“I would say I mean just the personalities are a little different than our old coach and coach Golding,” Chambliss said, per On3. “I’d say [Golding is] more of a team guy. We really value his leadership, whatever he says.”

Chambliss’ comments make much noise. He transferred to Ole Miss largely because of Kiffin, but is seemingly still upset at his former head coach’s decision to leave the program when LSU came knocking last season.

Chambliss goes after Kiffin

Moreover, Kiffin publicly backed Chambliss’ case as he fought for an extra year of eligibility in 2026. At the end of the day, Chambliss remains eligible for 2026 after the NCAA’s appeal was denied. Still, their relationship may be past its point of no return.

Now, Chambliss isn’t even calling Kiffin by his name. He simply referred to him as “our old coach.” Sometimes, what isn’t said is bigger and louder than what is. This may be the case.

Kiffin and Chambliss’ story

Kiffin saw potential in Chambliss. The head coach recruited him out of junior college at Ferris State and took him under his wing in Oxford. In just one year together, Chambliss blossomed into a top quarterback who put college football on notice. Last NCAA season, Chambliss threw for 3,937 yards, 22 touchdowns, and only three interceptions.

Moreover, he rushed for 527 yards and eight TDs. Chambliss proved he wasn’t simply a product of Kiffin, as he led the Rebels to the College Football Playoff Semifinals. With Pete Golding calling the shots in 2026, Chambliss hopes to have equal—or greater—success. As the sixth-year QB noted, the team has the utmost trust in its new head coach. Kiffin’s dramatic departure taught Ole Miss a lesson, and the Rebels aim to put it to good use next season.

Ole Miss will host LSU in 2026

If college football does indeed have scriptwriters, they deserve recognition, for they have knocked it out of the park with the LSU–Ole Miss saga. Kiffin fled the scene after his exit from Ole Miss but is now set for a dramatic reunion. In September, the Rebels will host the Tigers at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

Needless to say, Kiffin won’t fly under the radar in his return to Oxford. In the SEC, every game means more, and this will be no exception. Fans in attendance may set a new decibel record for the loudest “Hotty Toddy” in school history.

“Things don’t happen overnight,” Kiffin told reporters during his press conference. “It takes a lot of work to get a program up to an elite performing program level. And so we’re making some first steps, but there’s a ton of work to do.”

LSU finished last season with a record of 7 wins and 6 losses (3–5 SEC). Frank Wilson ended up coaching the team after Brian Kelly’s dismissal, and in 2026, the Tigers face a new challenge with Kiffin at the helm.

The new challenge for Kiffin

Lane Kiffin’s arrival at LSU in late 2025 sent shockwaves through college football, as he signed a massive seven-year, $91 million deal to lead the Tigers. His new challenge in Baton Rouge involves managing a roster with a reported $40 million NIL valuation while facing immediate “win-now” expectations.

With spring practices currently underway, Kiffin is tasked with restoring LSU to national championship contention in the ultra-competitive SEC. The Tigers will look to be crowned champions once again, something they haven’t achieved since 2019 with Joe Burrow leading the way.

The importance of new additions

While the Tigers have made significant additions, Kiffin knows there’s still plenty of work to be done. Sam Leavitt, coming off his latest stint at Arizona State, will be tasked with leading this team on the field.

“Like I’ve said before, we’ve assembled a good roster,” the HC said. “But at the same time, too, there’s a ton of work that goes into that to get the program back up to where everybody around here wants it to be and the reason we came here.

“It was 7-6 last season. So within that comes change. Within that comes a lot of work, because that’s a long jump to go to the level that I came here to get at and all the people around the program want to be at.”

Nussmeier’s departure

Garrett Nussmeier apologized to LSU upon leaving Lane Kiffin’s program, with his future potentially tied to the NFL. With meetings scheduled with the New York Jets, Los Angeles Rams, and Indianapolis Colts, the quarterback is hopeful about taking the next big step in his career.

