"Why Not Us?": Ole Miss Turns Lane Kiffin Saga Into Fuel For Historic College Football Playoff Story

NEW ORLEANS — Was it Karma or just wild things that transpire in New Orleans? Ole Miss players have turned a chaotic situation around Lane Kiffin that would destabilize some programs, into a run that has them one win away from playing for a national championship after defeating Georgia 39-34 on Thursday night. 

There was a tension in the air inside the freezing Superdome on Thursday night. No, it wasn't two SEC programs talking trash to each other, or even the thought of being the only SEC squad to make the next round. 

"That was an incredible football game," Kirby Smart said postgame. 

You got that right, along with a home game atmosphere in New Orleans for the Rebels. 

This type of hostility was aimed at one person who was 80 miles away in Baton Rouge attending a women's basketball game. 

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Ole Miss wanted to prove it could advance with the Kiffin cloud hanging over what has been a very awkward month since defeating Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl. Yes, nobody wants to talk about it any longer around the Rebels fan base, but some of the shirts and expletives around New Orleans spoke volumes. 

Remember, this is an Ole Miss team that currently has coaches who are pulling double-duty, in Oxford and Baton Rouge. Oh, this also took a collection of players like Trinidad Chambliss, Kewan Lacy, De'Zhaun Stribling and Trey Wallace. 

If Lane Kiffin Skipped Ole Miss–Georgia CFP Sugar Bowl Because ESPN Rejected Him, Good On The Network

This is still a pissed-off fan base, which is acceptable given the circumstances. And yes, Lane Kiffin did pick up a $500,000 bonus on Thursday night, thanks to LSU agreeing to pay his Ole Miss playoff bonuses in his new deal. 

Karma In The Superdome: Ole Miss Turns Kiffin Turmoil Into Fuel For Historic Playoff Run Via: Trey Wallace

Ole Miss fans have the right to be upset with how Kiffin handled himself over the course of this season. Everything since that Sunday after Thanksgiving has proven that point. Whether it's the former coach angling to get air time during the Sugar Bowl, or posting everything about the awkward coaching situation on social media. 

But, what we saw on Thursday night was a team that was not ready to stop playing, no matter the circumstances. 

"We just want to play ball and have fun. A lot of people did doubt us before the season and they still doubted us when our coach left. We just want to play ball and have fun, and I think that's showing right now," Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss said postgame. 

One Ole Miss fan in New Orleans summed it up pretty well around Bourbon Street this week. 

"I'm just sick of hearing about it. This whole season we haven't been able to enjoy a thing, even the first round game was more of a middle finger at Kiffin. This just got out of control."

One Tweet, A Run For The Ages By Ole Miss

At the 6:50 mark of the third quarter, the former head coach posted on social media how different it is in Baton Rouge. Just as the Rebels drive started, Kiffin decided it was the right time to pop off a tweet regarding the transfer portal. 

From that moment on, even with a Georgia fake field goal that led to an additional three points later in the drive, the Rebels never completely broke. A 21-3 run helped this team put together an opportunity for a win. 

If you wanted to see some type of reverse karma, you witnessed it in real time as Ole Miss kicked a 47-yard field goal to win the game. 

For a guy that has tried to make this entire ordeal about himself, Ole Miss decided to turn the focus back on them for another week. Forget all the nonsense about the transfer portal, that's going to play out no matter how long you're in the postseason.

This was about one team needing to exorcise a few demons, and another team looking to make a statement. 

It's almost as if the football gods decided that, since the other games on Thursday were putrid, Ole Miss and Georgia were going to battle for the entire sixty minutes. 

Scene To Remember In New Orleans, Rebs Aren't Done Yet

The story of the 2025 Ole Miss Rebels has at least one week of stories left, and plenty to discuss. For much of the first half, even though it looked as though Georgia was close to breaking it open, Pete Golding's squad never gave into the pressure. 

How in the world are we still here? We're still talking about this Ole Miss team, and no it does not center around the former head coach. 

At first, he played the role of lead actor. But now, he's just a supporting cast member. We will talk about this football team for decades to come, most of it centered around how their head coach bolted for a rival school just as the postseason was starting. 

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Whether it was Trinidad Chambliss throwing a beautiful pass to put Ole Miss into field goal range, or the Rebels' defense coming up huge on a fourth down stop, it felt as though this was some type of team filled with destiny. 

And yes, Georgia deserves its credit for helping put together a college football playoff classic. What Gunner Stockton did against this Ole Miss defense should be discussed for years to come. 

Knowing college football fans, they might not enjoy rooting for an SEC team, but this Ole Miss story is one you can get behind. A team with their backs against the wall, filled with a coaches room that has assistants either staying in Oxford or headed to Baton Rouge. 

We'll talk about Pete Golding getting the best of Kirby Smart. This particular game was one to remember for all the right reasons. 

"Why not us?" Ole Miss players yelled while on the field celebrating the win. 

I agree. Why not them? The Rebels proved on Thursday that they could weather a storm, fix mistakes and persevere with Pete Golding leading them out of the locker room. 

It's almost as if this team is rewriting the story of how 2025 finished. The first chapter of the postseason centered around a head coach headed for the Bayou. 

The latest part of the story was Ole Miss coming into his new backyard and doing one of the hard parts without him. 

I'm sure there's a Taylor Swift song about this type of scenario in her catalog. 

For the first time in a month, it truly feels like Ole Miss football is coming out of the woods, ahead of a showdown with Miami. 

Something like that, right?