Lane Kiffin Officially Accepts The LSU Job—And Will Not Coach Ole Miss In The College Football Playoff

The biggest off-the-field saga in college football over the past month has finally reached a resolution. Lane Kiffin is leaving Ole Miss to become the next head coach at LSU. Kiffin departs the Rebels in the midst of one of their best-ever seasons. The team is currently 11-1 and will almost certainly make the College Football Playoff. When it does, however, Kiffin won't be a part of the festivities.

In an announcement, Kiffin said he made the "difficult decision" to sign with LSU after "a lot of prayer and time spent with family." He also noted that he wanted to continue coaching the Rebels throughout the playoff. However, Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter denied Kiffin's request, "despite the team also asking him to allow me to keep coaching them so they could better maintain their high level of performance."

That means Kiffin has officially coached his last game at Ole Miss. He ends his career with an Egg Bowl victory over Mississippi State and a 55-19 overall record at the school. That mark includes three bowl game wins and three finishes of 11th or better in the AP Poll.

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Now, Kiffin will head to LSU, likely earning a huge raise in the process. The coach was making right around $9 million this year. While the details of the LSU offer haven't been fully released, the latest reports are of about $12 million per season over seven years.

Previous reports have also suggested LSU was willing to commit $25 to $30 million annually in name, image, and likeness deals to help build the roster. Other rumors include Kiffin taking some of his coaching staff and players from Ole Miss and bringing them to LSU. These are all unofficial claims for now, but that would be a devastating result for an Ole Miss program that's celebrating its most successful season since winning the national title in 1962.

LSU is also currently in a legal battle with former head coach Brian Kelly. The program fired Kelly, and he's seeking the full amount of his $54 million buyout. LSU may end up owing a ton of money to both coaches.

That'll all be forgivable if Kiffin leads the Tigers back to national championship contention. He was the top coach on the market, and the LSU got its guy. Now, it's time to get to work.