It’s rare to hear an SEC coach publicly criticize a student section’s attendance, but that’s exactly what happened after Saturday’s game between Ole Miss and Washington State at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
Despite an official crowd of 66,392, the Rebels’ student section stood out for its empty seats, a sharp contrast to the packed stands often seen in places like Austin, where the Texas Longhorns’ students routinely fill their section in 100-plus degree heat, even during Thanksgiving break.
Lane Kiffin took a shot at his own student section.
After Ole Miss pulled out a 24-21 victory, head coach Lane Kiffin didn’t shy away from addressing the lackluster student turnout. Along with acknowledging struggles in the red zone, Kiffin called out the absence loudly and clearly in his postgame remarks, emphasizing the importance of student support on game days.
“I thought our Red Zone offense showed up about like our student section,” Kiffin said, via Brad Logan.
“I thought our Red Zone offense showed up about like our student section.”
— Brad Logan (@BradLoganCOTE) October 11, 2025
-Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin pic.twitter.com/EDhYXpYk58
The Rebels struggled with consistency, particularly inside the red zone, and coach Lane Kiffin didn’t shy away from noting both offensive inefficiency and a student section that didn’t fill its seats at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Those missteps, combined with uneven play, served as reminders that perfection in the SEC is fragile at best.
From crowd energy to execution inside the 20, everything matters in a league that, as its slogan says, “Just Means More.” For now, Ole Miss has survived every challenge, but rhythm, as Kiffin knows, often decides who keeps their undefeated mark and who doesn’t.
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