Lane Kiffin admits Ole Miss got fooled on crucial play

Oct 15, 2022; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin walks off the field during a timeout during the first quarter of the game against the Auburn Tigers at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin admitted his team was caught unprepared for a bold move the Kentucky Wildcats made during Saturday’s upset victory.

Kentucky stunned Ole Miss at home 20-17 on the strength of some bold 4th quarter playcalls. The biggest came on a 4th and 7 from inside their own 20 with just over four minutes left. Instead of trying to pick up the first drive and keep the drive moving, Kentucky went for a big play and got it in the form of a 63-yard reception by wide receiver Barion Brown.

Kentucky wound up scoring a touchdown on the drive, and Ole Miss missed a game-tying field goal try as time expired. After the game, Kiffin conceded the 4th down play was the turning point, and that the Rebels had not seen it coming at all.

“We end up getting them to 4th down and they throw a go route. I have to credit [Mark] Stoops, that’s not anything he’s probably ever done in his life,” Kiffin said. “He got out of his character with three and a half minutes left. I commend him for doing that.”

It’s easy to say Kiffin and the Rebels should have seen this coming, but he is right that Mark Stoops made a bold decision by any standard, especially his. Had it failed, Ole Miss probably wins the game, and people are questioning him for trying to be too aggressive when seven yards was the target.

Regardless, it is a damaging loss for Ole Miss, who looked surprisingly tame on offense throughout the contest. One has to wonder if this will throw cold water on some of the Kiffin exit rumors — or perhaps they’ll get even louder.

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