Ole Miss Players Refuse Handshake With Lane Kiffin in Post-Game Confrontation

Ole Miss players were filmed refusing to shake hands with Lane Kiffin in a stark display of lingering resentment following their victory over LSU. Kiffin, who controversially departed Ole Miss for the LSU coaching position on the eve of last year's College Football Playoffs, faced his former team in Oxford on Saturday.

The highly anticipated matchup saw Ole Miss emerge victorious with a 32-24 score. Following the game-sealing interception by Jaylon Braxton, footage emerged showing Kiffin attempting to shake hands with his former players. However, the players conspicuously kept their hands behind their backs, declining the gesture and signaling their dissatisfaction with his departure.

Further video shared by ESPN captured some players directly confronting Kiffin as he walked off the field. Linebacker Suntarine Perkins was seen grinning as he observed Kiffin, who appeared visibly emotional after the game.

Kiffin acknowledged his emotional state after the game, expressing relief that the return to Oxford was over. "I'm sure I will be criticized for saying this, but yeah I am (glad it is over)," Kiffin stated. "I was thinking that all week, especially today. I would've said that with a win or loss. I was really emotional driving on the buses for a lot of reasons. I'm not just saying that because of the loss. I would've said this anyway, and since you asked me, it was just really a lot of emotions of gratitude for this place and for the six years."

He further elaborated that the emotions extended beyond football, including his first game without his father present. "It went well beyond football. It was also my first time coming into this type of game without my dad. It was just a lot, and it was really emotional. But it wasn't emotional in the way that I thought it would be. I thought I would have felt more of the name calling when we got off the bus and everything. It was much more, so just a lot of gratitude for this place and the people that changed my life, way bigger than a football game."

Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss indicated that facing Kiffin and other former Ole Miss coaches now at LSU provided added motivation. "Yeah, this one meant a lot more than the other games," Chambliss said. "I mean, the coaches that were here are now at LSU, some players as well. So a little bit more to it. So yeah, I'm really happy we got the win. I wanted this one really bad, and our team did too. So, just proud of them and so happy we got the win."

Despite the hostile reception, Kiffin made a light-hearted remark about the attendance generated by his return. "I think you walked into a storm," he said. "That's what happens a lot of times in these games. You see it all the time. You walk into a buzzsaw. You walk into the build up. The stadium was full an hour early. So I guess I had to leave to get them to do that, so you're welcome."