“Expectations can be really scary. We don’t look at it that way. We don’t talk that way,” Kiffin reflected during his media availability, via @HValentineLSU on X. “That’s outcome-based, not process-based. It’s much more about the day-to-day, improving our players and coaching better.”

Kiffin made it clear he is focused on ensuring the Tigers go about their day-to-day routine and stick to the plan. If that happens, then they have a better chance of winning on Saturdays. Anything can happen—especially in the SEC—but Kiffin is convinced that if LSU trusts the process, the results will be there for everyone in college football to see.

Kiffin is ready for 2026 NCAA season with LSU

His exit from Ole Miss was far from smooth—some may say Kiffin fled Oxford—and his arrival in Baton Rouge was almost cinematic. It wasn’t too surprising, though. After all, drama is a common ingredient when it comes to Kiffin, and this was no exception. The 2026 NCAA campaign likely won’t be either.

“I had a moment before, just reminding myself of how grateful I am to be here,” Kiffin commented. “But also the responsibility level that I have – to LSU, to the people of Louisiana, to the great players that have played here.”

The time to face the music is coming, though. Come fall, every fan who now adores him will demand to see a winning product on the field at Death Valley. If not, then Kiffin’s charisma won’t do him any favors. And it’s not like the Tigers face a cupcake schedule, whatsoever.

LSU 2026 schedule

“I’m sorry that we couldn’t reach those expectations,” Nussmeier said during a press conference on Monday. “It was a tough year. Lot of adversity. Looking back, it was unfortunate, but it’s going to make me a better player.”

Now, Nussmeier is off to the NFL Draft as Lane Kiffin takes over, along with the arrival of Arizona State transfer QB Sam Leavitt. It’s a new day in Baton Rouge—one that Nussmeier won’t be around to see dawn.

Nussmeier’s numbers in 2025

In an injury-plagued college football season, Nussmeier appeared in 9 games in his final year of eligibility. The former four-star prospect out of the state of Texas threw for 1,927 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions with LSU in 2025.

The Tigers finished the year with a 7-6 record in the NCAA (3-5 SEC) and closed out the campaign with a defeat against the Houston Cougars at the Kinder’s Texas Bowl (Nussmeier didn’t play). It was a season unlike any other.

Drama was the name of the game, including wave-making episodes like Brian Kelly’s exit and Kiffin’s escape from Ole Miss and arrival in LSU. With him calling the shots from the sideline, the Tigers are set to be in for another boisterous campaign.

Nussmeier’s draft stock

With one month to go before the 2026 Draft, Nussmeier is drawing attention all over the league. He may not be a finished product in this year’s quarterback class, but he has the tools to become a starter in the NFL. Most likely, Nussmeier will be drafted by a franchise that can afford to give him some time to settle in, rather than one in need of a Day 1 starting QB.

The hearing for Chambliss’ case has stretched on for several hours, with many statements going viral. Among them was a controversial comment from Ole Miss quarterbacks coach Joe Judge, which Kiffin did not let go unnoticed, as he left his former colleague out to dry with only one word and an emoji.

“Joe,” Kiffin simply said, quoting a video from Judge’s statement during Chambliss’ hearing. Kiffin closed out his post with a facepalm emoji. Needless to say, the statement made waves all over college football.

What did Joe Judge say?

Speaking to the jury during the hearing in Chambliss’ lawsuit against the NCAA at Calhoun County Courthouse in Pittsboro, Mississippi, Judge dropped a controversial message on fatherhood for young players.

“That father has to play good football. He needs to be in another room, detached,” Judge said, causing a loud outcry on social media. “He ain’t waking up for midnight feedings.”

Why does Chambliss ask for another year of eligibility?

While Chambliss is requesting an injunction to play in his sixth year of college football, he and his lawyers state it would be only his fourth season. According to Chambliss and his legal team, he was affected by illness and respiratory issues during the 2022 season with Division II Ferris State.

Chambliss transferred to Ole Miss ahead of the 2025 NCAA campaign, when he led Kiffin’s—and then his former team’s—Rebels to the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the VRBO Fiesta Bowl.

