Thom Brennaman on if Lane Kiffin leaves Ole Miss ahead of College Football Playoff: 'His reputation would be tarnished forever'

T-minus seven days until the Lane Kiffin decision. Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter announced Kiffin will make his final choice on where he will spend the 2025 season one day after the Egg Bowl. Three programs now get to spend the next week wondering what the future holds until then.

Not too many people are happy about the process, specifically in Oxford. However, CW play-by-play commentator Thom Brennaman took some time to call out Kiffin. The topic came up during the Clemson-Furman game, leading to a discussion that lasted nearly five minutes.

“A lot of people thought these days of Lane Kiffin were behind him,” he said. “I mean, all the drama going back to when he was a very young man and everything that happened… His reputation would be tarnished, unfortunately, forever, if he left as they’re going into the College Football Playoff. I mean, there are a lot of people that would never let that go. And, you know what, you can’t blame them.”

Thom Brennaman has a lot to say about Lane Kiffin on the Furman-Clemson broadcast.

"A lot of people thought these days of Lane Kiffin were behind him… All the drama… [If he left as Ole Miss is going into the CFP] His reputation would be tarnished, unfortunately, forever." pic.twitter.com/1ZavimBOvy

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 22, 2025

Florida and LSU appear to be the two schools fighting for Kiffin’s services. Of course, Ole Miss would like to keep their head coach to continue one of the best runs in program history. Making the College Football Playoff would be the peak thus far, something Kiffin might not even end up coaching in.

At least from the outside, Kiffin and Carter claim all focus is on Ole Miss winning the Egg Bowl. Always one of the fiercest rivalries in the country, getting a win in Starkville will make it three straight. You have to go back two decades to find the Rebels’ last three-game winning streak in the rivalry, 2002-2004.

“Coach Kiffin and I have had many pointed and positive conversations regarding his future at Ole Miss, including meeting today with Chancellor Boyce,” Carter wrote in a statement. “While we discuss next steps, we know we cannot lose sight of what is most important – our sixth-ranked team that is poised to finish the regular season in historic fashion.

“Despite the outside noise, Coach Kiffin is focused on preparing our team for the Egg Bowl, and together, we want to ensure that our players and coaches can concentrate fully on next Friday’s game. This team is on the cusp of an unprecedented season, and it’s imperative they feel the support of the Ole Miss family in the week ahead. An announcement on Coach Kiffin’s future is expected the Saturday following the game.”

Kickoff from Davis-Wade Stadium is scheduled for Friday at 11 a.m. CT. Kiffin will be on the sidelines, going head-to-head against his old offensive coordinator at Ole Miss and now-Mississippi State head coach Jeff Lebby. Whether or not it’s the last time they face off in the rivalry, we will know just hours after the game’s conclusion. If the answer turns out to be yes, Brennaman believes he has a read on how many people will view Kiffin.