Lane Kiffin keeps it real after Brent Venables says Oklahoma was the better team: ‘That’s an interesting take..’
OXFORD, Miss. — Lane Kiffin didn’t hold back when asked about Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables’ postgame remarks following Ole Miss’ 34–26 victory in Norman.
Venables had suggested after the game that his Sooners were “the better team,” despite the Rebels leaving Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium with the win — their first SEC road victory over a ranked opponent under Kiffin.
When Kiffin was asked about Venables’ comment during his Monday press conference, the Ole Miss head coach paused, smiled slightly, and delivered his response with trademark dry humor.
“That’s an interesting take,” Kiffin said after hesitating for a moment.
“That’s a hot take. Better team? I wouldn’t have thought that people watching would say that. You know, I felt that one, we won at their place and whether that as a defensive head coach you would normally wish for, and won by eight points. And I think we left a lot out there. I think we should have won by a couple of scores. So I don’t know how he evaluated that game, that they were the better team. I mean, we (had) way more yards, 21 first downs to 14, and we played, what, 87 plays of offense? And they had one sack and didn’t force any turnovers. That’s an interesting take, but whatever he needs to say.”
Lane Kiffin on Brent Venables’ postgame comments
It was a subtle but unmistakable jab from a coach whose team just went on the road and outplayed one of the SEC’s top defenses.
Kiffin wasn’t done, though, continuing on.
“Maybe they (were) the better team last year too when we beat them. Sorry … Maybe he had the better team in Oklahoma when we beat them 55-19 in the national championship, maybe. Maybe he had the better team at Clemson when we beat him 45-40 in the national championship at Alabama. Next question, my bad. You got me on that.”
Lane Kiffin on Brent Venables’ comments
Kiffin was referring back to when he was at USC and the Trojans defeated Oklahoma in the the January, 2005 Orange Bowl. Kiffin was serving as the passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach for USC, while Venables was the Oklahoma defensive coordinator.
He also referred to the January, 2016 CFP national championship when the Tide defeated Clemson, 45-40. Lane was the offensive coordinator for Alabama, while Venables was Clemson’s defensive coordinator.
Ole Miss, now 7–1 on the season, not only handed Oklahoma its second conference loss but also showcased balance on both sides of the ball — from Trinidad Chambliss’ poise under pressure to Kewan Lacy’s physicality in the run game and a defense that made key stops when it mattered.
Still, even after the statement victory, Kiffin wasn’t interested in boasting. Instead, he kept the focus on the standard inside his own locker room.
“We didn’t play close to our best game,” Kiffin said.
That self-critique has become a theme for Kiffin and this year’s Ole Miss team — one built on depth, discipline, and a relentless push for improvement.
Next Up
The Rebels will return home this week to host South Carolina at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, where they’ve won 11 of their last 12 games. And while Brent Venables might still believe his team was better, the scoreboard — and Kiffin’s Rebels — told a different story in Norman.
Evelyn Van Pelt
Evelyn has covered sports for over two decades, beginning her journalism career as a sports writer for a newspaper in Austin, Texas. She attended Texas A&M and majored in English. Evelyn's love for Ole Miss began when her daughter Katie attended the university on a volleyball scholarship. Evelyn created the Rebel Walk in 2013 and has served as publisher and managing editor since its inception. Email Evie at: Evie@TheRebelWalk.com
