LSU’s Lane Kiffin Pulls Off Stunning Ole Miss Transfer Coup—What This Means for the Rivalry

When it comes to college football’s whirlwind of transfers, Lane Kiffin is proving to be a master puppeteer — and this time, he’s pulled the arguably biggest string yet. Princewill Umanmielen, the Rebels’ edge rusher who racked up a jaw-dropping nine sacks and nabbed All-SEC third-team honors in just one season, is packing his bags for LSU. Now, it begs the question: Is Kiffin assembling some sort of secret weaponry at Baton Rouge, or just stirring the pot in a way only he can? With a brother in the NFL, a fresh All-American title from Nebraska, and a growing following of Ole Miss talent heading south, Umanmielen’s move signals more than just another transfer — it’s a seismic shift in SEC chess. And honestly, who can blame him when the game is this tantalizingly unpredictable? LEARN MORE.

Lane Kiffin has brought another Ole Miss player with him to LSU, and it might be the biggest one yet.

Rebels edge rusher Princewill Umanmielen, who posted 9 sacks, 13 tackles for loss, and 44 tackles in 2025, has reportedly chosen to transfer to LSU, according to CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz. Umanmielen, who is listed at 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds, was named to the All-SEC third team by the league’s coaches in his only season with the Rebels.

Before arriving in Oxford in early 2025, Umanmielen, the younger brother of Carolina Panthers linebacker and former Ole Miss player Princely Umanmielen, spent two seasons at Nebraska. With the Cornhuskers, he played in 23 games, tallying 1.5 sacks, 7 TFL, and 35 tackles. In 2023, he was named a second-team freshman All-American..

Ole Miss star edge rusher transfer Princewill Umanmielen is set to transfer to LSU, sources tell @CBSSports.

Umanmielen, who posted nine sacks this season and was an All-SEC selection, ranks as the fifth-best overall player to enter the portal this cycle. pic.twitter.com/C6RWMYwaK4

— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) January 21, 2026

Umanmielen is just the latest Ole Miss player or coach to follow Kiffin to Baton Rouge since the latter became the Tigers’ head coach in late November. In terms of Rebel players, linebacker TJ Dottery, offensive lineman Devin Harper, and wide receiver Winston Watkins have committed to LSU, while many coaches joined Kiffin at LSU soon after his hiring, including offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., running backs coach Kevin Smith, wide receivers coach George McDonald, and tight ends coach Joe Cox. Chris Kiffin, the younger brother of Lane, also jumped from Ole Miss defensive analyst to LSU co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.

Kiffin’s departure and subsequent alleged poaching have been controversial topics in Oxford and around the country, especially considering that at the time that he left, Ole Miss was making its first College Football Playoff (CFP) appearance and still had a shot to win its first national championship. Although reports indicated that Kiffin had given his Rebels staff an ultimatum and considered forbidding them from coaching Ole Miss during the CFP, the coaches returned to Oxford, where they split time between their two jobs and, according to some in the program, tampered with Ole Miss players.

While the coaching and roster movement is slowing, LSU and Ole Miss will meet each other on the field on Sept. 19 in Oxford for each team’s SEC opener.

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