LSU’s Lane Kiffin cashes in after Ole Miss’ CFP exit

Ole Miss appeared to finally feel the impact of Lane Kiffin’s controversial pivot to LSU. The Rebels’ Cinderella-like run ended in the Fiesta Bowl, triggering a lucrative payment for the former Ole Miss head coach.

Within the next 30 days, Kiffin will receive a bonus of $500,000. 

According to Front Office Sports, part of LSU’s deal to lure Kiffin away from Ole Miss was to pay his bonuses promised by his previous employer. The payment is expected to fall under the “ancillary benefits” category listed in Kiffin’s deal with the Tigers.

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Lane Kiffin speaks at a press conference as he is introduced as the new head football coach of the LSU Tigers at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La., Dec. 1, 2025. (Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images)

Kiffin’s bonus was tiered. A $150,000 payment was earmarked once Ole Miss secured a first-round playoff game. The Rebels’ advance to the quarterfinals increased the compensation to $250,000.

The Rebels’ New Year’s Day win over Georgia upped that bonus to $500,000. Had Ole Miss hoisted the College Football Playoff national championship trophy, Kiffin would have earned a total of $1 million.

Ole Miss Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin throws a football before a game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium Oct. 25, 2025. (Kevin Jairaj/Imagn Images)

“Coach will be entitled to receive a payment in an amount equal to the amount Coach would have been entitled to receive had he remained Head Coach at Coach’s immediate prior employer and coached the prior employer’s football team through the 2025-26 CFP,” Kiffin’s LSU contract, obtained by On3, states. 

“If applicable, the payment under this section may be paid from affiliated foundation funds and shall be paid within 30 days following the prior employer’s team being eliminated from the 2025-26 CFP.”

MIAMI BEATS OLE MISS BEHIND CARSON BECK’S GAME-WINNING TOUCHDOWN TO REACH CFP NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

After dominating Tulane in the first round of the College Football Playoff, the Rebels upset the Georgia Bulldogs in the quarterfinals.

Kiffin celebrated the team’s win in a post on social media. 

“What a great finish!!! So much fun!! Only two more to go,” he wrote in a post on X, tagging the Ole Miss football team. 

Mississippi head coach Lane Kiffin watches his team against Oklahoma in Norman, Okla., Oct. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams)

Despite being underdogs in Thursday’s semifinal, Ole Miss pushed the favored Miami Hurricanes to the brink. Miami quarterback Carson Beck rushed for a go-ahead touchdown in the game’s final seconds to punch the Hurricanes’ ticket to the national championship game.

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Miami now awaits the winner of Friday’s other semifinal matchup, the Peach Bowl, between Indiana and Oregon.

Fox News’ Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report.

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