“I’m asking what the NCAA has in their rule book. All athletes get four years of eligibility,” Chambliss told the jury during the hearing. If Chambliss is indeed back for the 2026 NCAA season, Ole Miss would be right back in contention for the national title. If not, the Rebels might be in trouble.

Coach Dabo Swinney spoke with David Hale of ESPN.com and accused new Ole Miss coach, Pete Golding, of tampering with Luke Ferrelli, linebacker. Swinney claimed Golding, who is Lane Kiffin’s replacement, had repeated contacts with Ferrelli after the player signed an NIL contract and enrolled in classes at Clemson.

“This is a whole other level of tampering,” Swinney said. “It’s total hypocrisy… This is a really sad state of affairs. We have a broken system, and if there are no consequences for tampering, then we have no rules and we have no governance.” Safe to say Swinney didn’t hold back when speaking about Golding trying to sway Ferrelli’s future.

Swinney also delivered another message to Golding

“I’m not trying to get anybody fired, but when is enough enough?” Swinney explained. “If we have rules, and tampering is a rule, then there should be a consequence for that. And shame on the adults if we’re not going to hold each other accountable.” After all, if a player has signed to play for a school and another program comes and induces the player to breach it, this could come at the cost of civil liability for tortious interference.

Ole Miss said they did it because the same has been done to them. The fact is that tampering is becoming a big issue now that NIL is in place, and that is a problem the NCAA must solve sooner rather than later.

Clemson has more NIL money than Ole Miss

It’s been reported that Clemson has around $15 million in NIL money this season. Ole Miss has around $10 million. While both are considered aggressive in the NIL space, Ole Miss trying to poach a player from Clemson is opportunistic. In the end, Clemson has more money, but that doesn’t mean they could just improve the offer on the table.

After all, Clemson might have its money allocated elsewhere or have other plans in store. Also, unpunished tampering could be use in that way. Make programs overpay to retain talent to minimize their chances of making more moves. Swinney was pretty aggressive in his accusation, but he does have a point. If these conducts aren’t punished, it’s a bad look for all parties involved.

Belichick may be an inspiration to Kiffin and every head coach in the nation. However, when it comes to college football, the latter has been around the business for much longer than the former. On that note, LSU’s 34th head coach in program history might be on track to teach the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach a lesson.

North Carolina earned a commitment from Baylor transfer Sean Thompkins and may have called it a day, going away to rest on its laurels. However, in today’s NCAA that is a huge mistake. Now, reports indicate Kiffin and LSU have swooped in, and all signs indicate Thompkins could be flipping his commitment real soon.

“LSU is hosting Baylor transfer offensive lineman Sean Thompkins,” as reported by On3’s The Bengal Tiger. “Thompkins is set to be on campus Thursday and Friday.” Spending two days in Baton Rouge may be all she wrote for Belichick and UNC’s hope to land the redshirt junior in Chapel Hill for the 2026 NCAA season.

About Thompkins

Thompkins was a three-star recruit coming out of Newton High School in Covington, Georgia. As he makes up his mind in his next destination in college football, the 6’5” who can play at both guard and tackle has two years of eligibility remaining.

Thompkins redshirted his freshman year and has appeared in 12 games for the Baylor Bears (1 in 2024 and 11 in 2025). Thompkins committed to North Carolina on early January, but that decision is now being revisited as Kiffin and LSU came knocking.

Keeping Leavitt away from danger

Signing Leavitt was a major victory for Kiffin and LSU this offseason, but it represents only the first step in their plan. If the Tigers are serious about competing for a national title in the 2026 college football season, they must surround the Arizona State transfer with key weapons and strong protection. That is now the primary focus in Baton Rouge.

So far, Kiffin has landed top transfers from across the country, with several coming directly from Oxford, Mississippi. However, the work is far from finished. While the transfer portal window closes on January 16 for most programs, teams that reached the College Football Playoff receive an additional five-day window. As a result, Kiffin and the Tigers will be closely monitoring players from top programs who enter the portal.

