Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin Says It’d ‘Be Exciting’ to Face Deion Sanders’ Jackson State

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Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin said
he’s open to the program setting up a future game against FCS
opponent Jackson State, which is coached by NFL legend Deion Sanders.

“It’s been great to see Deion’s
success, Coach Sanders’ success and how well he’s doing,” Kiffin
told reporters Monday at SEC media days. “I don’t know future plans on that, but
that would be exciting.”

Sanders took over the Jackson State
program in 2020, and he’s helped the squad turn a corner. The Tigers have
compiled a 15-5 record across his first two seasons, highlighted by
winning the SWAC Championship Game last season.

While that success combined with
Sanders’ high-profile status makes Jackson State an intriguing
schedule option for Power Five teams—the matchup would create far
more interest than a usual buy game—the former
cornerback isn’t always a fan.

In September, Sanders told Andscape’s
Jean-Jacques Taylor that “all money ain’t good money.”

“Normally you just get paid to get
beat. Your program makes a little more money than they normally would
and you go get your butt kicked,” he said. “I don’t believe
in that. I don’t know how that helps anybody.”

Jackson State athletic director Ashley
Robinson agreed with Sanders, saying the program would turn down most
Power Five offers in favor of games against FBS opponents where the
Tigers could be more competitive.

Robinson confirmed the exception
would be in-state opponents like Ole Miss or Southern Miss.

“Those games would be historic,” Robinson told Taylor. “Those are the only Power Five games we’ll be
looking at.”

So a showdown
between Kiffin’s Rebels and Sanders’ Tigers could be possible in the coming
years. A season-opening matchup would be particularly attractive if
the sides eventually come to terms.

For now, the focus is the upcoming
campaign. Ole Miss opens the 2022 season Sept. 3 when it hosts Troy at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium,
while Jackson State will play Florida A&M at Hard Rock Stadium for its opener Sept. 4.