Ever since Lane Kiffin left Ole Miss for LSU last November, the Magnolia Bowl has carried an entirely different level of intrigue.
There's the main event: Lane Kiffin's highly anticipated return to Oxford
. His homecoming has prompted increased security measures and is expected to create one of the most hostile environments in college football this season, with Ole Miss fans expected to make their presence known from the moment he steps onto the field until the final whistle.There's also the relationship between LSU linebacker Whit Weeks and Kiffin's daughter, Landry Kiffin, which was placed in the spotlight last season when the two squads met up.
Both teams enter the top-10 ranked matchup with a 2-0 record in 2026. The Tigers started the season with a commanding win over Clemson and a 31-point win over Louisiana Tech last week. The Rebels won a shootout against Louisville in Week 1 before nearly pitching a shutout last weekend against Charlotte.
LSU and Ole Miss are set for a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff on Saturday, Sept. 19 inside Here's what to know:
Is Landry Kiffin still dating LSU linebacker Whit Weeks?
Yes, Weeks and Kiffin's oldest daughter are still dating. Their relationship was put into the public eye just ahead of last year's edition of the Magnolia Bowl rivalry in Oxford at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium through a social media post.
What Whit Weeks said on his relationship with Lane Kiffin
At SEC Media Days in July,Weeks told reporters nothing has changed in his relationship with Lane Kiffin since the former Ole Miss coach took over at LSU last November.
"It hasn’t affected my relationship with him at all," Weeks said at SEC media days in July. "I know that when we go into that building, everyone in our building has the same mindset and same goals. When you're in that building, you’re there for work. We like to have a lot of fun up there, too, but at the end of the day it is work."
He added: "Whenever we leave, it’s cool because he’s my girlfriend’s dad. It is what it is when we’re outside the building hanging out and cutting up. It’s cool but it doesn’t affect anything in the football building."
What has Lane Kiffin said on Whit Weeks dating his daughter?
The LSU coach also addressed the relationship between Weeks and his daughter at SEC Media Days.
"You probably think I think about it more than I do. I really don't. It is what it is," Lane Kiffin said in July. "It's funny if we go back to the beginning of it. Whit Week's dad and Kirby Smart played together at Georgia. So when this first starts happening and Landry tells me about it, I call Kirby. … He's like, 'It's an amazing family. This kid's great.'
"So I then called (Brian Kelly), I gotta do some research. BK is like, 'I tell you what. If there was ever a player that I'd want to date my daughter, this is who it is.' So I did some background through some coaches to research him. Kind of like getting ready for the draft."
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is Whit Weeks dating Lane Kiffin's daughter? What to know of LSU LB's relationship with Tigers coach
