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Lane Kiffin is widely touted to lead Ole Miss to the expanded College Football Playoff in the 2024 college football season. The Rebels have been impressive since the former Florida Atlantic head coach took over and it's no surprise many see them reaching a new height next season.
However, Paul Finebaum is not convinced Kiffin and his Ole Miss team have the credentials to make the 12-team playoff. Speaking recently on the “Berry Tramel Show,” the SEC Network analyst downplayed Kiffin's humor on social media and his coaching ability when asked about the possibility of Ole Miss in the playoff.
"I would say no," Finebaum answered. "Everyone in the media, Berry, we're on the older statesman side of it, is in love with Lane Kiffin. They think he's hilarious.”
“I don't think he's that funny," he added. "I don't think his tweets are that interesting, and his coaching has been underwhelming at times. I’ll see it when I believe it. I haven't seen enough for me to believe right now.”
Several analysts hold a different opinion from Finebaum’s
While Paul Finebaum doesn't give Ole Miss a chance, several college football analysts hold a different opinion. They are touting Lane Kiffin to lead the Rebels to a playoff spot.
Most notable is Finebaum’s fellow ESPN analyst Greg McElroy. Speaking on “Always College Football” in May, the analyst sees the Rebel making the College Football Playoff with a 10-2 record.
"10-2 for the Ole Miss Rebels," McElroy said. “Probably not in the SEC Championship, but more than likely en route to the College Football Playoff. It’s just a matter of who those losses come to. You look at the schedule... It lays out pretty nicely for Ole Miss.”
Lane Kiffin happy with Ole Miss depth ahead of 2024
Lane Kiffin will be having a core of his team in the previous season in the 2024 season. The Rebels will be having a total of 16 starters returning for the upcoming season, the second most in the landscape behind Kentucky. Lane Kiffin has expressed his excitement about this.
“I think it’s really neat to see a team where a lot of these guys had a chance to go to the NFL and probably could’ve been middle-round picks, but they decided to come back, which is unusual. They came back to try and do something special, so it is a really cool group of kids," Kiffin said (via The Rebel Walk podcast).
Without a doubt, this is a big boost for Kiffin as he enters his fifth season in the SEC. After appearing in a New Year's Six bowl game last season, a playoff spot is no doubt the goal in the next.
