Each day increases the anticipation brewing in Oxford. But along with the excitement in fans to face Lane Kiffin and LSU, there is also concern among the authorities who are responsible for keeping the peace. The whole country will be watching this rivalry game and it looks like the police are not taking any chances.
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After Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry publicly expressed his own safety concerns around Mississippi’s ability to handle the chaos, there were rumors of bringing the national guard to reinforce the local police. This may not be true. But there is some form of cavalry coming to save the day, literally.
As reported by Kennington Smith III of Front Office Sports, the local police will be welcoming extra units from the states of Alabama and New Orleans. These aren’t ordinary units either. Instead, mounted patrol in the form of policeman on horseback will be in downtown Oxford and surrounding areas.
“They do different things (in the training), crowd techniques and things like that,” the spokesperson from the Oxford Police Department said. “It’s beyond just crowd control. Just extra presence where they can be there and on horseback. One of the coolest things is they kind of have a good vantage point. They’re up higher. They can see things and they can look in the crowds and make sure that everyone’s okay. It’s a public safety thing for sure.” Even Rebels coach Pete Golding has spoken about the need to create a safe space for this rivalry game.
“There’s nothing wrong with being competitive and being in the moment,” Golding said. “But at the end of the day, don’t lose what we’ve created for so long, which is a really good, unique place with really, really good people that’s really hard to play.”
On the other side Kiffin kept it short when it came to the security issue. “I guess there are real safety issues and stuff,” he said at his press conference. “There are people, but I have a plan for that.” Kiffin acknowledges the situation off the field, but is clearly more interested in what is going to happen on that gridiron. It makes sense since this rivalry has roots that stretches beyond Kiffin and Golding.
The last time these two programs met was back on September 27, 2025, when the Rebels defeated the Tigers 24–19 at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. But Saturday’s clash is historic, marking the first top-10 meeting between Ole Miss and LSU since 1962. With the Rebels ranked No. 8 and the Tigers No. 7, the stakes are high. The last time they met as top-10 teams, No. 6 Ole Miss defeated No. 4 LSU 15–7.
If we talk head-to-head, LSU has 64 wins under its belt, while Ole Miss has 43. However, in their past five encounters, Ole Miss has defeated LSU three times, quietly shifting the balance of this rivalry. All of this build up is going to bring thousands of people in and around the stadium and campus.
“I feel like it will probably be one of the biggest crowds that any of us have ever seen, and so you take that into consideration,” said Oxford Police Chief Jeff McCutchen.
The situation is so intense that Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry jokingly said he might have to send Lane Kiffin in an F-16. “I’m thinking about having to send [Kiffin] in on an F-16 and maybe the team on a C-130,” Landry jokingly told ESPN on Monday.
There was a sharp response to this by Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter, according to Caleb Salers of SuperTalk News. “Honestly, I’ve kind of tuned out the governor of Louisiana. That’s not something we’re focused on here on campus,” Carter said.
With Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding calling for an all-out effort against LSU, what does Lane Kiffin think? Well, he seems to be enjoying every second of the chaos.
Lane Kiffin Isn’t Feeling the Pressure Ahead of His Ole Miss Return
Given the intense rivalry between the two teams, the LSU head coach believes there will be plenty of animosity on the field. He wants his players to stay focused on what is important.
“I told the players, you don’t have to worry about anything as far as attention on you all week,” Kiffin said. “There’s so much attention and hatred on me, you just get to go play.”
After winning their first two games by 41-point and 31-point margins, LSU will want to continue to establish their dominance. Especially since they appeared sluggish in the first half in their Week 2 clash against Louisiana Tech.
“Really, the pressure is on [Ole Miss]. We won seven games last year; they won 13. They return two Heisman candidates (quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, running back Kewan Lacy). How often does that happen in the same backfield?… so you guys just get to go play, the pressure’s not on you.”
But in between all of this chaos, the former Rebels coach did find time to muse on the unique situation that currently pervades this rivalry. He wants the media to stay on the players rather than bring the coaches to the front.
“I think it is unusual, one team you built and now a new team you’re building,” Kiffin said. “Probably an unusual situation that way, but I know a lot’s going to be made about me, but this is about the players preparing really well and playing really well. [Pete Golding’s] not going to tackle anybody, and I’m not going to throw any touchdowns.”
On Saturday, the rivalry is set to intensify even further. Who do you think will win and who will fall short?