Just in case there were any lingering doubts where Lane Kiffin now stands with Ole Miss fans, the Rebel faithful made their feelings crystal clear during Saturday’s live broadcast of ESPN’s College GameDay.

Speaking via satellite from the team’s hotel in Oxford, Kiffin’s face was projected onto a large screen overlooking the throngs of students and Rebels fans awaiting Saturday’s game against visiting LSU.

That’s when chants of ‘a**hole’ began.

Kiffin famously defected from Ole Miss to LSU before the Rebels’ first college football playoff berth last season, so it was no surprise to see angry fans voicing their disapproval during the live segment.

Still, it was nonetheless striking to hear Kiffin being drowned out by a chorus of expletives, which he seemed to be aware of whether he could hear the chants or not.

‘I really appreciate you guys gaslighting them with this,’ Kiffin told the ESPN panel.

Lane Kiffin was targeted by Ole Miss fans during Saturday’s episode of College GameDay

Lane Kiffin of the LSU Tigers embraces daughter and Ole Miss student Landry Kiffin prior to a game against the Clemson Tigers at Tiger Stadium on September 5

And as if that weren’t enough, fans naturally brought some derisive signs to the College GameDay broadcast.

‘I’m 10 and I make better decisions than Lane,’ read a sign held by one young Ole Miss fan.

One young woman brought a sign humorously suggesting she and Kiffin previously dated: ‘Why is my ex here?’

Kiffin did try to defuse the tension at a few moments, once telling the panel: ‘It’s not about me. Both teams have great players, great coaches, [I] have a lot of respect for their program.’ 

Meanwhile, chants of ‘a**hole’ continued to rage in the background.  

It was the latest in a growing buildup for the first top-10 matchup between No. 7 LSU and eighth-ranked Ole Miss since 1962.

It started when Kiffin left the Rebels to take the LSU job and a $91 million contract just as the team he had coached for six years was days away from its first appearance in the College Football Playoff. Kiffin wanted to stay through the playoff, but Ole Miss moved on to coach Pete Golding and advanced to the CFP semifinals. LSU finished 7-6, capped by a loss in the Texas Bowl.

Fans naturally brought some derisive signs to the College GameDay broadcast

One young Rebels fan claimed to make better decisions than the 51-year-old Kiffin 

The off-field storylines haven’t stopped since. Kiffin’s comments about whether Black players could be recruited to Ole Miss, lawsuits alleging Ole Miss transfers owe big money for reneging on their NIL deals and LSU’s now-abandoned defiance of rules against rostering former pro players have only brightened the spotlight for this one.

LSU threw another wrinkle into the mix by saying midweek that quarterback Sam Leavitt was ‘doubtful’ to play, sparking immediate fan accusations of gamesmanship. He’s been upgraded since and is expected to start.

Kiffin himself acknowledged there could be ‘hatred’ in the stands Saturday. Security has been dramatically increased as authorities expect 100,000 people in Oxford, a town whose school-year population of about 25,000 is virtually all students.

LSU leads the overall series between these border rivals 65-39-3, but Ole Miss has won three of the past five meetings, including last year in Oxford. The Tigers opened as 2 1/2-point favorites after giving up just two offensive touchdowns through two games, but they will be challenged by a pair of Heisman Trophy contenders in Ole Miss’ backfield: quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and running back Kewan Lacy.

The winner improves to 3-0 on the season — and gets savory bragging rights.