Lane Kiffin jokes that he is 'safe for another week' after beating Arkansas

Lane Kiffin isn’t going anywhere. After Ole Miss’ 27-20 win over Arkansas on Saturday, the Rebels’ head coach joked about his job security.

“I see my boss over there,” Kiffin said, looking at Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter. “This is like his happiest week. The fact that we won, [compared to] last year, I kind of got the monkey off my back with him. I’m safe for another week.”

Kiffin certainly proved his importance in the win. Trailing 20-17 early in the fourth quarter, Kiffin rallied his troops to rattle off 10 points in the final eight minutes of the game. In the win, the Rebels tallied 349 yards of total offense.

Ole Miss backfield was pivotal in the triumph. Running backs Ulysses Bentley and Quinshon Judkins combined for 159 rushing yards and two touchdowns on just 31 carries. The Rebels’ backfield tandem weren’t the only ones who carried their weight.

On defense, Ole Miss was a thorn in the Razorbacks’ side. In the win, the Rebels picked off Arkansas QB KJ Jefferson twice while picking up five sacks. The second interception was thrown with under two minutes left in the final period to seal the game.

While Arkansas is now 0-3 in the SEC, Kiffin knows no conference win can be taken for granted.

“Good win guys, this is the SEC,” Kiffin said during the postgame press conference. “That’s a team we’ve struggled with. A very well-coached [team], with a veteran quarterback and he’s given us problems, look at last year. So, very pleased that we came away with the win.”

Lane Kiffin rewarded with rest

The outcome on Saturday is a far cry from last year. In 2022, Ole Miss fell 42-27 to Arkansas, its third loss in four contests. Kiffin was under pressure.

Now, Kiffin won’t have to worry about his employment options for at least another two weeks. Ole Miss will enjoy a well-earned break next weekend before suiting up against the Auburn Tigers on Oct. 21. Kiffin is thankful for the break in the action.

“If you would have asked me before the game, I would have said I don’t like it, especially assuming we win,” Kiffin said. “We were kind of on a roll and we’re actually healthy coming in. I would not have wanted the bye week, but then in the game when our quarterback gets hurt and the top receiver gets hurt, it ends up being a blessing that the bye week is coming up here soon. We have a lot to work on.”