ESPN's grade for LSU hiring Lane Kiffin will make Ole Miss fans even more mad

ESPN’s grade for LSU hiring Lane Kiffin will make Ole Miss fans even more mad originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Lane Kiffin’s move to LSU from Ole Miss was rated A+ in ESPN’s latest coaching carousel rankings, making it the top coaching hire in the 2025-26 cycle. A move likely to further upset Ole Miss fans.

In assessing the coaching flow that saw more than 15 major FBS programs vacancies so far this offseason, ESPN’s Bill Connelly pegged Kiffin’s landing in Baton Rouge as likely the best match. Kiffin’s resume and the opportunity presented by one of college football’s premier jobs is a perfect fit.

Kiffin left Ole Miss after a tenure that saw the Rebels reach historic milestones, including multiple double-digit win seasons and a College Football Playoff appearance. He recorded six double-digit win campaigns in nine seasons, a rare career feat at schools without extensive winning traditions. Also, a prime reason LSU was willing to make him its next head coach with a seven-year, $91 million contract.

The drama surrounding his departure from Oxford, including the peculiar optics of leaving a playoff-bound team for an SEC rival was a hot storyline. Yet Connelly wrote that every box is checked for a program that has the resources and talent pool necessary to compete for national titles.

LSU’s pursuit of Kiffin followed the midseason firing of Brian Kelly, and the Tigers’ brass views the hire as a statement of intent. LSU boosters and alumni, long eager to return to the College Football Playoff mix regularly, see Kiffin’s offensive firepower and recruiting as key qualities in that effort.

While critics have questioned how he will handle the heightened pressure of Baton Rouge’s expectations, the top grade shows confidence in Kiffin’s fit and potential for success.

Whether that promise translates to championships remains to be seen, but his stock among evaluators is sky high heading into the 2026 season. For better or worse, this will be Kiffin’s career defining moment.