Ole Miss looks like CFP slam dunk. Lane Kiffin couldn’t possibly flee for Florida, right?

Mississippi just smacked the Sooners and harpooned the Gators, all in a day’s work.

Florida, how’s Eli Drinkwitz or Jedd Fisch or James Franklin looking? Better than Billy Napier, at least, but I’m afraid Florida’s dream fit Lane Kiffin is going to be tied up with the College Football Playoff.

The No. 8 Rebels have achieved several impressive feats under Kiffin, but this 34-26 takedown of No. 11 Oklahoma ranks as the most momentous, because of what it does in the larger sense to help secure a coach Ole Miss cannot afford to lose.

Kiffin couldn’t possibly flee for Florida and leave behind a team that’s looking like a slam dunk for the College Football Playoff, right?

Only a traitor, a renegade to his core, would leave this plucky squad that could ride into December with a 11-1 record, and surely Kiffin’s not a tr– … OK, so there’s no such thing as a sure thing when it comes to Kiffin. He relishes being a wild card.

Peek at Ole Miss’ November schedule, though. It’s cake. This triumph at Oklahoma charts a course for the Rebels to snag either a playoff bye or at least a first-round home game.

All of which points to Ole Miss’ season continuing into January. That would erect a massive hurdle toward Florida hiring Kiffin, because the Gators probably would want their new coach installed by the time the transfer portal opens on Jan. 2.

The Rebels’ leaky defense remains a liability toward an SEC title or a national championship pursuit. Kiffin probably wishes he could mainline some of Florida’s defenders into his team.

But, so long as Ole Miss hunts in the playoff with at least a sliver of hope for the top prize, it’s difficult to envision Kiffin vamoosing, even if Florida is a perfect fit for a coach who idolized Steve Spurrier and coaches and quips like he’s inspired by the Head Ball Coach.

Ole Miss reaching playoff would help secure Lane Kiffin

If Kiffin brings a national title to Ole Miss, they’ll build him a statue. Heck, they might do that if he just stays and secures the first playoff bid in program history.

If he leaves a playoff team, alert the fire department. Kiffin could be burned in effigy.

This game was not Kiffin’s magnum opus of in-game coaching. The Rebels won somewhat in spite of Kiffin’s decision-making. He got too cute when he inserted backup quarterback Austin Simmons into a red-zone situation. Ole Miss settled for a field goal after Simmons’ consecutive incompletions. Later, in Kiffin’s persistent quest to overthink this, he inserted Simmons for a failed 2-point conversion.

Ole Miss also gifted Oklahoma three points after it botched a 4th-and-1 from its own 25 yard-line.

Not great, Lane.

Trinidad Chambliss had his coach’s back.

Trinidad Chambliss keeps Oklahoma (and Florida) at bay

Chambliss, the Division II transfer quarterback, keeps authoring one of the most remarkable stories in the SEC. In less than a year, he went from quarterbacking Ferris State to fueling 431 yards of offense against one of the nation’s best defenses.

A human joystick, Chambliss kept wiggling around and keeping plays alive. When Oklahoma stole the lead in the second half, Chambliss struck back with a touchdown toss. Later, he threw a deep dime to Winston Watkins to set up an insurance score.

This victory that demanded contributions from all three phases. Lucas Carneiro banged through four field goals for Ole Miss, and Trace Bruckler forced an Oklahoma fumble on a fourth-quarter punt return. As officials tried to sort out who had possession, Kiffin ran onto the field and made the initial signal, waving his hand to correctly indicate Ole Miss had the pigskin. Onward march.

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