Mississippi State coach trolls Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss after Egg Bowl, offers Jon Sokoloff game ball

The focus of the Egg Bowl was supposed to be on a pair of really good teams in both Ole Miss and Mississippi State. However, the narrative around Lane Kiffin’s future with the Rebels started to really pick up steam this week and surrounded the game. That’s because a report from Jon Sokoloff took the lead this week and, considering the result from Thanksgiving night, Mississippi State had no problem with the Rebel’s distraction.

After their 24-22 win, Drew Hollingshead, the Bulldog’s inside receivers coach, tweeted Sokoloff directly. He says the sports director at WBCI News in Starkville is deserving of the game ball for his inadvertent role in the Bulldog’s win on Thursday.

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@JonSokoloff where do you want your game ball sent to?

— Drew Hollingshead (@MSUCoachDrew) November 25, 2022

The rumors that connected Kiffin and Auburn have picked up steam since Bryan Harsin’s firing. However, Sokoloff’s report was the first one to really come out and connect the two. Whether it’s true or not, regardless of what Kiffin suggests, is irrelevant. That’s because, in the end, you can’t deny the impact it had on the Rebels. Mississippi State appreciates it too considering the outcome.

Kiffin goes after Jon Sokoloff for report on him after Egg Bowl

Lane Kiffin had a lot on his plate this week. First and foremost, he had to get Ole Miss ready to play in the Egg Bowl against Mississippi State. He then also had to deal with the continuous rumors of him planning to leave Oxford after the season, specifically to take the Auburn job. That part of it was compounded earlier this week when a report by Jon Sokoloff, sports director at WBCI News in Starkville, said Kiffin would step down on Friday and take the Tiger’s opening.

After their Thanksgiving loss to the Bulldogs, it appears Kiffin decided enough was enough. In an answer about how the rumors were affecting his players, Kiffin went as far as to direct attention to and name Solokoff, who was at the press conference, several times from up at the podium.

“I think when it was falsely reported by Jon, who’s now famous, congratulations,” said Kiffin as he gestured directly towards Solokoff in the middle of the press conference.

“You can just write whatever you want. I would do it too I think. Because you’re never held accountable, you get to become famous, and, maybe, you’ll be right. So Jon did it. Then I had to have a team meeting to say his article was wrong,” Kiffin said. “(I’d) love to know these unnamed sources from Jon. But, yes, I had to deal and had to have a team meeting because of that.”