The Lane Kiffin bidding war is only getting hotter. Despite running miles ahead of Florida and Ole Miss, LSU is not hitting the brakes. Now, amid the Brian Kelly drama, Locked on LSU’s host Matt Moscona has confirmed their $144 million power play to get the current Rebels head coach to Baton Rouge.

“Jimmy Sexton represents Lane Kiffin,” Moscona said on yesterday’s episode. “He wants the best deal for his client. And he’s not going to let his clients sign a contract that he doesn’t think is going to be honored. How do you overcome that? ‘BK, here’s your $54 million. Lane, you ready? Okay.’ It’s further evidence that LSU is singularly focused on Lane Kiffin. They’re all in on Lane Kiffin.”

Earlier this week, LSU reportedly sent a written termination letter to its former head coach, Brian Kelly. The same clearly stated that they are firing him “without a cause,” confirming that the Tigers were ready to give him the $54 million buyout.

Moreover, the previously leaked $90 million contract proposal to Kiffin further underscored LSU’s total $144 million play to secure the Ole Miss head coach for Baton Rouge as soon as the Rebels announce his decision after Friday’s Egg Bowl.

While Moscona claimed that people at LSU were not thrilled about Kiffin’s contract details being leaked, it ultimately became a massive opportunity for them to show their interest. Already, they’ve made enough bets on why the 50-year-old could be more successful with them.

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Reportedly, along with the seven-figure contract, the Tigers are ready to add $25 million NIL fund to lure top-tier talent. Additionally, unlike Ole Miss, which relies heavily on transfers, LSU boasts perennial top-5 recruiting classes. That means Kiffin could build a powerhouse with his offensive acumen and player development skills in talent-rich Louisiana and the broader SEC regions. They also got the entire Kiffin family on a private jet to visit Baton Rouge earlier.

However, none of these attempts means that LSU can bring Kiffin to Baton Rouge with a hundred percent success rate until the ink is on the paper.

But it is also hard to ignore that the Tigers are doing everything they can to eliminate any potential objection and get this thing across the finish line this weekend.

Lane Kiffin’s pending decision and its impact on college football

Despite constant speculation, Lane Kiffin hasn’t said much about his final decision except share some hints on how he will make it.

Previously, Kiffin tweeted a page of Brianna Wiest’s self-development book, “The Pivot Year: 365 Days to Become the Person You Truly Want to Be.” In the book, the author suggests having honest conversations with oneself. The decision, then, becomes a matter of weighing pros and cons. If even one reason outweighs the others on the opposite side, you should choose it.

This silence and subtle hints, however, may have acted as a silent killer for the Ole Miss locker room, as they could risk losing their coach at such a crucial time. The Rebels hold a 10-1 record and are preparing for their last regular-season game against Mississippi State. According to AD Keith Carter, any decision on Lane Kiffin’s future will come after that game.

The entire saga has taken over the college football world, as many media and industry insiders are completely plugged into the matter, speculating where the head coach will finally land.

A couple of days ago, On3 released a ‘Lane Kiffin Prediction’ list via college football insider Brett McMurphy, listing all major analysts voting on the three-way tie race for Kiffin’s signature. Out of 20 analyst predictions, 12 voted for LSU as the favorite, including Kirk Herbstreit, Paul Finebaum, Joel Klatt, Josh Pate, and more.

Kiffin has already shown at Ole Miss that he can turn a good SEC job into a playoff-caliber program. With LSU’s history, football culture, and bank vault on his side, he could certainly raise his potential. However, for him, the Rebels taking a chance on him doesn’t go unnoticed.

“I love it here and it’s been amazing,” Kiffin said during an SEC teleconference last week. “And we’re in the season that’s the greatest run in the history of Ole Miss at this point — never been at this point. So I think it’s really exciting, and so I’m just living in the moment that amazing.”

Additionally, he has also proven his loyalty to the Oxford program by highlighting his deep connection to the city, from his father’s demise there to his daughter attending the same school. This love for Mississippi might be a big hurdle for LSU, which is already trying to weather the buyout storm from Kelly’s departure.

LSU plays the money game with Brian Kelly

Brian Kelly’s exit from Baton Rouge was rather messy. There had even been a few backlashes that raised questions about whether the HC deserved that $54 million buyout. However, even the 64-year-old didn’t just let his name drag through the mud; he fought back. The saga began after LSU fired Kelly in late October, citing poor performance as the reason.

Later, LSU claimed Kelly was never formally terminated and is now trying to fire him for cause, meaning they want to avoid paying the full buyout. On the other hand, Kelly’s legal team is demanding that the court officially recognize the firing as without cause to secure the payout. But LSU has now given up all its weapons just for a bright future, firing Kelly two days ago.

However, there is a catch that Matt Moscona points out.

LSU has clearly stated a mitigation in the termination letter where Kelly cannot sit and enjoy the payout. Instead, to secure this $54 million, he will need to seek a job actively. He will also need to maintain basic records of his job search, including any offers he receives or interviews he attends. Kelly can’t just sit around enjoying the money.

Now, the speculations may have planted a seed of doubt in everyone’s heads that if the Tigers cannot pay their former coach’s buyout, then how can they pay a bigger sum to Kiffin? However, this move ensures that if Kelly doesn’t get a job, he will also not get his money. The Tigers have the financial war chest to complete the deal with Kiffin. All that’s left is for the Egg Bowl game to end and for the Ole Miss head coach to make his decision.