Lane Kiffin is showered with love and applause before Florida-Ole Miss kickoff

For years, Lane Kiffin was the target of venom by fans, broadcast analysts and seemingly everyone. He was called a nepo baby, a liar, a punk, a traitor, a phony...I can go on and on. If you can think of it, he's probably been called it. 

But there will be none of that mean talk tonight in Oxford because every fan at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium wants Lane Kiffin to coach their program in 2026, and they are going to let him know. 

Are all these Ole Miss fans begging for him to stay? Are they Gator fans hoping he'll be convinced to take his talents to the Swamp? It's probably a combination of both and, for Kiffin, it can only make a tough situation even tougher. 

Will Kiffin beat 'em then join 'em?

Make no mistake about it, Lane Kiffin is coaching Ole Miss tonight, and he wants to win. The 50-year-old coach has never beaten the Gators and if he's going to be the next man in Gainesville, he wants to do it with a win against the new school. 

Kiffin is 0-4 against Florida with Ole Miss and Tennessee. The Rebels lost 24-17 at the Swamp last year after Jaxson Dart had a spectacular meltdown in the second half. The Florida game has always been one that got Kiffin hyped up, but it's also been his Achilles Heel. 

​However, if Kiffin starts coaching the Gators, he doesn't have to worry about trying to beat them. 

Fans on both sides are having fun with the Kiffin rumors

One thing about SEC fans, they'll never let a stressful situation stop them from having a good time. The Lane Kiffin Bowl is no exception. Sure, both sides are after the same coach, but it doesn't mean they can't have a little fun in the Grove with some creative signs and social media posts.