However, good news for LSU! The team completely removed him from the SEC availability report on Friday night, clearing Levitt to start against Ole Miss. Anyway, the starting and backup quarterbacks of LSU vs Ole Miss will have to step up, especially if Leavitt suffers a setback midgame.

This all means Leavitt is ready to roll. During the first two games of the season, Sam Leavitt’s numbers are a bit up-and-down. The talent is there but he needs to be consistent if LSU wants to beat Ole Miss.

Sam Leavitt’s stats in first two games of 2026 NCAAF season

Sam Leavitt’s 2026 season stats for the LSU Tigers include 574 passing yards, two touchdowns, and four interceptions across two games. It’s been a season of peaks and valleys for the former Arizona State QB.

Still, LSU is 2-0 and Leavitt has also made his mark as a dual-threat QB. In these first two games, Leavitt has 23 carries for 135 yards and five rushing touchdowns as well.

Leavitt’s pros and cons

Among Leavitt’s strengths, you can find skills like elite mobility and speed, a loose, effortless throwing motion and big arm talent, as well as toughness and grit. Leavitt can also extend plays outside the pocket.

However, he is not a perfect QB by any means. Leavitt struggles playing within structure, he is not consistent with his timing and anticipation. He lacks processing speed and has some injury history with right foot/Lisfranc surgery.

Trinidad Chambliss is the starting quarterback for Ole Miss. If something rendered Chambliss unable to play, the primary backup quarterback for the Rebels is sophomore transfer Deuce Knight.

Meanwhile, there are questions on whether Sam Leavitt is playing for LSU vs Ole Miss. Hence, Landen Clark and Husan Longstreet serving as the backup options for the Tigers.

The storyline beyond the quarterbacks

More than the quarterbacks, this game marks the return of head coach Lane Kiffin to Mississippi. The head coach left Ole Miss for LSU just before the Rebels’ playoff run last season, so he is not welcomed whatsoever. The atmosphere will be very hostile.

Now under Pete Golding, Ole Miss will look for revenge against the coach that left them hanging at a time of huge relevance. Meanwhile, there is no way the infamous coach Kiffin wants to lose against Ole Miss. It’s a barnburner of a game at all levels.

How did Ole Miss and LSU start the season?

Both Ole Miss and LSU started the 2026 college football season with 2-0 records. For Ole Miss, they survived a high-scoring 41-38 shootout against Louisville in Nashville thanks to Trinidad Chambliss. Then, they destroyed Charlotte 41-9.

As for LSU, they made a statement against Clemson beating them 51-10 and then crushed Louisiana Tech 41-9. Hence, LSU comes with a better momentum riding high on good offense and good defense. Meanwhile, Ole Miss is at home and with vengeance on their sight.

The players who made their way to Baton Rouge are Princewill Umanmielen, TJ Dottery, Winston Watkins Jr., and Devin Harper. Kiffin knows all four players firsthand, highlighting the level of familiarity and trust he has in them as he looks to further strengthen an LSU team competing in the SEC.

The Tigers back Lane Kiffin in what could be a hostile environment in Oxford. LSU started the season 2-0 and will look to continue its winning streak in a key matchup against the Rebels.

A familiar coaching staff for Kiffin

Kiffin’s arrival at LSU caught the attention of both those within the program and outsiders alike, but he did not make the move alone. The experienced coach made sure to bring much of his staff with him, having worked alongside them for a long time in Mississippi.

• Charlie Weis Jr. – Offensive Coordinator
• Joe Cox – Co-Offensive Coordinator / Tight Ends
• George McDonald – Passing Game Coordinator / Wide Receivers
• Kevin Smith – Assistant Head Coach / Running Backs
• Dane Stevens – Quarterbacks
• Sawyer Jordan – Inside Wide Receivers
• Chris Kiffin – Co-Defensive Coordinator / Linebackers
• Lou Spanos – Pass Rush Specialist / Assistant Defensive Line

In addition to these eight on-field coaches, two senior support and operations leaders also transitioned with Kiffin to complete the core staff:

• Thaddeus Rivers – Senior Associate Athletic Director for Football Operations
• 10. Nick Savage – Head Strength and Conditioning Coach

LSU wants another title

LSU is hungry to get back to the top of the college football world, and bringing in Lane Kiffin is exactly the high-octane shake-up Tigers fans have been waiting for. With Death Valley eager for another trophy, the goal is crystal clear: break the drought and bring a National Championship back to Baton Rouge for the first time since their legendary 2019 season.

