Josh Heupel delivers a spicy quote when asked about Lane Kiffin’s return to Tennessee in 2026
Former Tennessee football coach Lane Kiffin will return to Knoxville in 2026 when LSU visits for a matchup against the Vols.
Tennessee Vols head coach Josh Heupel delivered a spicy quote on Monday at SEC Media Days when asked about Lane Kiffin’s return to Knoxville in 2026.
Kiffin, who left Ole Miss after the 2025 season to become the new head coach at LSU, will return to Rocky Top in November when the Tigers take on the Vols.
The last time Kiffin was in Knoxville — in 2021 when Ole Miss beat Tennessee — it resulted in one of the wildest scenes we’ve ever seen in college football.
Mustard bottles, among other things, littered the field. And Kiffin was nearly hit with a golf ball.
Heupel said on Monday that he hopes Tennessee fans show a similar intensity when LSU visits this fall.
“I certainly hope our fan base hasn’t cooled off,” said Heupel. “Whether it’s the grocery stores being fully stocked with mustard, or our sports stores making sure that they’ve got reinforcements on the golf balls, hopefully Knoxville’s ready for his arrival.”
I have no doubt that Neyland will be electric when LSU and Kiffin visit in November, and it won’t even matter what either team’s record is at the time.
And to be clear, Heupel clarified that he has no beef with Kiffin — he was just having some fun.