‘Lane Kiffin fired with loss to Auburn’ narrative dispelled

OutKick’s Mark Harris didn’t take the “Lane Kiffin getting fired with a loss to Auburn football” narrative — one started in an opinion column from AL.com’s Joseph Goodman — seriously for a second. In fact, Harris implied that the narrative was one meant to stir up attention in the state of Alabama considering Kiffin’s Crimson Tide past; not a narrative to be taken as a report.

“Don’t worry, the very first line in Goodman’s column reads ‘This is an opinion column’ in bold letters,” Harris prefaced before saying, “This is like when someone says “no offense, but” before proceeding to put you six feet under.

“As a columnist, Goodman’s main objective is to get a reaction from readers, and titling a column ‘Fire Lane Kiffin if he loses to Auburn’ in a publication based in the state of Alabama certainly checks that box.”

Analyst implies Lane Kiffin’s career ‘suddenly riding’ on Auburn football matchup

Goodman did run the concept of hyperbole up the ladder to the highest rung in discussing the Ole Miss-Auburn matchup at Jordan-Hare Stadium on October 21, saying that Kiffin’s career is “suddenly riding” on beating the Tigers.

“…it has to terrify Kiffin a little bit knowing that his entire coaching career is suddenly riding on beating the team that (A) has the worst offense in all of college football and (B) doesn’t even want to try to get better never mind win games in the Southeastern Conference,” Goodman wrote.

With the No. 13-ranked team in the country post-Week 7, a second loss during the 2023 season in their seventh try will not cost Kiffin his job — especially considering the six-year extension he signed with the Rebels following the 2022 campaign.

A loss on the Plains, however, would be a major disappointment for an Ole Miss fanbase that swears they are leagues above AU despite having what could end up being a one-hit wonder season in 2021.