Lane Kiffin, No. 6 Ole Miss Trolled by CFB Fans for Stunning Upset Loss To Kentucky

Kentucky stunned No. 6 Ole Miss on the road Saturday, defeating the Rebels 20-17 behind a tremendous defensive performance, a ball-controlling offense and an aerial attack that did enough to secure the Wildcats' first victory in Oxford since 1978.

The Wildcats, who possessed the ball for nearly 40 minutes, faced 4th-and-7 from their own 20-yard line with 3:51 left and the team trailing 17-13. However, quarterback Brock Vandagriff found Barion Brown for a 63-yard pass to keep the drive alive.

A few plays later, Josh Kattus' two-yard touchdown run put Kentucky ahead.

Ole Miss got the ball back and kept the game alive when Caden Prieskorn caught a 42-yard pass from Jaxson Dart on 4th-and-11. But the drive stalled at the 31-yard line, and Caden Davis came out for a 48-yard field goal attempt. The kick sailed wide left, and Kentucky emerged victorious.

The Rebels entered Saturday with 220 points over four games (55 PPG) but could only muster 17 at home against Kentucky, which nearly picked off No. 2 Georgia before falling 13-12 last week.

Ultimately, the finger has been pointed at Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin following a crushing loss.

There's been at least a little speculation regarding Kiffin leaving Ole Miss for Florida, where head coach Billy Napier has been on the hot seat.

"(Kiffin would leave Florida for Ole Miss) In a heartbeat," CBS Sports' Josh Pate said on Crain & Company earlier this month (h/t Andrew Hughes of Sporting News).

"Lane Kiffin would walk to Florida if they would give him the job. This is not a debate. I've got Ole Miss people in my very close social circle and they fight me on this. They're like 'What can you do at Florida that you can't do at Ole Miss?'"

Kiffin doesn't find himself on a hot seat, especially after leading the Rebels to an 11-win season and a Peach Bowl victory last year. Under Kiffin, the Rebels notably finished 11th in the final 2021 Associated Press poll and ninth in 2023.

But Ole Miss entered this season with clear College Football Playoff expectations after the success of last year. The loss to an unranked Kentucky team certainly dampens those hopes, especially with some tough challenges up ahead (at No. 14 LSU, home vs. Georgia).

For now, this is a bitter pill for Ole Miss fans to swallow, and fans pointed the finger at Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin following a crushing loss.

Up next is another tough game, this time on the road against South Carolina. Kickoff is set for Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET.