday’s much-anticipated announcement, legendary college football coach Urban Meyer gave his two cents on the matter, saying that leaving Ole Miss could “haunt” Kiffin.
“I had a similar situation, I was at the University of Utah, we went undefeated ... and I left,” Meyer explained during an appearance on The Herd with Colin Cowherd on Tuesday. ”I went to Florida. And that was—just ripped your heart out. I went back and coached the last game in the Fiesta Bowl, we won. This is uncharted waters, though. To leave a team that could potentially [win a National Championship], and you tell me, other than Ohio State, maybe [Texas] A&M, ... Indiana, I’m telling you Ole Miss is right there.”
”That might haunt Lane...” he continued. ”How do you walk in that meeting and say, ‘Hey guys, I’m not only leaving, I’m gonna be playing you next year.’”
"That might haunt Lane…how do you walk in that meeting and say, ‘Hey guys, I’m not only leaving, I’m gonna be playing you next year?’ I don’t know" – Urban Meyer on Lane Kiffin pic.twitter.com/WN494PfFbV
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 25, 2025
Meyer also added that he doesn’t believe money is the reason Kiffin would walk away from Ole Miss.
"There’s no chance that he would leave because a couple more million bucks ... There’s gotta be some other reason if he does leave."
It’s no secret that college football’s current calendar puts Kiffin—and more importantly, his players—at a massive disadvantage as they head into December. If he leaves, he's not likely to remain as the coach of a team gearing up for a College Football Playoff appearance. Meanwhile, if he stays, he could be leaving an outstanding career opportunity on the table simply because time didn't work out in his favor.
Unfortunately, them's the rules. We’ll be on the edge of our seat over the coming days to see if Kiffin stays or goes.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Why Urban Meyer Says Leaving Ole Miss Could ‘Haunt’ Lane Kiffin.
