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Lane Kiffin criticizes Auburn for moving home game: 'NIL dollars isn't the answer to everything'

IMG_0985by: Griffin McVeigh10/08/25griffin_mcveigh
NCAA Football: Arkansas at Mississippi
Sep 13, 2025; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin looks on during the second quarter against the Arkansas Razorback at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

On Monday, On3’s Brett McMurphy reported on Auburn deciding to move next season’s home game against Baylor to Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The move will help Auburn bring in $5 million of NIL money for student-athletes. A nice chunk of change for those performing on the Plains.

Of course, the decision comes with a few criticisms. Including Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin, who was asked if he would want to do something similar. He does not appear too interested, going on to say “NIL dollars isn’t the answer to everything.”

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“I like our home game for our fans,” Kiffin said via the SEC Coaches Teleconference. “They get to come and it does a lot for our community and our town with all the people that come in town for the home games. I wouldn’t want to take that away from our fans and community. NIL dollars isn’t the answer to everything, they’ve got a lot of them over there. So, I prefer, in that situation, to keep supporting our community and our town and our university that’s been so great to us.”

Kiffin has never been afraid to take a shot or two at Auburn over the years. Especially when it comes to the recruiting world. Ole Miss and Auburn go head-to-head on multiple big-time players every single cycle. If anybody from the outside knows what the NIL budget looks like for the Tigers, it’s Kiffin.

Looking at Ole Miss’ side, there is still a hole in the ’26 schedule for the opener on Sept. 5. Something will eventually get worked out, as the Rebels are searching for a third nonconference opponent.

More on upcoming 2026 schedule for Auburn

When it comes to neutral sites, Atlanta is the most accessible to Auburn fans. The drive across state lines is not too far, spanning just over 100 miles. Plenty of graduates are in the are too, meaning a home game is likely coming — just in a different venue.

Auburn gets just six home dates during the 2026 season now. Four of those are SEC contests, headlined by the renewal of the LSU rivalry after a two-year break. Two are other nonconference games against lesser opponents.

Which means five true road contests pop up on the schedule. One of them will be to Oxford for a showdown against Kiffin and Ole Miss. The city of Oxford surely will be buzzing for that one, another matchup we saw step aside due to SEC scheduling post-conference realignment.