Ever since Kiffin announced his decision to leave Ole Miss for the head coaching job in LSU, there hasn’t been a dull day in Baton Rouge. Drama and noise seems to follow Nick Saban’s apprentice everywhere, and the Tigers have learned that quickly. As if the twists and turns around Leavitt’s transfer weren’t enough, LSU has now learned a Big Ten program has signed a former offensive lineman in Louisiana.

“LSU transfer OL Paul Mubenga has committed to Matt Rhule and the Nebraska Cornhuskers,” as reported by college football insider Hayes Fawcett and On3. As Mubenga moves on to his next chapter in Lincoln, he has two years of eligibility remaining.

Mubenga enrolled at Louisiana State University in 2023, but as he redshirted his true freshman year, he will be a redshirt junior in 2026, when he hopes to help Rhule and the Huskers bounce back after a disappointing 2025 NCAA campaign.

Nebraska’s situation

In the blink of an eye, the 2025 season spiraled out of control for Rhule and Nebraska. Dylan Raiola suffered a season-ending injury, which was troubling enough on its own. Shortly after, the former five-star recruit announced his plans to enter the transfer portal.

Raiola has now transferred to the Oregon Ducks, where he hopes to become the No. 1 quarterback in Dan Lanning’s offense. That, however, largely depends on whether Dante Moore declares for the NFL Draft or returns for one last year in college football.

Nebraska needs a QB1

With Dylan Raiola out of the picture, Nebraska is in dire need of a starting quarterback. Mubenga’s addition may be exciting, but Raiola’s departure far overshadows it.

As Kiffin and LSU secured the No. 1 quarterback in the transfer portal, expect the Cornhuskers to take an aggressive approach with the remaining candidates. However, the pool of prospects is drying up quickly, as every school races to finalize their rosters.

Mubenga and Raiola’s journey

Mubenga (recruiting class of 2023) and Raiola (class of 2024) played together at Buford High School, but they will just miss the chance to join forces in college, as Raiola left Nebraska shortly before Mubenga transferred there.

In order to gain, one must also give. The Tigers are no exception to that rule, and Kiffin has now learned that a four-star recruit is on the move after going largely unutilized in 2025. Where to? He’ll be joining none other than Kiffin’s former team, the Rebels.

As reported by college football insider Pete Nakos, LSU transfer running back JT Lindsey has now signed with Ole Miss ahead of the 2026 NCAA season. In a winter where fans saw plenty of Rebels transfer to Baton Rouge, Lindsey’s transfer comes as a pleasant sight for the faithful fanbase in Oxford.

Leavitt is LSU-bound

Kiffin and LSU continue to bolster their lineup ahead of the 2026 college football season. With the program boasting a lineup capable of striking fear into every SEC opponent, the arrival of Leavitt in Baton Rouge only adds another layer to one of the top offenses for the upcoming campaign.

Leavitt’s transfer wasn’t confirmed without its fair share of drama. An SEC program—not named Ole Miss—prepared an offer to poach Leavitt away from Kiffin’s LSU. At the end of the day, though, the Tigers have reportedly got their starting quarterback for the 2026—and possibly 2027—season.

Lindsey moves on from LSU

The four-star recruit out of Alexandria High School in Louisiana has decided to skip his hometown and head northeast to Mississippi. After all, they say no one is a messiah on their home soil, and Lindsey is looking to prove that to his former school as he enrolls at the University of Mississippi.

Lindsey never saw the field during his freshman year in college football. Now, he will join Ole Miss’ running backs room which will be led by Kewan Lacy. The standout half-back chose to stay in Oxford rather than join Kiffin in Baton Rouge.

With Lacy most likely spending his last season of college football in 2026 before declaring for the NFL Draft, it’s safe to say Lindsey is up for a big climb in order to become the main guy in Ole Miss’ backfield. However, coming in with a chip on his shoulder, the Louisiana native will vie to send a message.

