This week’s post is an abbreviated version of the exercise in breaking down our various levels of knowledge or lack thereof.
The word count reduction, which takes value from your subscription, is thanks
to yours truly traveling and [gestures at everything happening]. Saturday night is significant for a little ol’ something called the college football playoff, an event Ole Miss missed out on last year due to violent pooping of the bed.
A win against Florida means Ole Miss is likely in the playoff (regardless of Egg Bowl shenanigans), but a loss means the trip to Starkville the day after Thanksgiving becomes a win or go back to the Gator Bowl or worse situation.
So, you know, Saturday night is MILDLY IMPORTANT, yet Lane Kiffin’s impending employment choice overshadows all. With that in mind, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to do a deep dive when the details of the matchup feel secondary.
What we know
Ole Miss is good, Florida is not
Again, surface-level details here. However, as Kiffin noted this week, the Gators have plenty of talent, but the questions are whether they can play consistently and with effort.
Exactly 13 days ago, they led Georgia 20-17 with just under 8 minutes to play. Facing a 4th and 1 from the Bulldogs’ 18-yard line, the Gators failed to convert, and about 3 minutes later, Georgia took a 24-20 lead on their way to a win.
Exactly 6 days ago, the Gators lost by 31 to 3-5 Kentucky. Even more incredibly, Florida turned it over 4 times, yet their turnover margin was 0 because Kentucky also turned it over 4 times.
I will not spend one second of research on this, but the list of teams that turned it over 4 times and won by 31 has to start and end with 2025 Kentucky.
The point being, even if Florida comes out with a little spice and hint of a pulse, their body of work strongly suggests it will come unraveled.
What we kinda know
Who knows!
All signs point to Kiffin possibly leaving or staying because no one has a good read on him. If he leaves, that wouldn’t be surprising, and if he stays, that wouldn’t be surprising.
Personally, I hope he stays for many years and continues to be the best coach Ole Miss ever hired, but I will not spend energy worrying about whatever he’s doing. Leave, stay, retire, change professions. I’m good.
If he leaves, it won’t be because Ole Miss didn’t give him everything he asked for and more. He’ll leave because he believes he can do more at Florida, or the challenge of restoring the Spurrier days scratches his competitive itch.
If he stays, it’s because he believes he has everything a coach could need to be in the playoff every year and have a shot at national titles.
What we don’t know
Oh yeah, the players
Kiffin addressed the team a few weeks ago about his name being mentioned in coaching searches. It seemingly went fine, and players have repeatedly said everything is about going 1-0 every week, which is what Kiffin repeats every week.
This week, the rumors swirled with more swirl, and the players don’t live in a void of knowledge. While they can say they’re locked in on 1-0 and things of that nature, does this affect their performance? Or are the #youths so used to free agency for everyone that they don’t blink?
