EA Sports College Football 26 released its head coach ratings.
Ole Miss HC Lane Kiffin Earns Surprising Ranking in College Football 26 originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Ole Miss football program has been revitalized under head coach Lane Kiffin since his hiring before the 2020 college football season. He has won 10 or more games on three occasions, including a school record 11 wins in 2023.
This success has largely been predicated on finding elite transfers in the portal each offseason, like quarterback Jaxson Dart, defensive linemen Walter Nolen and Princely Umanmielen, as well as cornerbacks like Trey Amos.
However, Kiffin also developed homegrown talent such as linebacker Suntarine Perkins and running back Quinshon Judkins, who was a second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns.
All of these factors have given Kiffin a strong reputation in the world of college football. On Monday, EA Sports' College Football 26 video game reflected this reputation with its strong rating of Kiffin.
Kiffin is the 10th-highest ranked coach in the game, and one of just 11 with an A+ prestige rating. He has a level of 61, which is slightly ahead of Southern California's Lincoln Riley, who has a 59.
Just ahead of Kiffin are Penn State's James Franklin at 64, Notre Dame's Marcus Freeman at 63, and LSU's Brian Kelly and Alabama's Kalen DeBoer at 62.
Clemson's Dabo Swinney and Georgia's Kirby Smart are the top-rated coaches in the game, both of whom earned an A+ prestige and a level of 80. The next-best coach is Ohio State's Ryan Day, a level 72.
Ole Miss opens their season at home against the Georgia State Panthers on August 30. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:45 p.m. ET at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi.
Related: Ole Miss Loses Key Staff Member to SEC Rival LSU
Related: Former Ole Miss WR Sends Message on Jaxson Dart Ahead of Giants Training Camp
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: General Sports