With Kiffin calling the shots and running his signature explosive offense, LSU is ready to turn up the noise, make a serious playoff push, and prove they’re back in full force.

His controversial departure from the University of Mississippi sparked endless backlash, and to this day, many people still hold a grudge against the coach. Whit Weeks, one of the Tigers’ standout players, said Kiffin is fully prepared for a hostile reception at his former home.

“I haven’t really thought about that,” Weeks said during his press conference. “But, I mean, I know he’s going to get it. I know they don’t like him up there. But he’s prepared for that. I mean, it is what it is. He’s done it before in his career. I know he’s more prepared than anybody.”

It won’t be long before Vaught-Hemingway Stadium at Hollingsworth Field is rocking, with the home crowd sure to make its presence felt. Will the Rebels be able to take advantage of that, or will everything off the field take a back seat once the football starts flying?

Kiffin doesn’t appear to be welcome in Oxford anymore

Lane Kiffin’s fall from grace at Ole Miss stems from a departure that local fans view as the ultimate betrayal: abandoning the program on the cusp of the College Football Playoff to accept the head coaching position at LSU, a direct SEC rival.

After spending years building the Rebels into a legitimate national powerhouse and gaining the unwavering trust of Oxford, Kiffin exited at the absolute peak of the team’s postseason push. For many, this move was not well received.

Leaving a playoff-bound roster to sign with a division rival for greater prestige and money shattered his legacy with the fan base, instantly transforming him from a revered architect into persona non grata in Mississippi.

“To me, it’s like high school homecoming for [Lane Kiffin and LSU]. Like, if you focus on the wrong s—, that homecoming dance ain’t very fun after you get your b— beat on a Friday night,” Golding said in the build-up to Saturday’s Magnolia Bowl, via FOX News. Golding’s message may also serve as a warning to his own squad. There will be a lot of distractions around campus with the national spotlight in attendance, and it’ll be a double-edged sword.

A reunion game doesn’t do this matchup justice. When the Rebels host Kiffin and the Fighting Tigers on Saturday, it will be a revenge game. Make no mistake about that. There may be no game with more hostility on the entire 2026 college football schedule. Not even “The Game” or “Iron Bowl” may come close, at least not this season in the NCAA. This one simply means more.

There is an open wound in Oxford, MS, and only one way to heal it. College football has become filled with ironies, and the fact that this game will be played in The Hospitality State may be one of the best. Walking into Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Kiffin and the Tigers (especially those who have Rebels backgrounds on their résumés) will learn better than to judge a state by its nickname.

Kiffin pokes the bear

Every college football fan across the country is entitled to their own opinion. Still, say what you want about Lane Kiffin, he sure has taken the villain role to the next level. Just three weeks into the 2026 NCAA season, he’s put on an act for the ages, and his LSU team is undefeated and ranked No. 7 in the country, so that’s that, too. Before touching down in the Magnolia State, Kiffin made sure to get the fanbase in Oxford even angrier at him.

“I told the players, man, you don’t have anything to worry about as far like attention on you all week,” Kiffin stated, per FOX News. “There’s going to be so much attention, hatred, everything on me, you just get to go play.“

Kiffin isn’t wrong. He also likes having the spotlight on him, though. He’ll say it’s a mechanism to take it off his players and get them to play with some weight off their shoulders, but that’s where many may beg to differ. There are other ways to take the pressure off the players; Kiffin simply can’t—or doesn’t want to—go out of his old ways.

A game unlike any other

The stage is set for the game circled in red ever since Kiffin abruptly ended his tenure in Oxford and boarded a flight to Baton Rouge. Finally, the wait is over. Both teams will make their final tweaks to the game plan, and it will be kickoff time before everybody knows it. Only one will be left standing in a crucial SEC showdown.

The eyes of the entire country will be fixed on the game on Saturday night. They say in the SEC it means more, but this game is so vitriol-filled that the conference implications feel irrelevant. For Ole Miss, the taste of victory may be better than a national championship.

Kiffin and LSU may belittle the duel even in triumph, but deep down, they know it’s the biggest game of the year for them. If they can’t clear this hurdle, the writing will be on the wall. Golding said he and Kiffin are “definitely, still friends.” That friendship will be put to the ultimate test over the weekend. And a line might be drawn in the sand forever.

