Today should be an interesting day, but not nearly as interesting as September 19, 2026.
Lane Kiffin’s return to Oxford with LSU was already going to be an intense experience with Kiffin leaving how and when he left.
His return to Knoxville almost 10 years after leaving that program for USC resulted in golf balls being thrown onto the field at Neyland Stadium. That was after 10 years and fans still held the grudge.
Kiffin is coming back to Oxford less than a year after his unceremonious exit. Golf balls may be the least of Kiffin’s worries.
Luckily, though, nothing is being done to intensify Ole Miss fans hatred of their former coach.
Oh wait. The exact opposite is happening.
Rebels entering transfer portal headed to LSU?
Two Ole Miss players who’s returns in 2026 had already been officially announced by the school have entered the transfer portal. Devin Harper and Princewill Umanmielen both signed contracts with Ole Miss, but are in the transfer portal.
For Harper, reporting suggests LSU is the favorite to land him. Umanmielen’s next destination is more of a question marks since Ole Miss will try to enforce whatever contract was signed, keeping the edge rusher in Oxford.
But the obvious answer for Umanmielen is LSU.
Linebacker TJ Dottery had not been announced as a returning Rebel and entered the transfer portal this week. He’s likely headed to LSU.
Should Dottery, Umanmielen and, to a lesser degree, Harper all end up at LSU, the hatred for Kiffin will reach new heights.
Was there tampering involved? Probably. It’s near-impossible to prove, but everyone knows it happens. What was said to convince these three Rebels to enter the transfer portal, two of whom have signed contracts, would be great to know.
Internet rumors surfaced earlier this week about Ole Miss players being unhappy new players are being paid more. If that is true, a lot of blame will be sent towards Kiffin for upsetting the apple cart.
Nobody’s innocent
Ole Miss isn’t entirely innocent in this brewing war with the Tigers’ new coach. Ole Miss did sign ex-LSU offensive lineman Carius Curne after the LSU delayed filing his transfer paperwork.
Frank Wilson was an elite recruiter at LSU. Now he’s in Oxford, as are few other front office personnel. That won’t slow down the hate Kiffin will receive in September, though.
That sad part of all of this? None of this is surprising and it’s going on all across the country right now. This is the new era of college football. Good luck changing it, too.
Ole Miss 2026 Transfer Portal Class
Incoming Rebels
- CB Jay Crawford (Auburn)
- LB Keaton Thomas (Baylor)
- EDGE Nelson Maldonado (Nevada)
- CB Sharif Denson (Florida)
- DL Michai Boireau (Florida)
- DL Jeheim Oatis (Colorado)
- OL Carius Curne (LSU)
- S Edwin Joseph (Florida State)
- S Joenel Aguero (Georgia)
- QB Deuce Knight (Auburn)
- WR Cameron Miller (Kentucky)
- OL Troy Everett (Oklahoma)
- QB Walker Howard (Louisiana)
- WR Darrell Gill (Syracuse)
- WR Isaiah Spencer (Virginia Tech)
- LB Tah’j Butler (Georgia Tech)
- Edge Jordan Renaud (Alabama)
Outgoing Rebels
- QB Austin Simmons (Missouri)
- RB Domonique Thomas
- OL PJ Wilkins
- WR Winston Watkins
- LB Jaden Yates (Houston)
- CB Ricky Fletcher
- CB Chris Graves Jr.
- OL Ethan Fields
- OL Jude Foster
- S TJ Banks
- OL Devin Harper
- LB TJ Dottery
- Edge Princewill Umanmielen
- Edge Da’Shawn Womack
