One of the biggest storylines of the college football world since late last year has been Lane Kiffin being hired at LSU. The Tigers fired Brian Kelly partway through the season and had their eyes on Kiffin, who had turned Ole Miss into a College Football Playoff team. Kiffin bolted for LSU, and Ole Miss fans did not take kindly to Kiffin’s departure. No. 7 LSU visits No. 8 Ole Miss in what could be the game of the week starting at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday. LSU is favored by 2.5 in the latest LSU vs. Ole Miss odds. Bet on LSU vs. Ole Miss in Week 3 at DraftKings and get $200 in bonus bets when you spend $5+:

Ahead of what should be an incredible atmosphere in Oxford, Miss. this weekend, we’ll look at the latest LSU vs. Ole Miss odds and Ole Miss vs. LSU spread at DraftKings Sportsbook before breaking down this SEC matchup. We’ll also share our best bets using the SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every FBS game 10,000 times. It is on a 33-21 run on top-rated CFB money-line picks on betting sites since the 2024 season, and it has been upgraded for the 2026 season to better factor in the transfer portal. Anybody following its picks on college football betting sites could have seen strong returns.

LSU vs. Ole Miss betting odds (via DraftKings)

LSU vs. Ole Miss betting preview

Kiffin has the Tigers off to a dominant 2-0 start that includes a blowout win over Clemson, while Ole Miss took down a ranked Louisville squad in Week 1 before defeating Charlotte in Week 2. There’s a lot of familiarity in this matchup as Kiffin’s former defensive coordinator, Pete Golding, is the new Ole Miss head coach, and fewer players left Ole Miss to follow Kiffin to LSU than expected. The returnees include star quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, who’s a Heisman Trophy contender. Chambliss is off to a great start to the year and is +1300 to win the Heisman, per DraftKings futures betting odds. 

Kiffin hit the portal hard this offseason, including adding quarterback Sam Leavitt from Arizona State. Leavitt helped guide the Sun Devils to the CFP in 2024 in a surprise Big 12 championship campaign. Leavitt has gotten off to a rocky start with two passing touchdowns to four interceptions through two games, though he’s rushed for five scores. Leavitt notably popped up on LSU’s injury report on Wednesday and was listed as doubtful on Wednesday before being upgraded to questionable on Thursday. He now carries no injury designation. 

There’s no love lost here, and based on how Ole Miss fans have reacted to Kiffin’s departure since last November, we can expect a raucous and electric environment in Oxford on Saturday. 

After LSU won five straight Magnolia Bowls from 2016-20, these teams have traded wins over the last five meetings, with Ole Miss winning three of five, including last year. The home team has won each of the last six matchups, and Ole Miss plays host once again this season. Use the FanDuel promo code to get $350 in bonus bets after betting $5+ for seven days on college football, including LSU vs. Ole Miss:

LSU vs. Ole Miss picks, prediction

Ole Miss money line vs. LSU

There’s a ton of buzz with Kiffin joining a historic LSU program after his incredible run at Ole Miss, but he left a lot of talent in Oxford that was unwilling to jump ship to a rival. The Rebels have a clear edge at quarterback with Chambliss over the turnover-prone Leavitt, and with rivalry games, it often can come down to which quarterback makes the fewest mistakes. The Rebels get to host this year’s Magnolia Bowl, and Vaught-Hemingway Stadium is going to be absolutely buzzing on Saturday. We’ll back the Rebels to get some revenge over Kiffin here, and the SportsLine Projection Model agrees as Ole Miss wins in 53% of simulations, and at plus money line betting odds to boot.