Ole Miss and Louisville are playing at Nissan Stadium tonight as part of the inaugural Music City Kickoff to open the 2026 College Football season. It is a neutral-site marquee matchup organized for Labor Day weekend.

Hence, Ole Miss, supposedly the home side, won’t be playing at the usual Vaught Hemingway Stadium. Louisville could see this as an advantage as they are avoiding a 60-thousand crowd against them. Now, it’s a neutral site.

Nissan Stadium features

A 69,143 venue, the Nissan Stadium opened up in 1999. However, a new Nissan Stadium is opening in 2027. It it usually the home of NFL team Tennessee Titans, though it is a multi-purpose stadium. Tennessee State University also uses this stadium as their home venue.

The 2026 calendar year is serving as the Farewell Tour for the stadium ahead of its demolition. The stadium is famous for the Music City Miracle. That is an iconic last-second kickoff return play in 2000, that gave the Tennessee Titans a 22–16 playoff win over the Buffalo Bills.

Is Ole Miss a better team that Louisville?

Ole Miss are considered the better team on paper, entering their matchup ranked No. 9 nationally while Louisville are ranked No. 24. According to Vegas odds, Ole Miss are an 8.5-point favorite. Meaning, they are projected to win by more than a touchdown.

Ole Miss had to change coaches as Lane Kiffin went to LSU before last year’s playoffs. Now, they’re entering the Pete Golding era. Golding served as the defensive coordinator and inside linebackers from 2023 to 2025.

With roster cuts coming up and a new season rapidly approaching, the University of Mississippi alumnus is opting to return to school for one more year rather than compete for a place on the Browns’ roster.

As reported by CBS Sports, Wright is entering the NCAA transfer portal ahead of the 2026 college football season. As it stands, he is still employed by the Browns and remains an NFL player.

Regardless, Wright could very well return to college, which would mark the first time a professional player has ever returned to play at the collegiate level. Shocking, head-scratching, and unimaginable, this is where college sports stand in 2026. He may not be the last, though.

Historic change in NFL-college football

According to ESPN, Wright was one of 16 NFL players who filed a lawsuit to the NCAA seeking a fifth year of eligibility in college football. After much speculation, a court in Louisiana granted the plaintiff a fifth and last year of college eligibility. Thus, Wright opted to enter the transfer portal, and may soon be followed by others.

Players who could be headed back to college

In addition to Wright, the former Ole Miss standout and current Browns player, many more names in NFL training camps could be eyeing a return to the NCAA. Running back T.J. Harden of the Seattle Seahawks, an SMU alumnus, and EDGE Jack Pyburn of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a former LSU Tiger, were among the players that filed the lawsuit. Thus, they might enter the portal, too.

Although NCAA rules and a Colorado judge’s ruling state that the extra year of eligibility isn’t granted to players who sign NFL deals, the temporary restraining order issued in the Bayou State could change everything and pave the way for Wright and others to return to college football.

Whether it’s some bitterness speaking or his most sincere thought, Kelly expects—like everybody around the college football landscape—a dogfight when the Tigers take on the Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. However, LSU’s former head coach—hired in 2021 and fired in 2025—predicts the home team to come away with the emotional victory.

“I think this really comes down to, you know, what quarterback plays better,” Kelly stated, via On3. “If Trinidad Chambliss plays to the level that we all think he can, this can be a game that Ole Miss beats LSU.”

The Tigers’ former head coach predicted this would be the program’s first loss of the 2026 NCAA campaign—and it may serve as a bucket of ice-cold water for Kiffin and LSU.

Kelly’s record prediction

Although Kelly believes Chambliss gives the University of Mississippi the edge over Sam Leavitt and LSU, his season prediction highlights how Kiffin’s team might recover from an early rude awakening.

Kelly predicted the Tigers to win their next six games after falling to the Rebels, including victories at Auburn and against Alabama. According to the former head coach’s expectations, LSU’s second loss of the campaign will come in Death Valley at the hands of the Texas Longhorns.

“This is difficult. I think that they probably get beat at the end here. I expect that Texas will win this game,” Kelly confessed.

All in all, however, Kelly predicts LSU will finish the 2026 NCAA season with a 10-2 record. With Kiffin’s Tigers’ losses coming against likely ranked teams, they should still make the College Football Playoff and may even make it to the SEC Championship Game.

The Game 2.0

Still, fans in Baton Rouge may not like the fact that the ex-head coach believes the Tigers will fall in the Magnolia State. The fanbase in Louisiana may not forgive Kelly for it. LSU at Ole Miss is arguably the biggest game of the season, not just for the Tigers and Rebels, but across the entire college football schedule.

