Ole Miss Rebels' Lane Kiffin Cracks Top 10 in Newest Head Coach Rankings

Where does Lane Kiffin rank in the latest Top 25 head coach rankings entering the 2024 season?

Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin watches during the Ole Miss Grove Bowl Games at Vaught-Hemingway / Bruce Newman/Special to the Clarion

OXFORD, Miss. – It has been a tumultuous offseason for the world of college football. The NCAA Transfer Portal is as busy as it has ever been, and there have also been head coaching changes to some of the biggest brands in the sport right now.

Nick Saban announced his retirement from coaching in January, and Jim Harbaugh is back in the NFL after leading the Michigan Wolverines to a national championship despite being suspended for a portion of the 2023-24 season.

With Saban now out of the picture, Georgia’s Kirby Smart is without a doubt the No. 1 coach in not just the SEC, but the entire nation. So where do the Ole Miss Rebels and Lane Kiffin fit in this new hierarchy?

On3 unveiled its Top 25 head coaches in all of college football on Wednesday, and Kiffin came in at No. 10 after leading the Rebels to their first-ever 11-win season and following it up with a stellar offseason of recruiting.

“Kiffin just led the Rebels to their first 11-win season in school history, and like [Steve] Sarkisian, has overcome a rocky start to his head coaching career,” On3 writes. “Before Kiffin arrived in Oxford, Ole Miss had just three 10-win seasons in 48 years. He could top that in 2024 with the Rebels pushing their chips for a potential SEC title run. Kiffin has maximized the transfer portal and is an excellent offensive mind. Next up: leading Ole Miss to the playoff and winning more games against Top 25 foes.”

The Top 5 is nearly all SEC, as Smart came in at No. 1, followed by LSU's Brian Kelly (No. 2), Alabama's Kalen DeBoer (No. 3), and Texas' Steve Sarkisian (No. 5).

The outlet previously ranked all 16 head coaches in the SEC in March, and Kiffin landed at No. 5 in the conference.