Lane Kiffin Says LSU Fit Beat Florida for His Next Chapter at 2026 SEC Meetings

5 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 26

Lane Kiffin used Tuesday’s SEC annual meetings to explain that he chose LSU over Florida because he believed more strongly in the fit and what he could build in Baton Rouge.
Florida had been a serious contender during talks with athletic director Scott Stricklin, but Kiffin said the decision was not about rejecting the Gators as much as weighing LSU as the better next chapter.
Kiffin also framed his departure from Ole Miss as compatible with valuing his six years there, saying “two things can be true at the same time” when a coach appreciates one stop and still takes a new challenge.
At the same meetings, he briefly weighed in on the SEC championship-game debate, joking about Georgia coach Kirby Smart while the league remains tied to ESPN by a binding contract for the Atlanta title game.

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