By GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
The two undercards are done.
No. 8 LSU disposed of No. 23 Clemson, 51-10, last week and beat Louisiana Tech, 45-14, on Saturday night in Tiger Stadium after a rough start.
No. 9 Ole Miss beat No. 24 Louisville, 41-38, last Monday in Nashville and routed Charlotte, 41-9, on Saturday.
The Tigers (2-0) and the Rebels (2-0) will square off on Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. on ABC national television in the most heated Hate Bowl in the history of the storied border rivalry that began in 1894 in Baton Rouge with a 26-6 Ole Miss victory. LSU leads the series, 66-44-1, but has lost three straight in Oxford – all to Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin.
But Kiffin is now LSU’s coach after fleeing Oxford for Baton Rouge on Nov. 30, 2025, after directing the Rebels to its greatest regular season ever at 11-1 (7-1 Southeastern Conference) and the first College Football Playoff invite in history.
And that’s why the Ole Miss Nation will be lying in wait for Kiffin and the Tigers.
“It’s going to be awesome,” LSU linebacker Whit Weeks said after making seven tackles in the win over Louisiana Tech and forcing two fumbles with a quarterback hurry. “The first SEC match-up, coach Kiffin’s return. It’s going to be electric for sure.”
And in particular for the four Rebels whom Kiffin brought with him from Ole Miss via the transfer portal – edge rusher Princewill Umanmielen, linebacker TJ Dottery, wide receiver Winnie Watkins Jr., and offensive lineman Devin Harper.
“Next game on the schedule,” Umanmielen said to the first Ole Miss question. “Attack it like we do every other week. Practice hard, practice how you play.”
Asked if it helps that much of the expectations will be on Ole Miss, he said, “Uh, I don’t really care about that.”
There is more at stake than the next game on the schedule, though. For one, Umanmielen and Harper have each been sued by Ole Miss for breach of contract after signing deals with Ole Miss last January for the 2026 season before turning and signing with LSU. Ole Miss is suing Umanmielen for $550,000 and Harper for $400,000.
A fifth-year senior, Umanmielen was a major force for Ole Miss defensive coordinator Pete Golding’s unit last season as he finished third in the SEC with nine sacks and eighth in tackles for loss 13. Golding replaced Kiffin as head coach of Ole Miss and went 2-1 in the playoffs, reaching the semifinals.
Asked what it will be like walking back into Vaught-Heminway Stadium next week, Umanmielen said, “TBD (to be determined).”
So are the two lawsuits.
Asked if he has thought about the grudge game, Umanmielen said, “I mean. I am now. It’s the next game on schedule.”
Umanmielen was asked about seeing his former teammates still at Ole Miss, such as star quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and running back Kewan Lacy. Chambliss completed 23 of 26 passes for 225 yards and two touchdowns in the win over Charlotte Saturday, while Lacy gained 87 yards on 13 carries with two touchdowns. Kiffin recruiting and developed Chambliss, Lacy and many other current Rebels.
“I’m still cool with some of those guys,” he said. “But they’re the next person on the list.”
Asked what he expects from the Ole Miss fan base, Umanmielen said, “I’m just playing football. I don’t want to say the wrong thing, but I’m going to be playing football for sure.”
Kiffin also was careful what he said, but as usual, he did get a little dig in at Ole Miss, where he coached to new heights from 2020-25.
“We’re getting ready to go on the road in the SEC against a really good team that has played really well for years at that place,” Kiffin said, praising Ole Miss and himself simultaneously. “So, this was good. Like I said, it’s hard to get their attention after last week (following a blowout of Clemson), if there were two really clean games in a row like that. So, I’m glad it happened.”
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