After weeks and weeks of courtship and a day of will-he-or-won't-he speculation that draped over Oxford, Miss., like a mist, former Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin made the decision to leave the Rebels, poised for their first-ever College Football Playoff appearance, to become the next coach of the LSU Tigers. Stunning enough was the decision Kiffin made to leave a national championship contender before its playoff run even began. But even more stunning was the fact that Kiffin did so for one of the Rebels' biggest SEC rivals in the Tigers.
But that means that the two parties will come face-to-face as opponents, making for must-see television in the future.
When will Kiffin face Ole Miss for the first time as LSU coach?
Well, the exact date is not yet known, but Kiffin's Tigers are scheduled to take on the Rebels in 2026, with the game set to take place at Vaught Hemingway Stadium in Oxford. How's that for theater? Kiffin, the season after he spurned the playoff-bound Rebels for the Tigers, will return to Oxford, where he will undoubtedly be met with boos and animosity he has never before seen from an opposing fanbase. Kiffin heard it from Ole Miss fans while simply boarding the plane set to take him out of town to Baton Rouge. Now imagine how those fans will receive Kiffin when he arrives clad in LSU colors next season.
Will Kiffin's Tigers play Ole Miss every season?
For the next four seasons from 2026-2029—the furthest out the SEC football has currently been released—LSU will play Ole Miss. As is the case for the 2026 contest, the dates and times for the other future contests have yet to be determined.
| Year | Home Team | Away Team |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Ole Miss | LSU |
| 2027 | LSU | Ole Miss |
| 2028 | Ole Miss | LSU |
| 2029 | LSU | Ole Miss |
What is the all-time record between LSU, Ole Miss?
Ole Miss has won two of the last three meetings against the Tigers, but historically, it's a matchup LSU has dominated. From the very first game in 1894 to the most recent contest in 2025, LSU has won 65 games compared to the Rebels' 39, with the teams tying three times.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Will Lane Kiffin, LSU Play Ole Miss Every Year?.
