Lane Kiffin vs. Jimbo Fisher: Why Ole Miss, Texas A&M coaches' SEC rivalry is blossoming

Ole Miss vs. Texas A&M may not be the most burgeoning rivalry, but Lane Kiffin and Jimbo Fisher are laying the groundwork for some contentious matchups moving forward.

The two coaches have traded barbs since last year as Kiffin's list of enemies in the SEC continues to lengthen. Kiffin has made it a habit to mock upcoming opponents online, something many college coaches don't take kindly to in general. Add in a strained relationship between Fisher and Nick Saban — who arguably helped revive Kiffin's career — and the seeds are sown for a good old-fashioned coaching feud.

The Rebels are 2-0 under Kiffin against Fisher's Aggies, with last year concluding in a 31-28 win. After the game – and before it ‒ Kiffin took aim at the Aggies for their expensive recruiting habits, but he and Fisher's beef goes back to before the 2022 season began.

It can, in fact, be traced back to January 2022, when Fisher and Texas A&M poached D.J. Durkin from the Ole Miss coaching staff.

REQUIRED READING: What Ole Miss football's Lane Kiffin said about Jimbo Fisher hot seat at Texas A&M

Here's a look at why Kiffin and Fisher's midfield handshake is going to have plenty of cameras on it after the Rebels and Aggies go final on Saturday.

Do Lane Kiffin, Jimbo Fisher have beef?

While Kiffin seemingly has (or has had) beef with the entire SEC, some of the cuts are just a little bit thicker with Fisher.

The Aggies have gained some notoriety as one of the teams most aggressively utilizing NIL to recruit players, while having one of the most expensive coaches in college football. After the Aggies gave D.J. Durkin a raise to join Fisher's coaching staff as defensive coordinator (a lateral move from what he was doing at Ole Miss), that reputation began to directly affect the Rebels.

The next month, Kiffin quipped about a luxury tax being imposed upon some of the top-spending schools, mentioning Texas A&M by name alongside Texas.

"It's basically like everybody's got different salary caps," Kiffin said when he was asked about the effects of NIL on the college football landscape, per 247Sports. "I joked the other day like, 'Hey are they gonna implement a luxury tax on Texas and Texas A&M?' Because what they're paying the players is unbelievable but it's legal. So you've got players that never played before making hundreds of thousands even a million dollars. So it just is what it is. But it's not gonna mean equal playing field around the country at all. And to me you're gonna see this happening. Because what would happen in the NFL if people had different salary caps? Eventually those guys with the highest salary caps win a lot of games."

Fisher immediately snapped back at Kiffin and other detractors at a signing day news conference, saying the talk of money is overblown.

"To have coaches in our league and across this league to say it," Fisher said. "Clown acts. Alright? Irresponsible as hell. Multiple coaches in our league. And the guys griping about NIL. Griping about the transfer portal. Using it the most and bragging about it the most."

Fisher then doubled down: "Ball games are changing man. And it ain't because of NIL. And what goes on. It's pretty irresponsible of all of 'em. Clowns. And if they got a problem with it come see me. I ain't a hard guy to find."

Lane Kiffin vs. Jimbo Fisher 2022

Leading up to the 2022 Ole Miss-Texas A&M showdown, Kiffin had more pointed words for the Aggies in regard to Durkin's hiring in an appearance on "That SEC Podcast.

"We tried to keep [Durkin] because he did a great job," Kiffin said. "He's really great with the players. We got outbid. Kind of a common theme with that program."

Because Fisher namedropped Saban in his rant, Saban drew most of the attention in the offseason. But Kiffin didn't forget who else was implicitly mentioned after the game was over.

"390 yards rushing against a bunch of five stars is pretty good," Kiffin said after Ole Miss' 31-28 win.

Kiffin then got a dig in at Fisher's "clowns" comment: "Maybe Jimbo has a Joker outfit for me," he said when he was asked what he was going as for Halloween.

Kiffin made a similar quip in his postgame news conference, saying, "I guess I can be a clown for Halloween now" after saying he took Fisher's rant personally.

When 2022 began to finish out, Kiffin seemed to follow Fisher and the Aggies' recruiting efforts with great interest, and he clearly relished in the Rebels securing TAMU transfer Chris Marshall, reposting several articles about the move. Marshall was dismissed from Ole Miss' program in March for a violation of rules.

After the Texas Bowl, Kiffin mentioned Fisher again after a 42-25 loss to Texas Tech.

"We read the books (on analytics)," he told reporters after the game. "When it doesn't work, everyone says they're stupid books. So, Jimbo will be happy today, the book didn't work."

REQUIRED READING: Ole Miss football coach Lane Kiffin previews Texas A&M

Lane Kiffin vs. Jimbo Fisher 2023

This year, Kiffin has resumed his customary trolling on social media while remaining mostly muted when talking to media in front of a microphone. After the Aggies lured an Ole Miss coach away for a second straight year (running back coach Marquel Blackwell), Kiffin had a lonely post.

Kiffin has been more subtle with Ole Miss at 7-1 (4-1 SEC) ahead of the 2023 game vs. Texas A&M (5-3, 3-2). He reverted to coach speak when asked about Fisher's status and if players would rally around him as the season winds down.

"I don't know that," Kiffin said to reporters Monday. "People said he was on the hot seat last year. I don't know if the rally-around-player thing works. It's part of the profession, and that just goes with it. You just gotta go back to work and do the best that you can every week."

Kiffin has been known to take pot shots at upcoming opponents on X, formerly known as Twitter, later in the week. Perhaps that's where we'll see the claws come out once again as the Rebels prepare to play Texas A&M.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Lane Kiffin vs. Jimbo Fisher: Why Ole Miss, TAMU coaches have rivalry