OLE MISS BEATS LSU 32-24 IN LANE KIFFIN'S RETURN TO OXFORD

Ole Miss beat Lane Kiffin's LSU side 32-24 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford on Saturday night, handing him his first road defeat of the season and his first game back since leaving Ole Miss for LSU roughly ten months earlier. LSU fought back to level the score at 24-24, but Ole Miss regained the lead and held on to win as a late possession led by quarterback Sam Leavitt fell short. Kiffin told reporters afterwards that the occasion had tested his emotions, saying: "I know that sometimes I don't act like it, but I got to. I'm a human, too." He added that Ole Miss's players and coaches "deserve to win."

Kiffin spent six years at Ole Miss, compiling a 55-19 record and rebuilding the programme's standing. He left to take charge of LSU after agreeing a seven-year, $91 million contract, a move that came as Ole Miss secured its first-ever College Football Playoff berth. According to the report, Kiffin asked to remain in charge through the play-offs, but school officials told him to leave immediately. The report said Ole Miss supporters were angered by his departure, and that anger was evident in his reception on returning to Oxford.

Ole Miss has been coached this season by Pete Golding, who served as Kiffin's defensive coordinator before his departure, according to the report. Golding led the then-No. 8-ranked side to the College Football Playoff semi-finals last season and had Ole Miss unbeaten in two games before facing LSU. The win over LSU extended that unbeaten run. Following the result, reported betting odds made Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss the new favourite to win the Heisman Trophy, ahead of Darian Mensah.