How Lane Kiffin Becoming Florida, LSU HC Could Impact Ole Miss' CFP Bracket Seeding

The College Football Playoff Selection Committee lists numerous protocols explaining how it decides and seeds the 12 teams in the CFP field.

One of the bullet-pointed protocols is as follows: "Other relevant factors such as unavailability of key players and coaches that may have affected a team's performance during the season or likely will affect its postseason performance."

That may come into play this year for Ole Miss as Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin continues to be connected to the open LSU and Florida jobs.

On Thursday, On3's Chris Low discussed the matter and how a potential Kiffin departure could affect Ole Miss and its playoff seeding.

Of note, a former playoff committee member gave some insight into the matter.

"If you're suddenly without your head coach when they do the final seeding, the coach who's gotten you to that point, then they could definitely drop you in the seeding order and put you on the road," the member told Low. "If Ole Miss is 11-1, (Kiffin) not being there isn't going to keep them out of the playoff. That's not going to happen, but the seeding part could be a problem if it's close."

Right now, Ole Miss is No. 6 in the College Football Playoff rankings with a 10-1 record. The Rebels have one game left on Friday, Nov. 28 against arch-rival Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl.

Ole Miss will be a big favorite against the 5-6 school (1-6 in SEC), though you can never completely predict what happens in a big-time rivalry matchup.

A loss could certainly raise some eyebrows could, in theory, threaten its CFP chances.

If Ole Miss wins, and Kiffin leaves town, then the question is how that affects the Rebels' standing.

The big question is whether a departure would be enough to drop Ole Miss out of the top eight. The No. 5 through No. 8 seeds all get home games in the first round of the playoffs, and they host the No. 9-12 teams. Obviously, Ole Miss would want to stay in Oxford, but it's conceivable that may not happen if Kiffin leaves, based on the committee member's remarks and the CFP committee's own stated protocol.

Ole Miss has reportedly given Kiffin an ultimatum for him to decide his future before the Egg Bowl, per Stewart Mandel of The Athletic. Kiffin has denied the ultimatum report, per comments to ESPN's Pat McAfee. Low also reported Kiffin is expected to meet with Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter on Friday.

So the drama in Oxford continues amid an amazing season for the Rebels. At some point, we should get clarity on the matter, but in the interim, the present remains murky with many question surrounding the program's future this season and beyond.