“Despite late contract talks with Tennessee, Sam Leavitt will land at LSU,” as reported by college football insider Pete Nakos. The news arrives shortly after reports indicated the Volunteers were preparing a last-minute offer to lure Leavitt away from Baton Rouge and towards Knoxville.

Tennessee’s push was always going to be a long shot in college football. Despite the drama and spotlight that will follow them all season, Kiffin and the Tigers remain one of the most appealing programs in the nation.

Why the move makes sense for Leavitt

For a talent like Leavitt, being under the lights in Baton Rouge could be the best way to prepare before declaring for the NFL Draft—whether in 2027 or 2028. With two years of eligibility remaining, the Oregon native may not get a better shot at an NCAA national championship than with Kiffin and LSU.

LSU is back in full force

Now, Kiffin truly boasts an LSU program capable of competing for the SEC Championship and posing a serious threat to the rest of the nation. Who knows? Maybe his dramatic—and frowned upon—departure from Oxford to Baton Rouge will lead to the SEC’s first national title since 2022.

No SEC program has reached the National Championship Game since the Georgia Bulldogs won it three years ago. Perhaps all the conference needed to return to college football’s biggest stage was a bit of drama—in a way only Kiffin could provide.

QB1 dilemma for Tennessee

The Volunteers knew trouble was brewing ever since Nico Iamaleava shockingly transferred to UCLA. However, they may have been blinded by Joey Aguilar’s strong start to the 2025 NCAA campaign. Now, Tennessee finds itself with no silverware to show for Aguilar’s one-and-done tenure in Knoxville—and no clear replacement at the QB1 spot.

Barring a change in NCAA regulations for former JUCO players, Aguilar has exhausted his years of eligibility. Moreover, redshirt freshman Jake Merklinger plans to enter the transfer portal, making the void under center even bigger for the Volunteers.

With Leavitt off the board, who can the Vols go after?

That leaves Josh Heupel with just George MacIntyre (redshirt sophomore) and Faizon Brandon (true freshman) projected to be on campus by spring. Tennessee must add another signal-caller to meet NCAA roster obligations, making a transfer portal signing all but guaranteed.

With Leavitt off the table, expect the Volunteers to go all in in their pursuit for a starting QB. Heupel and company have a lot on their plates. This dramatic chapter is only another way in which Iamaleava’s transfer has come back to bite the Volunteers.

Although all signs indicate Trinidad Chambliss made his final NCAA appearance during the VRBO Fiesta Bowl loss to the Miami Hurricanes in the College Football Playoffs semifinal, Ole Miss is staying away from the market for Leavitt. Instead, the Tennessee Volunteers are looking to rain down on Kiffin and LSU’s parade.

“Tennessee and Sam Leavitt’s camp have been in regular contact throughout Monday, and the Volunteers were never told he was going to LSU,” as reported by On3 and insider Pete Nakos. “The Vols are compiling one final offer.”

Tennessee puts LSU on notice

Just when everyone around college football believed Kiffin had found the perfect match for the vacant QB1 job in Baton Rouge, the Volunteers are hoping to spoil the party.

According to the information provided, Tennessee is not giving up on its pursuit of the former Sun Devils star. On the contrary, the Vols are mounting an all-out effort that could deliver the biggest plot twist of the NCAA offseason—and hand Kiffin his first major loss since becoming the Tigers’ new head coach in Louisiana.

More drama for Kiffin and the Tigers

Some might say that what starts badly ends badly. In LSU’s case, what gets off to a dramatic start is almost guaranteed to be filled with drama through and through.

Kiffin’s arrival in Baton Rouge has been anything but ordinary—even by college football standards. In a sport that has seen all kinds of chaos unfold in otherwise laid-back towns, Kiffin’s cinematic exit from Oxford to Baton Rouge made enough noise to echo for ages.

The 2026 NCAA season is still a long ways ahead—after all, the 2025 campaign has yet to declare its national champion, but Kiffin and the Ole Miss-looking like LSU football program is already grabbing headlines left to right across the nation.