OXFORD — Ole Miss football coach Lane Kiffin did not hold back in his halftime interview against Florida.
The Rebels are down 24-20 to Florida at the half at home in Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Nov. 15. It’s a tense atmosphere. The No. 7 Rebels (9-1, 5-1 SEC) need a win to remain a clear-cut selection in the College Football Playoff bracket.
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Florida (3-6, 2-4) has a chance to play spoiler. The Gators are also rumored to be a candidate to hire Kiffin away from Ole Miss for their coach opening.
At halftime in an interview with ESPN’s Kris Budden, Kiffin ripped into the referees. He was particularly upset about a situation that played out late in the second quarter.
As Ole Miss was kicking a 23-yard field goal, and Florida committed a hand-to-the-face personal foul. The referees ruled it happened after the play was over, which the replay seemed to prove incorrect. It took away what would have been an Ole Miss first down inside the Florida 10-yard line.
“It’s just really disappointing to have communication with the refs, they come over, they try to get it right,” Kiffin said. “The hands to the face is during the play. So let’s just get it right. It’s not that hard. So that’s just really discouraging. To have that much time to talk about it and they admit they’re wrong now. So what good does that do?”
Kiffin said the referees later admitted to him that the call was incorrect.
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Sam Hutchens covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at Shutchens@gannett.com or reach him on X at @Sam_Hutchens_
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Lane Kiffin blasts officials during Ole Miss vs Florida halftime
