By Jordan SiglerShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberFrustrations appear to be mounting in the Ole Miss locker room before the No. 6 Rebels travel to play against Mississippi State in the "Egg Bowl" on Friday.
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Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin is choosing between staying in Oxford or leaving to take another head coaching job at LSU or Florida. LSU appears ready to try and outbid the Gators and Rebels. Ole Miss expected to announce Kiffin's future on Saturday.
The drama comes amid a potential run to the College Football Playoff for the 10-1 Rebels.
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While Kiffin told reporters on Monday that the players weren't distracted, reports are starting to surface that players and coaches aren't actually college football automatons, looking for the biggest paycheck in 2026.
To most observers, Kiffin seemed to have a much more somber tone in his news conference than what he showed in recent weeks. College football insider Steven Godfrey suggested on Tuesday's episode of the "College Football Enquirer" that could have been because of the frustrations he's dealing with on the staff.
"There is some frustration level on that staff," Godfrey said. "One of the things that's consistent about Kiffin that I've been told for the years is that he genuinely does not know how to receive criticism... And so right now, I think what he's seen from folks I've talked to in the last three or four days is he's kind of shocked at the pushback.
"He's kind of shocked that this isn't really going to along the way that Kiffin originally thought.”
Godfrey believes those frustrations could have an impact on the "Egg Bowl" on Friday.
“This is a totally distracted Ole Miss roster, an totally distracted Ole Miss coaching staff that has varying different opinions about what's going on, not to mention what's going on above them," Godfrey said.
Add pressure to frustration.
There's a legitimate fear Ole Miss could miss the playoffs if it loses on Friday to a program that needs a win to become bowl eligible.
If Kiffin loses and leaves for LSU or Florida, the Rebels could suffer the same fate Florida State did in 2023 when quarterback Jordan Travis suffered a season-ending injury.
For more on the NCAA, head to Newsweek Sports.
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