Lane Kiffin just found something to build his motivation on. Entering his sixth year in Oxford, he has already got everyone viewing him as the most successful Rebels coach since Johnny Vaught. His 44-18 record (25-16 in SEC play) speaks volumes. Not to mention, his pipeline to the NFL. More than 20 of his players have signed pro contracts during his tenure. “It’s been an amazing five years,” the 50-year-old Rebels coach said on WLSX. “Won a lot of games, made a lot of great relationships with people there, with people at the university,” he said. “It’s been a great run.” Still, he knows the great run starts again. And this time, he’s hyping it with one infamous SEC memory. 

2025’s season opener is not just another game in Oxford. This is about Lane Kiffin digging into his vault of SEC history to light a fire under Ole Miss fans. The Rebels kick off against Georgia State on August 30, and while the matchup may look like a mismatch on paper, the HC knows the ghosts of past SEC embarrassments still haunt the league. So, he’s using them.

Ten days ahead of the season opener against Georgia State and Ole Miss, Lane Kiffin is hyping fans on social media. In his Instagram story, he posted a picture of Georgia State with the hype line – “Georgia State opened the 2019 season on the road versus the SEC.” Then he added, “Need it packed out!!!” And you’ll bet fans will be eager to watch the foundation game of 2025. 

That 2019 upset was Tennessee’s nightmare. The Vols were 26-point favorites and still lost 38–30 at home to a Georgia State squad that had gone 2–10 the year before. It was Tennessee’s first home-opening loss since 1983 and the Panthers’ first-ever win over a Power Five opponent. Of course, Vegas isn’t buying the upset this time. DraftKings has Ole Miss as a staggering 35.5-point favorite. This is the Rebels’ first meeting with Georgia State, and oddsmakers are basically giving Kiffin a 99% win probability. 

Coming off a 9–3 regular season capped by a Gator Bowl win, the Rebels are projected at 8.5 wins for 2025, with the potential to push for double digits yet again. But Ole Miss won’t be trotting out the same roster. QB Jaxson Dart and other key stars have moved on, leaving gaps that Kiffin aggressively filled in the portal. This year is Austin Simmons’ prove-it year. The defense got a monster upgrade with Walter Nolan, Princewill Umanmielen, Chris Paul Jr., and Alabama’s Trey Amos. And that’s where the bigger picture comes in.

Can Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss make it to the playoffs?

Ole Miss missed the inaugural 12-team CFP last year, finishing as the second team out. But the Associated Press thinks 2025 could be different, slotting the Rebels as their way-too-early No. 10 seed. “If only to save us from another Lane Kiffin social media barrage,” joked AP’s Eddie Pells, referencing the HC’s X tirades during last year’s playoff drama. “But seriously, this program had one of the best transfer-portal hauls in the country. The Rebels are also getting used to winning 10 games a year and you can’t ignore that forever,” he added. 

And the path isn’t impossible. Ole Miss’ schedule features non-conference tilts they should breeze through, leaving SEC showdowns against LSU, South Carolina, and Florida as the real litmus tests. Win two of those, avoid landmines, and suddenly 9-3 or better puts the Rebels firmly in contention for a playoff spot. Still, national respect remains a moving target. Despite all the transfer portal wins, all the 10-win seasons, and all the proof that Ole Miss is trending upward, the AP’s preseason poll left them at No. 21. That’s doubt. 

But in college football, doubt has always been Lane Kiffin’s favorite fuel. He knows all too well. It only takes one collapse, or one grudge game, to swing a season. That’s why he’s already cranking up the narrative.