College football rivalries are just different, and the feud between Kiffin and his former school, Ole Miss, is trending to be one of the nastiest in 2026. Kiffin has made it clear he still holds love for his time in Oxford, but the fact that he didn’t name Ole Miss nor Chambliss in a recent comment may signal he holds a grudge against the Rebels, just like they do against him.

“Look at the previous place we were at [the University of Mississippi]. The guy [Trinidad Chambliss] didn’t get there until the summer,” Kiffin said, via WGNO News, trying to keep LSU fans calm about the fact Leavitt has undergone surgery and is set to miss the rest of spring football.

Kiffin was recently hit with a subtle shot from Chambliss, who compared him to new Rebels head coach Pete Golding. It seems Kiffin has kept receipts, and fired right back. Knowing Kiffin’s personality, it wouldn’t be all too shocking nor hard to believe.

Why is Leavitt missing spring football?

After transferring from Arizona State to LSU, Sam Leavitt is expected to miss the rest of spring practices in Baton Rouge. As Kiffin stated, this is not news to LSU, as it’s all going according to its timeline for Leavitt. Leavitt suffered a Lisfranc injury to his right foot in 2025.

Recently, he posted a picture of his foot wrapped in bandages. As fans were quick to jump to conclusions about a re-aggravated injury, Leavitt clarified he had the screws from the initial surgery removed. Leavitt made it clear there were no setbacks and it’s all going according to plan.

The redshirt junior quarterback is set to take over under center in the 2026 NCAA season as Garrett Nussmeier departs for the NFL Draft. Leavitt is facing an early setback, but Kiffin remains confident this is nothing to stress about.

What happened to Chambliss last season?

Offseason drama around his eligibility wasn’t exclusive to this year for Trinidad Chambliss. Last season, the Ferris State transfer had to wait until the summer before he was officially declared academically eligible to enroll at Ole Miss. Thus, he missed crucial stages of the offseason with Kiffin and the Rebels.

Upon arrival, he proved he didn’t need a lot of time to adapt to the playbook. Chambliss hit the ground running in The Literary Center of the South and finished the season with 3,937 passing yards, 22 touchdowns, and only three interceptions, as well as 527 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on the ground. He also led the Rebels to the semifinals of the College Football Playoff before the Miami Hurricanes knocked them out in an instant classic.

Ole Miss vs LSU in 2026

In 2026, Kiffin, Leavitt, and LSU will travel to Oxford to take on Golding, Chambliss, and Ole Miss. It’s set to be a heated showdown in which Kiffin will go up against one of his best creations of his coaching career.

In a cinematic turn of events, the main figure behind Ole Miss’ growth will take on an anger-filled roster filled with players who feel betrayed by Kiffin and will vie to avenge last season’s dramatic chapter.

As is usually the case in college football, reality is stranger than fiction, and the stage is set for one memorable showdown at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in the Magnolia State.

“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.

“After due consideration, we find that the petition should be denied,” the presiding justice Josiah Coleman stated. “It is, therefore, ordered that the petition is denied. So ordered.”

Following the court’s final ruling, the Rebels will be able to enjoy their star player next season. Will Chambliss be able to reach the National Championship Game with his teammates this time?

The saga between Trinidad Chambliss and the NCAA

The eligibility dispute between Trinidad Chambliss and the NCAA reached its definitive turning point. The conflict began when the NCAA rejected Chambliss’s petition for a medical redshirt related to his 2022 season at Ferris State, claiming he was benched for competitive reasons rather than health issues.

Chambliss successfully challenged this in court, with a judge ruling that the NCAA had acted in “bad faith” by ignoring medical documentation of his condition. Following the Supreme Court’s recent refusal to intervene, Chambliss secured his sixth year of eligibility and solidified his position as a top Heisman Trophy contender.

A new season, now without Lane Kiffin

As the 2026 season kicks off, the Ole Miss Rebels are entering a new era under head coach Pete Golding, who stepped up following Lane Kiffin’s departure for LSU. Despite the coaching change, expectations are higher than ever after a successful 2025 campaign.

With Trinidad Chambliss officially cleared to lead a high-powered offense and a reinforced roster through the transfer portal, the Rebels are determined to prove they can not only maintain their momentum but surpass last year’s achievements and secure a definitive spot in the College Football Playoff hunt.