Why is Lane Kiffin at Texas Bowl between LSU football, Houston?
- - Why is Lane Kiffin at Texas Bowl between LSU football, Houston?
John Leuzzi, USA TODAY NETWORK December 28, 2025 at 2:58 AM
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The Lane Train has made a stop in H-Town.
LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry confirmed to WAFB's Jacques Doucet that new LSU football coach Lane Kiffin will be in attendance inside NRG Stadium for the Tigers' contest against Houston in the Texas Bowl, and will be doing some "media coverage"
Kiffin's presence was teased by former LSU defensive tackle Booger McFarland on ABC during halftime of the Pop-Tarts Bowl between BYU and Georgia Tech. Kiffin also posted a photo of himself inside a private jet with an LSU pennant flag on his personal X (formerly Twitter) account earlier in the day.
"Frank Wilson is going to do well wherever he's at. He's still part of our family."#LSU AD Verge Ausberry speaks on @Lane_Kiffin first few weeks with @LSUfootball, #LSU NIL efforts, Kiffin being at @TexasBowl and more. "He'll do some media coverage tonight." @WAFB pic.twitter.com/0tWlrZRrpc
— Jacques Doucet (@JacquesDoucet) December 28, 2025
REQUIRED READING: LSU vs. Houston score, live updates, where to watch Texas Bowl today
While it is not unusual for an incoming coach to attend a bowl game of his new program, it is the first public appearance for Kiffin since he took over the Tigers program as the successor to Brian Kelly, outside of his introductory news conference.
Kiffin, who congratulated his former program on their first-ever CFP win on Saturday, Dec. 20 against Tulane, led Mississippi to a 55-19 overall record in six seasons.
Here's what to know about why Kiffin is at NRG Stadium for LSU's bowl game against Houston:
Penn State hired Matt Campbell as its next head coach. Campbell, 46, coached 10 seasons at Iowa State and was the winningest coach in school history.
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Penn State hired Matt Campbell as its next head coach. Campbell, 46, coached 10 seasons at Iowa State and was the winningest coach in school history.
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Florida hired Jon Sumrall as its next head coach, replacing Billy Napier, who was fired midseason. Sumrall, 43, spent two seasons at Tulane and two at Troy and led his teams to the conference championship game in each of those four seasons.
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Florida hired Jon Sumrall as its next head coach, replacing Billy Napier, who was fired midseason. Sumrall, 43, spent two seasons at Tulane and two at Troy and led his teams to the conference championship game in each of those four seasons.
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Iowa State hired Jimmy Rogers as its next head coach. Rogers, 38, spent one year as the coach of Washington State after coaching South Dakota State for two seasons and an FCS national championship in 2023.
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Iowa State hired Jimmy Rogers as its next head coach. Rogers, 38, spent one year as the coach of Washington State after coaching South Dakota State for two seasons and an FCS national championship in 2023.
">Iowa State hired Jimmy Rogers as its next head coach. Rogers, 38, spent one year as the coach of Washington State after coaching South Dakota State for two seasons and an FCS national championship in 2023.
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1 / 31These college football coaches are on the move. See who found new home
Penn State hired Matt Campbell as its next head coach. Campbell, 46, coached 10 seasons at Iowa State and was the winningest coach in school history.
Why is Lane Kiffin at Texas Bowl between LSU-Houston?
Kiffin is getting an early look at his new team in action, as the former Ole Miss coach was named the successor to Kelly at LSU on Sunday, Nov. 30.
The veteran head coach was one of the most sought-after coaches in this coaching carousel, as he mentioned during his introductory news conference at LSU on Monday, Dec. 1 that there were four options on the table for him, including staying at Ole Miss and continuing to build the Rebels into a powerhouse.
He ultimately chose LSU.
"This place is different. Having watched this place for a long time and from the other sideline. This place is different, and that’s why we’re here," Kiffin said at his introductory news conference.
He added: "As we're going to the office, and you go by Tiger Stadium, and it's lit up, and you are like, 'I absolutely made the right decision,' and (any bad feelings) all went away."
Kiffin will be tasked with rebuilding the LSU program into a national championship contender, as the Tigers have missed out on the College Football Playoff each year since their national championship in 2020.
1 / 5See Lane Kiffin's LSU introductory press conference in Baton RougeNews media arrive before a press conference by LSU's new head coach Lane Kiffin at South Stadium Club at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge on Dec. 1, 2025.Who is coaching LSU in Texas Bowl?
LSU interim head coach Frank Wilson is coaching the Tigers in the Texas Bowl against Houston on Dec. 27. Wilson, a longtime assistant coach at LSU across two different stints, has led the Tigers to a 2-2 record since being elevated to interim head coach by Woodward.
The Texas Bowl will be the final game Wilson coaches at LSU, as he is returning to Ole Miss to be on Pete Golding's first staff in Oxford. Wilson spent three seasons with the Rebels from 2005 through 2007 as a running back and special teams coach. During availability in Houston on Friday, Dec. 26, Wilson mentioned he and Kiffin couldn't come to a resolution on keeping him in Baton Rouge, despite Kiffin "wanting to find a way to work it out."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why is Lane Kiffin at LSU-Houston in Texas Bowl?
Source: “AOL Sports”
