Lane Kiffin Says the End of the Kentucky-Ole Miss Game 'Was the Exact Opposite' Of Last Year

Sep 6, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin looks on during the second quarter against the Kentucky Wildcats at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Saturday’s game between Kentucky and Ole Miss saw a reversal of fate between the two teams. Last year, it was Kentucky that made the stops necessary and took advantage on offense. This year, it was Ole Miss.

Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin acknowledged this in his postgame press conference on Saturday. After losing to Kentucky 20-17 in 2024, the Rebels took down the Cats 30-23 in 2025.

“That game, a lot towards the end, was a lot like last year,” Kiffin said. “Just all three phases went the other way last year. We had the ball up four and could’ve ended the game if we went down to score again. Instead, we gave them the ball back, and we didn’t stop them. They went down the field and scored, and we missed a field goal. This was the exact opposite.”

Ole Miss stopped Kentucky on a fourth down this Saturday and took advantage. It all resulted in an Ole Miss victory.

“All three phases did a good job at the end of the game,” Kiffin said.

‘Coming on the Road in the SEC and Winning is a Hard Thing to Do’

Kentucky entered its SEC opener on Saturday without high expectations. Depending on whose power rankings you look at, the Cats are projected to finish either 15th or 16th in the SEC standings.

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However, winning on the road in the SEC is no easy task. Lane Kiffin made that clear on Saturday.

“Coming on the road in the SEC and winning is a hard thing to do,” Kiffin said. “You play four of these, for now. We play four every year, and they’re hard. You just have a relief to cross them off and get wins on the road. I’m proud of our guys.”

Kentucky got out to a hot start, taking a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter. Kiffin noted that the momentum changed after Ole Miss quarterback Austin Simmons completed a 55-yard fourth-down pass to Harrison Wallace early in the second quarter. That led to a Kewan Lacy one-yard touchdown rush to cut the UK lead to three.

“We’re down 10-0, and the guys made a hell of a play to convert the fourth down; otherwise, it’s 10-0, and they’ve got the ball in our territory,” Kiffin said. “You guys know we play aggressive, but it takes players to make the plays. To me, that was the big turn.”