Paul Finebaum credits Lane Kiffin for 'tremendous accomplishment' in defeating Texas A&M

Ole Miss kept their party rolling in Oxford on Saturday with their eighth win of the season and third straight win over Texas A&M. No matter how you want to slice it with the Rebels, Paul Finebaum was impressed with what took place inside Vaught-Hemingway Stadium this weekend.

Finebaum gave Lane Kiffin and his team their flowers during ‘The Matt Barrie Show’ on Sunday. In a matchup where there was a talent gap in some areas, he credited Ole Miss for taking the fight to the Aggies and coming away with the 38-35 victory.

“It’s an amazing accomplishment,” said Finebaum. “The fact that that game went the way that it did, I think, makes the loss even worse for A&M.”

“It’s a tremendous accomplishment for Lane. He does not have those five-stars,” Finebaum continued. “I’ve heard coaches theorize that five-stars don’t like to get punched in the mouth. It tends to affect them a little bit. I think that’s what you saw from Lane Kiffin’s team yesterday. I mean they went up against elite defensive players and won the battle.”

A&M’s Top-50 defense didn’t find much success against Ole Miss’ Top-15 offense in the contest. The Rebels were able to hang 518 yards on the Aggies, the most allowed by their defense all season. Their 38 points were also the second most that DJ Durkin’s unit had allowed in 2023.

Ole Miss also forced a crucial defensive stop of their own on defense. They picked off Max Johnson in the end zone on the second half’s first possession to maintain their lead.

Texas A&M did mount a 10-point comeback to take a 35-31 lead in the fourth quarter. However, Quinshon Judkins carried them on a nine-play, 75-yard drive to take the lead back with under two to go. That was enough to survive as they then blocked the potential game-tying kick from Randy Bond.

Thanks to this latest win over Texas A&M, Ole Miss is off to their second straight 8-1 start. As Finebaum pointed out, though, this may be the final time that Kiffin gets another key win for the Rebel’s season at the expense of a certain coach down in College Station.

“Yesterday may be the last time he knocks off Jimbo Fisher, his arch-nemesis,” said Finebaum.

Kiffin picks up multiple bonuses with win over Texas A&M

Lane Kiffin not only got the huge win over one of his bitter rivals in Jimbo Fisher on Saturday in Jimbo Fisher. He also had a sweet payday in the big win.

The Aggies missed a potential game-tying 47-yard field goal as time expired. The missed field goal not only lifted the Rebels to victory but earned Kiffin multiple bonuses according to Steve Berkowitz of USA Today.

He’ll earn $150,000 for his team’s fifth SEC win of the year. Ole Miss also earned their eighth win of the year, assuring the Rebels of a bid to a primary SEC bowl game. That tacked on $50,000 in an additional bonus for Kiffin.