The College Football Playoff (CFP) semifinal matchup between Ohio State and Tennessee was expected to be a thriller. Tennessee, with their explosive offense and high-flying passing game, had earned a spot in the playoff and were looking to make a statement against the Buckeyes. Meanwhile, Ohio State was determined to prove that their defense could stifle Tennessee’s dynamic attack. What transpired was anything but a close contest. Ohio State thoroughly dismantled Tennessee, handing them a lopsided loss that left Volunteers fans and the SEC reeling. While Ohio State’s dominant performance was the talk of the day, it didn’t take long for fans to shift their focus to Lane Kiffin, whose connection to Tennessee and the SEC made him an easy target for some good-natured trolling.
In this blog post, we’ll explore how Kiffin became the center of attention after Tennessee’s blowout loss, the trolling that followed, and why the situation was so ripe for college football fans to have some fun at his expense.
The Tennessee vs. Ohio State Matchup
Tennessee entered the CFP as one of the most intriguing teams in college football. They boasted one of the nation’s top offenses, led by quarterback Joe Milton and head coach Josh Heupel, and had hopes of competing for a national championship. They were looking to prove that they could go toe-to-toe with elite teams like Ohio State, whose defense had been maligned at times but was still loaded with talent.
However, from the opening whistle, it was clear that Tennessee was no match for Ohio State. The Buckeyes’ defense stifled Tennessee’s high-powered offense, while quarterback Kyle McCord and Ohio State’s offensive line shredded the Volunteers’ defense. Ohio State dominated every aspect of the game, from the trenches to the passing game. By the end of the game, Tennessee had been blown out, and their dreams of a national title were dashed.
For many, it wasn’t just the loss that was hard to stomach; it was the magnitude of the defeat. Ohio State had simply outclassed Tennessee, leaving the Volunteers in the dust. And as if that wasn’t enough, it didn’t take long for fans on social media to point out the glaring irony of the situation.
Lane Kiffin and the Tennessee Connection
Lane Kiffin’s name was quickly brought into the conversation after the game. Kiffin, the current head coach of Ole Miss, has a long and controversial history with Tennessee. In 2009, he was hired as the Volunteers’ head coach, bringing a sense of optimism to a program that had been struggling under previous leadership. However, Kiffin’s tenure in Knoxville was short-lived and tumultuous. After just one season, Kiffin left Tennessee in the lurch to take the head coaching job at USC, leaving behind a trail of disappointment and resentment among Volunteers fans.
Since then, Kiffin has bounced around, taking head coaching jobs at USC, Alabama (as offensive coordinator), and FAU before landing at Ole Miss. His time at Tennessee, while brief, is still a major talking point among college football fans, especially in the SEC, where Kiffin’s departure left a sour taste.
For many Tennessee fans, Kiffin is a figure they love to hate. His departure was seen as a betrayal, and to this day, he remains a lightning rod for criticism from Vols supporters. So, when Tennessee suffered a humiliating loss to Ohio State in the CFP, Kiffin, who now coaches an SEC rival in Ole Miss, became an easy target for trolling.
The Trolling Begins
As soon as the final whistle blew and Tennessee’s defeat was confirmed, college football fans—particularly those from SEC schools—wasted no time in bringing Kiffin into the conversation. The trolling was swift and relentless, with fans poking fun at Kiffin for his past with Tennessee and his current role at Ole Miss, a school that has historically been in Tennessee’s conference but is still seen as a lesser contender by many in the SEC.
On social media, fans began posting memes and sarcastic comments about Kiffin’s reaction to the loss. Some wondered if Kiffin was secretly enjoying Tennessee’s blowout defeat, given his history with the school. Others joked that Kiffin might be plotting his own revenge on Tennessee for their role in his departure back in 2009. There were even playful taunts about how Kiffin, as the head coach of an SEC team, would never allow such a humiliating defeat to happen to his program—though the reality is that Kiffin’s Ole Miss team has also faced its share of losses to more powerful SEC programs.
Some took it a step further, pointing out that Kiffin’s decision to leave Tennessee for USC in the first place was part of a larger trend of SEC teams struggling to live up to the lofty expectations set for them. The joke, of course, was that if Kiffin were still at Tennessee, perhaps the Vols wouldn’t have been so easily blown out by Ohio State. The trolling was filled with mockery, but also a sense of schadenfreude that Tennessee fans would be left to stew in the aftermath of such a crushing loss.
Why the Trolling Was So Effective
The trolling of Lane Kiffin following Tennessee’s loss to Ohio State was effective for a few reasons. First, Kiffin is already a polarizing figure in the world of college football. His brief tenure at Tennessee left a lasting impression on fans, and his subsequent career moves—particularly his time at Ole Miss, where he’s led a program that has shown promise but still pales in comparison to the SEC powerhouses—have kept him in the public eye. Kiffin’s reputation as a fiery, confident, and sometimes controversial figure made him an easy target for those looking to needle Tennessee fans in the wake of the loss.
Second, Kiffin’s connection to Tennessee and the SEC made him an obvious figure for fans to focus on. The SEC is a conference filled with passionate fanbases, and Tennessee, despite their loss, still holds a certain level of pride as one of the conference’s most storied programs. The fact that Kiffin, an SEC coach with ties to the Volunteers, is now coaching at a rival school only added fuel to the fire. College football fans love a good rivalry, and Kiffin’s situation was a perfect example of the drama that makes the sport so compelling.
Finally, Kiffin’s knack for stirring the pot on social media—coupled with the fact that he is never one to shy away from controversy—only added to the fun. College football fans know that Kiffin is someone who thrives in the spotlight, and that makes him the perfect target for online trolling. Whether he takes the bait or simply ignores the jokes, Kiffin’s name will always be part of the conversation when Tennessee is involved.
The Bigger Picture: Tennessee’s Struggles and the SEC
Beyond the trolling of Kiffin, Tennessee’s blowout loss to Ohio State also serves as a reminder of the challenges the SEC faces in competing for national titles. While the SEC remains the most dominant conference in college football, Tennessee’s defeat at the hands of Ohio State highlights the gap that still exists between the elite programs and those trying to reach the top. For Tennessee, the loss was a gut punch to their hopes of regaining national prominence. But for Lane Kiffin, it was a chance for fans to have some fun at the expense of the program that was once his home—and whose fans still haven’t forgiven him for his sudden exit.
Conclusion
Lane Kiffin’s name will likely continue to be associated with Tennessee’s College Football Playoff collapse, thanks to the relentless trolling from college football fans. His past with the Volunteers, combined with his current role in the SEC, made him the perfect target for fans who wanted to poke fun at Tennessee’s blowout loss. Whether Kiffin enjoys the attention or not, one thing is for sure: in the world of college football, no one is safe from the wrath of the fans—especially when a team like Tennessee suffers a humiliating defeat. For Kiffin, it’s just another chapter in the ongoing saga of his college football career, and for Tennessee, it’s a painful reminder of the road they have yet to travel to regain their former glory.