Kirk Herbstreit on new ranking for Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss

During the College Football Playoff rankings reveal on Tuesday, Kirk Herbstreit had plenty of positive things to say about Ole Miss and Lane Kiffin. Ole Miss climbed another spot in the rankings, taking the No. 8 spot away from Baylor.

Herbstreit on Lane Kiffin

After a big win for the Rebels in the Egg Bowl, Ole Miss crept up the rankings and are now No. 8 in the nation. While they weren’t able to crack into the top seven ahead of Ohio State, ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit was excited to see the school so highly ranked.

“That’s incredible,” commented Herbstreit after the reveal. “Incredible to see that Ole Miss brand up there with ten wins. Lane Kiffin and his team with that offense — Matt Corral, the season that he had. How nice to see them up in the top eight? Finished 10-2. Going to a New Year’s Six bowl game you would think.

“Just a historic year, and who knows what Ole Miss has in front of them? There’s been so many rumors about Lane Kiffin leaving. It seems like he’s staying for now, and he’s gotta be very proud of the effort here being in the top eight.”

Ole Miss may climb in the final rankings after conference championship games are played this week, if one of the higher teams fall far enough. Unfortunately, they will not be playing for the SEC title themselves and will have to wait for their final placing.

Herbstreit believes that their efforts have gotten them a ticket to one of the New Year’s Six bowl games, letting them play in one of the more prestigious games to end the season.

Gary Barta on Notre Dame

ESPN’s Rece Davis opened his weekly interview with CFP Selection Committee chairman Gary Barta by referencing Brian Kelly’s surprise Notre Dame departure. In an unprecedented move, the veteran coach left his team in the middle of a playoff race for LSU. According to the CFP selection committee protocols, that move can impact the four-team field.

“The committee obviously is aware of all the coaching changes while we were going through the rankings,” Barta told Davis. “This week, it didn’t apply because the games had occurred and we evaluated based on those games. Once the championship games wrap up… our protocol does include the ability for the committee to consider a player or a coach not being available. And should that have an effect on the outcome of the game, that can be considered.

He continued: “At this point, we’ll have to wait and see how that factors in. But it is one of the criteria that’s now added to strength of schedule, to head-on-head competition and winning championships, etc.”

At No. 6 with no games left, perhaps Notre Dame already has an outside chance. However, upsets seem to run rampant this season and plenty opportunities could thrust Notre Dame into the top four based on the current field.

Another noteworthy CFP ranking move for Notre Dame was Wisconsin’s plummet out of the top 25 following its loss against Minnesota. The Badgers were the best win on Notre Dame’s resume, but the upset loss kept them out of the Big Ten championship.

On way or another, it appears Kelly’s departure to LSU will leave Notre Dame in a tough spot over the next month. Debate will rage on over the merits of a potential drop, and the possible impact of an interim coach or replacement hire, but the CFP selection committee holds the final authority.