Lane Kiffin left in splits as Heather McMahan gives him a special shoutout on The Paul Finebaum Show
Week 7 of college football action pits the Ole Miss Rebels under coach Lane Kiffin against coach Brian Kelly's LSU Tigers in what promises to be one of the marquee games of the weekend. Both are one-loss teams with big expectations foisted upon them, with the No. 9-ranked Rebels looking to maintain their top-10 spot against the No. 13 Tigers.
Away from the gridiron, the charismatic Rebels coach, who is known for his playfulness, got a unique shoutout. During Friday's episode of ESPN's "The Paul Finebaum Show," comedian and actress Heather McMahan gave a special tribute to Kiffin.
"I go easy on him. I feel like Ole Miss, we're always fighting for our position, and also, he's adorable," McMahan said. "I mean, listen, my husband is a Penn State fan, and some days he drives me nuts, so if Lane's ever single, if this doesn't work out with him, I'll be ready in the wings waiting.
"I love Lane. I just played a show in Oxford, and it just feels so good to be back. The energy in Oxford, it's palpable, you can feel it, and everybody is just so pumped that he's there. So, I love the guy."
Paul Finebaum could not resist a hilarious comment as well, and he revealed that he has a long-standing friendly feud with Lane Kiffin.
"Kiffin is so vulnerable because he's essentially a teenager in his late forties," Finebaum said.
Reacting to the conversation, Kiffin posted a laughing emoji in the comments section.
"😂," Kiffin posted.
Lane Kiffin remains popular in college football circles
Ole Miss Rebels coach Lane Kiffin has cut a niche for himself in college sports with his charisma and willingness to goof around, making him a polarizing figure with many fans.
He has accumulated a huge following on social media, heralding the age of the modern football coach who is trendy and social media savvy. Kiffin comments on current events with funny quips and memes on X and Instagram, accounting for his popularity.
During his weekly news conference before LSU takes on Ole Miss, Tigers coach Brian Kelly, who is close friends with Kiffin, revealed the importance of the Rebels' coach's personality to college football.
"I just think you have to look at how many followers he (Lane Kiffin) has on Twitter," Kelly said. "Lane has a positive outlook on the game and he's certainly been an essential figure in college football. He can poke fun at himself and others. I think he's good for college football."
Lane Kiffin has been a polarizing figure throughout his career, which took him to the NFL and back on a redemption tour in college football, and yet, even his opponents cannot deny his infectious cheerfulness.