Kiffin’s Rise
CBS Sports has positioned Lane Kiffin at No. 9 in its early projection of the top 25 college football coaches for the 2026 season, a placement that also marks him as the fourth‑highest ranked coach within the SEC.
The ranking comes as Kiffin transitions from a successful stint at Ole Miss, where he guided the Rebels to four double‑digit win seasons and a College Football Playoff appearance, to the storied program at LSU.
At LSU, Kiffin inherits a team that has not reached the postseason since the 2019 national championship, a drought that adds urgency to his mission of restoring the Tigers to championship contention.
Among SEC peers, Kiffin trails only Georgia’s Kirby Smart, Texas’ Steve Sarkisian and Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer, placing him in a competitive quartet expected to shape the conference’s title race.
Looking Ahead
If Kiffin can translate his offensive acumen to Baton Rouge, the Tigers could break their postseason slump and contend for a national title sooner rather than later.