Fired Brian Kelly’s LSU Return Gets Crushed by CFP Reality

Brian Kelly, the former LSU and Notre Dame head coach who was fired by the Tigers after the 2025 season, made a public prediction for this weekend’s marquee SEC matchup between No. 2 Georgia and No. 10 Ole Miss.

Speaking on CBS Sports HQ on Wednesday afternoon, Kelly picked Ole Miss to win at home in Oxford.

“They (Ole Miss) believe they can beat Georgia,” Kelly said.

“They beat them before, 2 out of 3, I just think that there is that belief. They’re at home, you talked about running (Trinidad) Chambliss, I think they’ll run him more, he’s going to be big part of this offense, not just throwing the ball. I like them to win this game.”

The prediction comes at a pivotal moment in the college football season.

Georgia enters the game ranked No. 2 in the nation with a 7-1 record.

Ole Miss sits at No. 10 with a 7-2 record.

Both programs are fighting for position in the SEC standings and for a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff.

This will be the fifth meeting between Georgia and Ole Miss in the past four seasons.

Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs have struggled in Oxford historically.

Smart holds an 0-2 record when playing at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

Ole Miss eliminated Georgia from the College Football Playoff last January in the Sugar Bowl.

Kelly’s pick reflects that recent history.

He pointed to the Rebels’ belief in themselves as a key factor.

He also highlighted running back Trinidad Chambliss as a central piece of Ole Miss’s offensive plan.

Chambliss has been a major factor in the Rebels’ recent success against Georgia.

Kelly is now a former head coach without a current job.

He was fired by LSU after the 2025 season following a disappointing 8-5 campaign.

His tenure in Baton Rouge lasted three seasons, with a 26-11 record overall.

Since his firing, Kelly has remained in the public eye.

He has appeared as a college football analyst on CBS Sports.

He has also been linked to multiple coaching vacancies.

Most notably, Kelly has been named in speculation surrounding the Florida State head coaching job.

Florida State fired Mike Norvell on November 1 after a 3-5 start to the 2026 season.

Norvell finished his time in Tallahassee with a 41-39 record across six-plus seasons.

He led the Seminoles to an undefeated 13-0 regular season in 2023, but the program collapsed afterward.

According to On3, Norvell’s buyout is approximately $50.3 million following his midseason dismissal.

Urban Meyer, the former Ohio State and Florida head coach, raised questions about Florida State’s ability to afford a top-tier replacement.

Speaking on the Triple Option podcast on November 3, Meyer said the university faces significant financial constraints.

“The president, I watched the interview today because I was interested. He sounds like a guy, I mean, the financial restraints. I know they’ll find the money, but as of now, that place is in financial ruins,” Meyer said.

On3 sources estimated that firing Norvell’s staff and hiring a new head coach could push the total expense toward $100 million.

Florida State reported $437 million in athletics-related debt for fiscal year 2025, according to Sportico’s Daniel Libit, as cited by On3.

Much of that debt is tied to the renovation of Doak Campbell Stadium and the construction of a new football operations center.

Meyer questioned whether Florida State should spend heavily on an established coach.

“To hire new staff, buyouts, paying off the coaching staff, and hire a quality new head coach with the market it is, I’m curious. I love Mike Norvell; he’s going to be fine. But what the h*** do they do at Florida State?” Meyer added.

Instead, Meyer pointed toward lower-cost options such as Curt Cignetti and Bob Chesney.

Kelly has expressed interest in the Florida State job, according to multiple reports.

He also addressed rumors about a possible return to LSU.

But the CFP reality is clear: LSU is not in the playoff picture this season.

The Tigers are 6-3 under first-year head coach and former Kelly offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock.

LSU has lost three conference games and is out of SEC title contention.

The first College Football Playoff rankings of the 2026 season were released this week.

They sparked immediate controversy.

Georgia is ranked No. 2, behind only Ohio State.

Ole Miss is ranked No. 10, on the bubble of the playoff field.

Kelly’s pick for Ole Miss to beat Georgia is a high-stakes call.

If Ole Miss wins, it strengthens their playoff resume and damages Georgia’s.

If Georgia wins, Kelly’s prediction will be remembered as another misstep in his post-LSU career.

The game kicks off Saturday at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi.

Kickoff time has not been announced by the SEC.

This is the biggest game of the weekend in college football.

Kelly’s involvement — as an analyst, not a coach — adds an unusual layer.

He is picking against the program he once coached against in the SEC.