The No. 7 LSU Tigers travel to Oxford on Saturday to face No. 8 Ole Miss in a primetime SEC matchup, marking Lane Kiffin's first game against his former team since departing for LSU last season.
Kiffin left Ole Miss to take the LSU job before the College Football Playoff. His return to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium carries weight, though he sought to keep the focus on execution.
"I think it is unusual," Kiffin said. "One team you built and then a new team that you're building. So it's a really unusual situation that way."
Kiffin said the game ultimately hinges on player performance, not coaching storylines. "I know a lot is obviously going to be made about me, but this is about the players being prepared really well and playing really well," he said. "Neither he nor defensive coordinator Pete Golding would be making plays on the field."
Ole Miss presents a formidable challenge. The Rebels hold the second-longest win streak and second-longest home winning streak in the country. Kiffin called them "phenomenal," saying LSU must "prepare really well and play really well."
The game kicks off Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC. Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit will call the action, with Holly Rowe and Laura Rutledge reporting from the sidelines.
LSU's Sam Leavitt is on the injury report ahead of the matchup.
