Sept. 20, 2026, 5:09 a.m. ET
Lane Kiffin spent Saturday evening bathing within the hate of his greatest haters as his outdated staff, No. 9 Mississippi, got here up with a late defensive stand and beat his new one, No. 7 LSU, 32-24.
Issues regarded clear on the break, after Trinidad Chambliss executed an ideal two-minute drive and located Deuce Alexander for a landing and a 24-7 lead. That got here after LSU lastly moved the soccer with a 75-yard drive to get on the board.
LSU would open issues up within the third quarter, growing a rhythm and adjusting to take again momentum after Chambliss tossed an interception at his personal 33-yard line three minutes into the second half.
After Ole Miss went again in entrance on a 14-yard landing run by Chambliss within the fourth quarter, Leavitt cross on 4th and aim with beneath a minute to play can be tipped on the line of scrimmage and intercepted to seal the emotional win.
The on-the-field that means: Ole Miss already has two excellent wins in LSU and Louisville, and down the street this win might imply the distinction in figuring out an at-large School Soccer Playoff bid. Or perhaps a spot within the SEC championship recreation.
However the deeper that means in what was an only-in-college-football scene down in Oxford was seen within the Rebels’ mixture of jubilation and aid after that late defensive cease.
Regardless of the loss, LSU is constructed to compete for every part in Kiffin’s first yr and may get higher within the coming weeks. There may be clearly no disgrace in shedding by a possession on the street.
However you already know Kiffin needed this one. Ole Miss delivered not only a key win however a blow to its former coach’s ego – speak about an ideal evening.
Ole Miss, Chambliss, Kiffin and West Virginia lead the largest winners and losers from Week 3:
Winners
Trinidad Chambliss
This wasn’t an ideal recreation, which matches to point out the excessive normal in place for the senior. Chambliss had one turnover however threw for 363 yards and had three complete touchdowns, and by doing so in that setting may’ve climbed alongside Arch Manning within the Heisman Trophy race. One factor that’s obvious when watching Ole Miss is the power Chambliss has to elevate the standard of mess around him and switch an excellent staff right into a presumably nice one.
Commonwealth of Kentucky
Unranked Louisville is about to climb within the US LBM Coaches Ballot and the playoff race after profitable a 41-31 shootout in opposition to No. 16 SMU. That’s going to offer the kind of tiebreaker that might finally determine which groups play for the ACC crown and an automated playoff berth. Way more surprisingly, Kentucky beat No. 8 Texas A&M 31-21 to offer new coach Will Stein a banner win. Earlier than Saturday, the final time Kentucky and Louisville beat ranked opponents on the identical day was Oct. 13, 2007.
Kamario Taylor
Mississippi State’s sophomore quarterback continues to make a robust Heisman Trophy case and simply the Energy 4’s breakout star of the primary few weeks. He tossed one other 4 touchdowns within the Bulldogs’ 41-34 street win in opposition to South Carolina, giving him 11 on the yr in opposition to one interception.
West Virginia
Wealthy Rodriguez has issues cooking within the second yr of his second flip at West Virginia. The Mountaineers will get some High 25 consideration after working for 247 yards and beating No. 25 Virginia 38-27, controlling issues up entrance and beating the Cavaliers at their very own recreation as a double-digit underdog. Former Oklahoma quarterback Michael Hawkins threw for 190 yards, ran for an additional 123 and had 5 complete touchdowns.
Clemson
North Carolina led Clemson 17-3 early within the second quarter after which 17-15 when lightning within the space led to an extended delay about halfway via the fourth. The Tar Heels tacked on a discipline aim popping out of the delay to go forward 20-15 however rapidly gave the sport to the Tigers, who scored twice down the stretch and gained 28-20. This can be a massive one for Dabo Swinney, if solely to keep away from the dogpile of criticism that might’ve come out of a loss at house to Invoice Belichick and UNC. However this may very well be the outcome that begins the Tar Heels’ tumble out of the bowl image given video games forward in opposition to No. 3 Notre Dame at house after which Pittsburgh and Duke on the street.
