‘Our Fans and Our Defense Showed Up’: Kiffin Praises Rebel Crowd After South Carolina Win
OXFORD, Miss. — Lane Kiffin has coached a lot of games in a lot of stadiums — but when he walked off the field Saturday night after Ole Miss’ 30–14 win over South Carolina, he made something very clear: this one felt special.
Students showed out! Bonus points if you can spot Buddy the Elf. 🤣
Hotty Toddy 🔴🔵 pic.twitter.com/NUrLikhr5Y— Chris Pruden (@partypruden) November 2, 2025
The Rebels’ head coach wasn’t just talking about his defense, which held the Gamecocks to 50 rushing yards on 32 carries and sacked quarterback LaNorris Sellers six times. He was talking about the people in the stands — the ones who made Vaught-Hemingway Stadium loud, electric, and alive under the lights.
“I felt like our fans and our defense showed up today. Our offense in the passing game really didn’t. We had some really bad rhythm… but our defense kept answering the call in the second half, which was great to see.”
Lane Kiffin on the fans and the defense
Thank you Rebel Nation 🫶 pic.twitter.com/6Yrf989BRJ
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) November 2, 2025
Ole Miss crowd brings the energy
Kiffin’s appreciation for the fan base came with a challenge, too. He’s made no secret that he believes crowd energy can directly affect how his team plays — and Saturday night was proof.
“If you’re going to have all these things we talk about, if you’re going to be an elite team and the things we got to do, if you’re going to be an elite environment, you’ve got to get there early,” Kiffin explained. “That starts in warmups with the other team and how you feel it.”
When the Rebels came back onto the field after warmups, the crowd had filled in — and Kiffin noticed.
“It was really intense, and I looked up and it was loaded. It was great to see. I think teams feed off that, especially defensively.”
Lane Kiffin
That energy translated onto the field. South Carolina struggled to find rhythm, managing just 14 points and failing to sustain drives. Ole Miss’ defense, meanwhile, looked revitalized — feeding off the noise and energy of the crowd all night long.
Ole Miss Football does not condone the use of artificial noisemakers.
Except for whatever this was. pic.twitter.com/L3KMRqGemx
— Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) November 2, 2025
Few coaches in college football have the kind of connection with their fan base that Lane Kiffin has built in Oxford. His blend of charisma and humor has made him a fan favorite — and on Saturday, that connection was on full display.
When the Rebels sealed the win with a late interception, Kiffin couldn’t resist the moment.
“I probably got us a penalty there at the end,” he said with a grin.
“I was just excited that we made an interception — those don’t happen a lot around here lately. And so when we did, the student section was right there. I just told the guys to go down — I didn’t tell them to jump into the stands — they did that and got the penalty. And then they were getting the penalty, so I just threw the ball up there too. I’m like, they’re not going to give us two penalties. Sometimes you gotta have fun.”
Lane Kiffin
Coach told Sunny P to go see the students after the interception! Love it @Lane_Kiffin @suntarine @OleMissFB
Hotty Toddy 🔴🔵 pic.twitter.com/AkYodsTfDV— Chris Pruden (@partypruden) November 2, 2025
It’s that blend of competitive fire and personality that’s made Kiffin’s Rebels so magnetic to watch. He doesn’t just coach the game — he lives it with his players and the fans.
Defense and Crowd: The Perfect Combination
Saturday night wasn’t just another home win. It was a statement about how Ole Miss football — and its fan base — can create a true SEC environment at The Vaught.
For Kiffin, the message was clear: keep showing up, keep getting loud, and keep making it miserable for whoever walks into Oxford.
“A lot of elite, loud environments usually have some really good defenses. I think defensive players especially respond to that. So it was great to see.”
Lane Kiffin
The Rebels are now 8–1 overall and 5–1 in SEC play — still in the thick of the playoff hunt, and still feeding off that Rebel energy that’s made Oxford one of the most electric scenes in college football.
As Kiffin put it: “Our fans and our defense showed up today.” And that combination might just carry the Rebels the rest of the way.
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