Vanderbilt
We’ll get into the ending of Vanderbilt’s stunning 35-31 win in opposition to North Carolina State in a second. However let’s concentrate on the Commodores’ Jared Curtis, the five-star freshman who made his beginning debut after changing former starter Blaze Berlowitz. Whereas he tossed two interceptions, together with one which regarded deadly contained in the pink zone with a couple of minute left, Curtis threw for 277 yards and three touchdowns on 8.1 yards per try with a game-high 64 yards on the bottom. Not dangerous for the highest-rated recruit in trendy program historical past.
Losers
Lane Kiffin
It has to sting. Kiffin watched a few of the key gamers from his former staff, together with Chambliss, ship the type of win that might’ve proclaimed LSU as perhaps deserving of a spot within the high of this week’s Coaches Ballot. The distinction was the sport plan Ole Miss dropped at the desk, setting the desk for that 24-7 lead. Whereas Kiffin adjusted, as anticipated, the Rebels had constructed sufficient of a cushion to offer Chambliss the possibility to ship when it mattered within the fourth quarter.
North Carolina State
Right here’s the historical past of North Carolina State soccer distilled in a single play: With the Wolfpack main Vanderbilt 31-28 and going through 4th-and-7 with six seconds left and the ball at their very own 4-yard line, quarterback CJ Bailey took the snap and bumped into his finish zone to kill as a lot time as potential earlier than both taking a security or, higher but, run out the clock totally. As an alternative, Bailey was stripped by security Mason Lewis and the unfastened ball was recovered by cornerback Cayden Daniels for the game-winning rating as time expired. You already know, N.C. State doing N.C. State issues. This was already anticipated to be coach Dave Doeren’s last season, however that is the kind of loss that may make {that a} certainty.
Texas A&M
The No. 8 Aggies regarded like something however one of many high contenders after Kentucky blew issues open with a 21-point third quarter. Kenny Minchey went for 252 yards and two touchdowns for Kentucky to outplay Marcel Reed, who accomplished 26 of 49 makes an attempt for 236 yards with two picks. This loss is a really dangerous omen for the Aggies’ probabilities of getting again into the playoff.
Arkansas
That is the worst staff within the SEC and one of many worst groups within the Energy 4. Arkansas dropped to 1-2 beneath new coach Ryan Silverfield after shedding 45-17 to No. 2 Georgia, which ran for 254 yards and wanted solely 13 cross makes an attempt from Gunner Stockton. To date, the Razorbacks have gained an unsightly one in opposition to North Alabama and misplaced to the Bulldogs and No. 17 Utah by a mixed 88-27 rating. Whereas he inherited a extremely tough spot, Silverfield’s first few weeks have been virtually unimaginably dangerous.
Colorado
The outlook for Colorado modifications with a 41-7 loss at Northwestern, which took benefit of three takeaways to place this one away within the third quarter. The Buffaloes had regarded a lot improved defensively in beating Georgia Tech within the opener however couldn’t cease quarterback Aidan Chiles, who thew for 241 yards and three touchdowns and appears snug in Chip Kelly’s scheme. This uncompetitive loss comes as Colorado heads into a troublesome stretch of Baylor on the street after which No. 12 Texas Tech and No. 17 Utah.
Lance Leipold
The strain is growing on Kansas coach Lance Leipold three years after the Jayhawks’ breakout nine-win season and High 25 end. On the heels of back-to-back five-win seasons, Kansas is at risk of falling wanting bowl eligibility once more after dropping to 1-2 with a 24-17 loss at house to Arizona State. Per week in the past, two interceptions helped No. 22 Missouri flip a 14-14 recreation right into a 38-21 win. In opposition to the Solar Devils, KU was minus-three in turnover margin and offset a punt return for a rating with a number of miscues on particular groups, giving up a 100-yard kickoff return, lacking a discipline aim and uncorking a 17-yard punt that ASU rapidly transformed right into a landing.
